A movement is continuing in the “Kosal region” of India for creation of a separate state from the existing state of Orissa. People of this region are demanding a politically separate Kosal state from Orissa. The demand for ‘Kosal state’ in Orissa is becoming intense day by day. Political parties, intelligentsia and various social organizations are coming together for this cause. The growing popular support for Kosal movement in Orissa is frequently capturing news headlines of both state and national print and visual medias. .[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26] It is significant that the Kosal state demand is coming from all the places of Kosal region simultaneously. As per media, public protests and submission of memorandums to the government are reported in Athamallick, Balangir, Bargarh, Boudh, Jharsuguda, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Sambalpur and Sonepur.[27][28][29][30]
Sundargarh district, which is shown as a part of proposed Kosal state, has nothing in common with other districts of Western Orissa. It is a tribal dominated district like the adjacent districts of Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj. Tribal languages, tribal culture, tribal traditions are quite different from non tribal language (Sambalpuri) and culture of Western Orissa. In contrast, Tribal and Kudmi people of Sundargarh district have the same culture, traditions and languages as that of the people of Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts of Orissa and the people of Jharkhand. The tribal language of Santali is constitutionally recognized. Sundargarh district was under the Commissioner of Chota Nagpur Division up to 1905 but other parts of Western Orissa were under Chhattisgarh Division. Sundargarh district joined Orissa only in 1948. Sundargarh district, although included in the “Western Orissa Development Council” (WODC), because of underdevelopment, does not mean that it will be a part of proposed Kosal state, as is being stated in this article. Rather, tribal of Sundargarh district along with tribal of Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts are demanding the inclusion of Sundargarh, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj districts and Kuchinda subdivision of Sambalpur district in Jharkhand and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, which has a considerable support base in Orissa,[31] is spearheading a movement for this purpose.[32][33][34][35][36][37]
The demand for the Kosal state in Orissa has risen mostly because of the prolonged underdevelopment and backwardness of this region. The state government is not doing enough for the development of Koshal region, although this area is full of mineral and natural resources. In the case of Orissa the process of economic growth has been regionally lopsided during the last fifty years.[38][39] The coastal region has benefited mostly from the economic policies pursued by the state, the Kosal region remains neglected, marginalized, and deprived WODC : Western Orissa Development Council. The regional imbalances has been such an extent that the news of starvation death, child-selling for rice, large-scale illiteracy, malnutrition, distressed out-migration, etc., have came to be the characteristics of Koshal region.
To balance the regional imbalance between costal Orissa and Koshal region, Orissa Government has established a Western Orissa Development Council (WODC).[40] However, the budget allotted to this council is a small fraction of the total budget of Orissa. With this small fraction of budget a large Koshal region will never develop like costal Orissa.[41][42] Similarly politics is being played for KBK and WODC headquarters. KBK and WODC headquarters are located in the state capital Bhubaneswar, instead of locating these headquarters in Koshal region.[43]
As listed in the links an extensive research on these issues has been carried out.Regional Imbalance of Western Orissa in Brief | Kosal.[44] Following are some of the reasons for the demand of a separate Kosal state.
