04 Aug

Story of Creation of a Separate Province or Modern State of Odisha

Odisha lost its independence for the first time in 1568 A.D. after the sorrowful defeat and sad assassination of last Hindu King Mukunda Harichandan Dev in the battle field of Gohira Tikiri. In course of time Odisha was ruled by some Muslims, Marathas and was lastly occupied by the Britishers in 1803 A.D. During the British old rule the famous Paika Rebellion of Khurda erupted in the year 1817 which gave a big jolt to the very root of English British administration. 

Thus out of sheer revenge, the British rulers targeted to ruin and devastate the very existence of the heroic Oriya race. With a calculated move the Britishers annexed the coastal belt of Orissa with Bengal Presidency, the Southern part with Madras Presidency and the western part with Central Province as a result of which the Oriya speaking tracts were scattered and the Oriyas were segregated from each other. Due to the merger of different parts of Orissa with the neighboring provinces like Bengl, Bihar, Madras and Madhya Pradesh, the Oriyas were compelled to suffer

humiliation in the cultural, administrative and socioeconomic field. But in the midst of the 19th century there was a sea change in the socio-political arena of Odisha due to the spread of British English education and publication of Oriya newspapers, the Oriyas became well aware regarding their rights. 

A new Oriya intellectual society was created in course of time,who tried hard for the all round development of Orissa through the medium of newspapers, literature and meetings. For protecting the interest of the common people many social, cultural and religious organizations sprang up rapidly. The inhabitants of Ganjam and Sambalpur started protest meetings and agitations for the unification of Oriya speaking tracts. 

Bihar and Orissa Province

They became successful in reintroducing the Oriya language at the government level in the year 1890 and 1901 respectively.The emergence of Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das in socio-political arena of Orissa created new vistas and vigor in the minds of Oriya youngmen. Madhusudan Das inculcates patriotism, Oriya nationalism in their hearts and minds.

In the year 1903 'Ganjam Jatiya Samiti ' was formed at Rambha and its first session was inaugurated at Brahmapur where resolutions were passed regarding the all round development of Orissa. This session was attended by Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das and Vyasa Kabi Fakir Mohan Senapati. The success of 'Ganjam Jatiya Samiti ' meeting inspired Madhu Babu and as a result of which an organization namely 'Utkal Sammilani ' was formed to solve different problems of Oriyas. The first session of 'Utkal Sammilani ' commenced at Idga Padia of Cuttack on 30th December 1903. Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo, the king of Mayurbhanj presided over the meeting. This session of Utkal Sammilani was attended by Gadjat kings, zamindars, Govt. employees, lawyers and students where Oriya nationalism took its form.

Later on the leaders of 'Utkal Sammilani' had drawn the attention of British Government regarding various problems through seminars, symposia, youth sessions and general meetings. Instead of pointing out the defects of British rule Madhubabu was determined to fulfill the hopes of Oriyas keeping good terms with the Englishmen. Social reformation, women emancipation, eradication of untouchability, development of farmers and agriculture, unification of Oriya speaking tracts and above all creation of Oriya nationalism was the goal and motto of 'Utkal Sammilani'. Through Oriya newspapers 'Asha', 'Utkal Dipika', 'Brajabandhu' and English newspaper 'The Oriya' attention of British rulers was drawn regarding the various demands of Oriyas. In different annual sessions of 'Utkal Sammilani', resolutions passed regarding unification of Oriya speaking regions which were sent to British rulers often yielded results. Due to the demands of Oriyas Sambalpur was merged with Orissa division in 1905 A.D. by the British Government.

In the year 1912 the Bihar-Orissa Province was formed by the British Government. In 1914 A.D. The annual session of 'Utkal Sammilani ' was held at Paralakhemundi under the presidentship of Bikram Dev Burma, the king of Jeypore. For the first time Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati, the king of Paralakhemundi opined in this annual session of 'Utkal Sammilani' regarding the formation of a separate Orissa Province instead of unification of Oriya speaking tracts.

While on one hand the Raja, Zamindar and common inhabitants of Ganjam were much interested for merger of Ganjam with Orissa division, the Telugu local leader of Ganjam and his supporter Brundaban Patra (an Oriya) were trying their level best against the merger of Oriya speaking tracts with Orissa division. Further the Telegus of Ghumusar and Buguda had agitated against the amalgamation of Oriya speaking regions with Orissa division. The Oriya weekly 'Asha' had strongly argued in favor of formation of a separate Orissa Province based on Oriya speaking tracts. Viceroy Lord Curzon and Lord Hardinge also supported the formation of a separate Orissa Province based on Oriya language speaking people. But on the other hand, Pattabhi Sitarammaya, the editor of 'Mathrubhumi' (an English magazine published from Masulipatnam) had argued against the merger of Oriya speaking tracts with Orissa division which were under the jurisdiction of Madras Presidency in its November 1924 edition.

