Allow MLAs to speak in Koshali language in Assembly: CLP leader to Speaker

Bhubaneswar, Nov 20 (PTI) Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Narasingha Mishra on Monday sought permission from Odisha Assembly Speaker for members to speak in their mother tongues including Koshali and Santali languages during the winter session of the House.

The winter session of the Odisha Assembly will commence from Tuesday.

Mishra made a proposal in this regard at the all-party meeting convened by Speaker Pramila Mallik here ahead of the winter session of the Assembly.

The veteran leader who hails from Bolangir district said that the people of western Odisha often complain about the state government's neglect towards Koshali language and, therefore, the proposal was made by him.

"The members be given an opportunity to speak in their own mother tongue," Mishra told reporters after the meeting.

However, Mallik said it will not be possible to introduce Koshali language during this session as there is no proper infrastructure in the Assembly for keeping record of members' speeches in Koshali. Arrangements for the purpose can be made in future, she said.

"We need to have a stenographer in the language to record the speeches of members. Presently the Assembly has no such reporter to write in the Koshali language," the Speaker said.

Government chief whip Prashant Muduli said that members can speak in the languages recognised and approved by the Assembly. PTI AAM RG