The incidence of chronic poverty in Kosal coupled with government failures in addressing its rising trends has been the most important factor for the demand for a separate state in Orissa. Majority of Kosli people lacked minimum purchasing power to meet even square meals per day. In the infamous backward districts of Kosal region (Boudh, Sonepur, Balangir, Nuapada, and Kalahandi) more than 60% persons live below the poverty line. Sonepur, Balangir, Nuapada, and Kalahandi are also part of Kalahandi Balangir Koraput (KBK) area famous for deaths due to hunger and poverty.[45] Recurrent droughts, inadequate irrigation, skewed land distribution, and a rigged market all together have made Kosal a ‘hunger belt’ in Orissa over the half century since Independence. The results have been a human-disaster including large-scale starvation deaths, child selling, out-migration and malnourishments serialized by various Indian as well as international newspapers.[46][47]
Educationally Kosal represents the most backward region in Orissa and India. The gap of literacy rate between Coastal Orissa and Kosal is vast. Kosal region is lagging behind their Coastal Orissa counter-part in terms of literacy rate and formal educational levels. The poor performance of the Kosal region as compared to the Coastal region in the primary as well as higher education is because of the low levels of government educational expenditure devoted towards the region as compared to the Coastal region. It is further evident from the distribution of higher educational institution between Coastal Orissa and Kosal region. Most of the higher educational institutions are distributed in costal Orissa comprising from Balasore to Ganjam. Recently all the national institutions are proposed in Costal Orissa and Central University in Koraput. Even Biju Patnaik National Steel Institute was established in Puri instead of Rourkela, the steel city of Orissa. Similarly, at the last moment Kalahandi and Burla region were betrayed by the Orissa Government for establishing a Central University and an IIT. ESIC medical college has been another controversial issue recently. Rourkela and surrounding Kosal region has 75 % of ESIC members but the state Government has proposed to established the ESIC medical college in Bhubaneswar, costal Orissa.
Most of the farmers of Kosal region are marginal and uneducated farmers with small land holdings. So, it is easy for the industries to grab the land as small farmers are always eager to sell their land because of money with out understanding the long term consequences. With the problems faced in land acquisition in Coastal Orissa many new industries are starting in Jharsuguda region.
Kosal region is largely suffering due to mining and environmental degradation, but world class institutions are established in Costal Orissa instead of Kosal region. Mining, tribal displacement and environmental degradation are caused by Vedanta group in Kalahandi but world class Vedanta University is being established in Puri instead of Kalahandi. Similarly POSCO is given mining in Sundergarh but one of the largest steel plant by POSCO is coming in Paradeep instead of Sundergarh. Belpahar, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur and Brajarajnaagr region is suffering due to coal mining, but state Govt. has ignored this region and pursued the coal ministry to establish Medical College in Talcher region. It is reported that farmers from more than eight district of Kosal region depend on the water of Hirakud resorvoir. There is a gowing anger among the farmers of this are as the industries are using a huge amount of water from the Hirakud resorvoir. Frequently, farmers are also protesting saying "Hirakud dam is for irrigation, not industry".[48]
There is only one Govt medical college (VSS medical college) in Kosal region.[49] The hospital is lifeline for the people of Athmallik, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Boudh, Balangir, Sonepur, Deogarh, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Sundargarh region. Even people from four neighbouring districts of Chhattisgarh are dependant.[49][50] However, Orissa Govt. is adding more and more Govt. medical college in costal belt. For instance, initiaitves are taken for medical colleges at Talcher and Balasore, existing Govt. medical colleges in Berhampur and Cuttack, Capital medical college (Proposed) BBSR, AIIMS BBSR, ESIC and Railway medical college, BBSR, National Univ. with medical college (proposed) in BBSR, proposal for health Univ. in costal Orissa.
There is no advertisement for Sambalpuri dance, Ghumra, etc.
Kosal region has different culture in comparison with other parts of Orissa. For instance, Nuakhai, Jiuntia, Puspuni, Dhanu JatraChudakhai jatra, Chatar jatra, Sital Sasthi, Kalasi festivals are popularly celebrated in Kosal region but not celebrated in other part of Orissa. Also, Karma, Dalkhai, Rasarkeli, Jaiphula, Halia songs and dances are famous in Kosal region. Similarly, Raja is celebrated in other part of Orissa but not in Kosal region. Similarly, marriage and other social events are celebrated differently in these two regions. Earlier days in the marriage dowry (Bata Kharcha) for the groom was a popular concept in coastal Orissa whereas in Kosal region there was nothing like that and any form of dowry was limited to voluntary gifts in the form of goods for the newly married couple.