In 1924 Phillip-Duff Committee was formed in which the British Commissioner and political agent Mr. C.L. Phillips and Collector Mr. A.C. Duff were members. While the aforesaid committee was touring Ganjam, the inhabitants of that locality strongly demanded through a memorandum for merger of Ganjam, Jeypore and Visakhapatnam with Orissa division. Starting the investigation in the month of October, 1924, the Phillip Duff Committee completed the preparation of its final report regarding the unification of Oriya speaking tracts in the month of December 1924. This Committee had opined

in favor of merger of Oriya speaking tracts with Orissa division which were under the Madras Presidency. In 1927, presenting the resolution (regarding the unification of Oriya speaking tracts) in the Central Council Pandit Nilakantha Das said that 'for the formation of a separate Orissa province the united efforts of Oriyas was badly necessary.' (19th February 1927, 'Utkal Dipika') In 1928, Sir John Simon came to India as the chief of a seven members Parliamentary Commission for investigating the constitutional reformation system. Indian National Congress called on the people of India to boycott the Simon Commission as there was not a single Indian member included in that Commission. Responding to the call the Congress workers staged protest meetings and processions showing black flags and placards shouting 'Simon Go Back' in every nook and corner of India. But without caring the call of Indian National Congress Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das greeted and paid a large ovation to Simon Commission at Patna Railway station on behalf of 'Utkal Sammilani' and handed over a memorandum to the Commission regarding the formation of a separate Orissa Province. Simon Commission formed a sub-committee appointing C.R. Atlee as its Chairman to look into the matter.

The sub-committee recommended the formation of a separate Orissa Province. Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati went to London in1930 with a view to attending the Round Table Conference. He could able to influence the British authority through a leaflet containing 'The Oriyas : their needs and reasons for a separate Orissa Province.' The British authority appointed a boundary select committee which recommended in its report in favour of formation of a separate Orissa province in the month of April 1932. As Sir Samuel Hoare through a white paper published on 18th March 1933 had excluded the Oriya speaking tracts of Paralakhemundi, Jeypore and Jalantar from the proposed Orissa Province, a special session of Utkal Sammilani was convened in the month of May 1933 to discuss regarding the high handedness of Britishers and it was unanimously resolved in that session to stage peoples movement and protest meetings against the whimsical decision of British Government.

On 11th February 1934 it was resolved in the annual conference of Utkal Sammilani held at Brahmapur that if Jeypore and Paralakhemundi were not included with the proposed Orissa Province, the Oriyas would not accept that Orissa Province.' Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati again proceeded to London leading a group of Oriya representatives in which the Rajasaheb of Khallikote, Mr. Lingaraj Panigrahi, Mr. Bhubanananda Das and Shyam Sundar Das were included. Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati gave a memorandum to the Secretary of State of the joint select committee for merger of Paralakhemundi in the proposed Orissa province.

At last a report was published on behalf of the joint select committee which was accepted by the British Parliament. On 1st April 1936 Orissa became a separate Province due to the people's demands, movements and agitations as well as for the untiring efforts of Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das, Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati, Pandit Nilakantha Das, Bhubanananda Das and many others for long three decades. The newly formed Orissa consisted of six districts namely Cuttack, Puri, Balasore, Sambalpur, Koraput and Ganjam having its capital at Cuttack. Sir John Austin Hubback took the oath of office and became the first Governor of Orissa Province.

The Creation of a Separate Province of Odisha

The movement for the amalgamation of the scattered Odia speaking tracts began in the last quarter of the 19th century. In 1875 Raja Baikuntha Nath Dey of Balasore and Bichitrananda Pattnaik of Cuttack submitted a lengthy memorial for the unification of the scattered Oriya - speaking tracts under single administration. In November 1888, Sir S C Bayley, the Lieutenant Governor of Bengal, visited Orissa and at that time he was presented with a memorial by the Utkal Sabha of Cuttack in this connection. But the Lieutenant Governor rejected the idea outright. The memorial of the Oriya speaking people and their Leaders, the agitation in the Oriya press and the suggestions of the high English officials failed to get any result in this regard. The crisis came to a speaking point when the Chief Commissioner of the Central Provinces decided to substitute Hindi Language in place of Oriya for official use in the district of Sambalpur in 1895 as per the resolution No. 237 of 15th January 1895.

Such a decision against the interest of the majority of Oriya population in the district created spontaneous and unprecedented storms not only in Sambalpur but also throughout Orissa. On 20th June 1895 the Utkal Sabha sent a memorial to Lord Elgin, the Governor General protesting against the arbitrary measure. Such protest went unnoticed and by the end of 1895 Oriya was abolished in the courts of Sambalpur which became the worst form of gagging yet unknown even in the worst despotic form of Government. The decision naturally wounded the sentiment of the Oriya speaking people very much and efforts in all directions were made to reverse the Government decision.

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