Odisha advocate seeks central intervention to protect Odia language rights in border areas

Jeypore, Nov 11: Advocate Anup Kumar Patro, a human rights defender and RTI activist from Koraput district in Odisha, has submitted a memorandum to the Cabinet Secretary of India, alleging prolonged administrative inaction by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on a representation concerning the preservation of Odia language, education and cultural heritage in Odia-speaking border regions spread across Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

Presidential Reference

According to the representation, Patro had earlier submitted a public interest memorandum to the President of India on August 29, 2026, highlighting the challenges faced by Odia-speaking communities in the outlying border tracts, commonly referred to as Bichhinnanchala (disconnected territory). The memorandum raised concerns over the weakening of Odia-medium education, non-payment of honorariums to linguistic educators and the gradual erosion of Odia cultural identity in these regions.

The President’s Secretariat subsequently forwarded the petition to the Union Home Secretary on September 3, 2026, directing that action taken on the petition be communicated directly to the petitioner.

Allegations of Inaction

In his latest communication, Patro alleged that more than two months have elapsed since the Presidential reference without any Action Taken Report (ATR), interim response or procedural communication from the Ministry of Home Affairs. He described the delay as an administrative lapse affecting linguistic minority populations across several border districts.

The representation claims that Odia-medium schools in districts of Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand are facing challenges related to educational infrastructure, teacher remuneration and access to mother-tongue instruction. It further states that teachers appointed under the aegis of Utkal Sammilani have not received honorariums for multiple academic years, leading to financial distress.

Demands Raised

The memorandum has urged the Cabinet Secretariat to seek an immediate status report from the MHA, convene an inter-state coordination mechanism involving Odisha and neighbouring States, and direct the Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities to conduct a field assessment of Odia-medium educational institutions in the affected border districts.

The petitioner has also sought measures for clearing pending salary arrears of educators, strengthening Odia-medium education and safeguarding the linguistic and cultural heritage of Odia-speaking populations living outside Odisha.