The Kosli language is spoken in Kosal,[51] but is not yet recognized by the state or union governments.[52] However, Oriya language expert feels that Kosli is a separate language and it is not a dialect of Oriya.[53][54][55] Koshli has its unique grammar and epic like Mahabharata and Ramayan etc. are available in this language.[56] For instance, noted litterateur, translator and scholar Hemachandra Acharya is popularly known as the Balmiki of Kosli literature for his translation of The Ramayana into Kosli.[56] Information on Grammer book like "Samalpuri kosali byākaraṇa" by Nilamadhab Panigrahi is available on the web.[57] Also, many magazines and periodicals are available in Kosli language.[58]
It is said that the demand of a separate Kosal state is more than three decades old. The demand was raised by many politicians like RN Singh Deo, former CM of Orissaa. A former Lawyer of Supreme Court P.R. Dubey demanded for a separate state for Kosal region. In 'Kosal Khabar' he propounded the Solutions to carve a separate state to end the discriminations by coastal people on the Kosalites. He was instrumental in some protest programmes. Than, It was spearheaded by former BJP MLA Balgopal Mishra though the State and Central units of the party never supported it publicly. As reported in "The Indian Express" the then Orissa PCC president Hemananda Biswal had strongly opposed the demand of a separate Kosal state. Addressing the media persons he told in Bhubaneswar that, "the Congress party is committed to the establishment of the Western Orissa Development Council (WODC) and the Bill in this connection is pending before the legislature".[59] Balgopal Mishra reacted to it saying "there is a growing demand for a separate state in Kosal; it was regrettable that the newly elected MP and some legislators of Bolangir district had failed to see the writing on the wall".[59]
Mr. Mishra is famous for his `Kosal Mukti Rath' to generate public opinion in favour of his demand. He generated a lot of public support for a separate Kosal state despite a stiff opposition from the ruling party. Sapan Mishra of Sambalpur, along with some dedicated youth chalked out a rout-map for 'Kosal Mukti Rath'traversing the length & breadth of Kosal region, which ultimately made it a mass movement from a class movement.[60] Later 'Kosal Rayej Kriyanusthan Committee' was formed which also fought Orissa State Assembly & Lok Sabha Election for the cause.
In an interview to The Hindu Mishra said: "The Kosal region will include at least 10 districts of western Orissa and adjoining areas that continue to be extremely backward and poverty-stricken. These are Bolangir, Nuapada, Sonepur, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsugudha, Devgarh, Kalahandi, Kashipur block in Rayagarh, Keonjhar, Sundergarh, Bodh, Dhenkanal. He also proposed to include Koraput district. "Though British imperialism has ended, we are still under coastal colonisation he said".[61] Also, he arugued that Kosal region has been thoroughly discriminated as compared to the coast belt. All the development had taken place in the coastal region and it is politicians from that side who have dominated the political scene of the State. While here, were have been deprived and oppressed," he said in the interview.[61]
In 2004 the then Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani told reporters in Balangir that India could consider the demand for creation of a separate Kosal state only if the Orissa Assembly passed a resolution in this regard claiming "a consensus is needed in this matter".[62]
Various political parties are demanding the formation of a new Kosal state comprising the most backward districts of Kosal. In particular, political parties and organizations like Kosal Kranti Dal, Koshli Ekta Manch, Kosal Party, Orissa Sanskrutika Samaj, Kosal Rajya Sangharsha Samiti, Hirakhanda Mukti Morcha, Kosal Mukti Morcha, Veer Surendra Sai Manch and All Kosal Students Union (AKSU) are spearheading the separate Kosal state demand.[27][63][64][65]
For the first time a sitting MP from the Indian National Congress party (Sambalpur) and former minister Shri Amarnath Pradhan warned that "If the State Government continued to neglect Kosal then we will not hesitate to demand a separate state".[66]
In a recent development, Sambalpur University Student Union, Rajendra College Balangir Student Union and Balangir Women's College Union have supported demands for a separate Koshal state.[14][67] In addition, the bar associations in Sambalpur and Balangir have demanded the formation of a separate Koshal state.[68][69] Frequently, bandhs are observed in various places of Koshal region demanding a Koshal state. Activists have distributed maps of the proposed Koshal state and torn up the Orissa map as a symbolic declaration of separation from Orissa.[67][70][71]
