BJD Demands Kosali Be Declared State Language in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Apr 2 : The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has called for the recognition of Kosali as an official state language of Odisha, emphasizing its widespread use across eleven districts and its rich literary heritage.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Odisha Assembly on Wednesday, BJD Deputy Leader Prasanna Kumar Acharya urged the state government to grant Kosali the status of a state language and to recommend its inclusion in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

Acharya highlighted that Kosali is spoken by approximately 1.5 crore people in Western Odisha and has a well-established literary tradition, encompassing numerous stories and poems. He cautioned that continued neglect of this demand could lead to public dissatisfaction in the region.

“Kosali meets all the necessary criteria for being declared a state language, yet it continues to be overlooked. Several other languages without distinct scripts have already been included in the past,” Acharya stated.

The BJD leader urged the state government to take immediate steps to recognize Kosali and push for its inclusion in the Eighth Schedule, reinforcing the linguistic and cultural identity of Western Odisha.