On 23 December 2009 thousands of members of the Kosal Kranti Dal (KKD) staged a demonstration near the Orissa assembly building.[72][73] The separatist supporters marched on the main street of the capital city Bhubaneswar. Later they gathered to hear dozens of leaders speak about the apathy of the state and central governments towards Kosal. According to The Statesman, the protest dharna was led by the KKD's president, Pramod K Mishra; other leaders of the party addressed the protestors exhorting them to launch a mass movement for separate statehood.[74][75] The KKD's head Pramod Mishra said “We have separate Kosali language. Our culture and traditions are different. Our regions are the poorest in India despite having huge mineral and forest wealth. Only a separate Kosal state can improve the condition of our people”.[72][73][76][77][78][79][80][81][82]
On 27 December 2009, The Pioneer published an article claiming that senior BJD leader and Minister AU Singh Deo was against demands for a Kosal state.[83][84] Addressing the BJD foundation day in Bhubaneswar, Singh Deo said the demand for a Kosal State gained momentum as the past Congress Governments had neglected the interests of Kosal. “They had only allotted Rs 1 crore for the Kosal region’s development. But our BJD Government gave Rs 50 crore for the first time to the Western Orissa Development Council (WODC) and then enhanced it to Rs 100 crore,” he said.[85]
After this the members of All Kosal Students' union led by convener Dolamani Pradhan held a demonstration before the Collectorate in Balangir town protesting against the anti-Kosal remark by AU Singh Deo, Western Orissa Development Council (WODC)'s chairman Prof. Niranjan Panda and Chief Minister of Orissa Naveen Patnaik and later burnt their effigies.[86]
As reported by IANS, the rail services in Orissa were affected on 10 January 2010 (Sunday) as activists of Kosal Kranti Dal blocked the tracks to press the demand for a separate Kosal state.[87] Hundreds of activists blocked rail tracks at many places of western Orissa, including at Balangir, Bargarh, Boinda, Rourkela and Kesinga, as part of their agitation. Similar agitations are also reported from Sambalpur and Jharsuguda where Kosal activists demanded a "separate state any cost".[88] It was also reported that more than hundred of protestors courted arrest at Balangir town and the party leader of Kosal Kranti Dal Mr. Pramod Mishra said they will hold more such agitations in the coming days.[89] Pramod Mishra also said that "We were forced to merge with Orissa in 1948. What this region has got after 60 years of merger? Only acute poverty and backwardness.[90] On Tuesday, January 19, 2010 The Pioneer BBSR edition reported about the allegation of CPI(M) State secretary Janardan Pati that the indifference on the parts of the two main political parties in the State, the BJD and the Congress, over the issue is encouraging the demands of separate states.[91] It was reported that members of the Kosal Kranti Dal and All Kosal Students’ Union, held Rasta Roko at different places on the Bargarh-Borigumma section of National Highway-201 and at Puintala on the Khurda-Balangir section of NH-224 for three hours from 10 am to 1 pm on Sunday (February 14, 2010) for demanding a separate Kosal State.[92] The Kosali Ekta Manch staged a road blockade on National highway-201 in Bhawanipatna; it also demanded a Central University in Kalahandi, and appointment of Shiksha Sahayaks as a district cadre and a by-pass road in the district.[93]
Members of the Kosal Kranti Dal (KKD) and people of western Orissa led by the Balangir district president Bharat Prusti and general secretary of the All Kosal Students’ Union Mr. Dolamani Pradhan, protested against the “continuous neglect and exploitation” by the Orissa government and demanded formation of a separate Kosal State. The demonstrator tore the map of Orissa and burned a CD containing the song Bande Utkal Janani.[94] the Kosal Kranti Dal (KKD) also organised a massive rally and meeting which was attended by delegates from eleven districts of western Orissa. The president of KKD Pramod Mishra informed that the people have gathered here to protest against their continuous exploitation by the successive Governments at Bhubaneswar. He further said that Kosli, not Oriya is our mother tongue as well as language of the Kosal region.[95]