Kosal State Movement

The Kosal state movement is an effort by people of the Western Odisha region of India to secede from the state of Odisha. Organizations like Western Odisha Yuva Manch (WOYM), Kosal Youth Coordination Committee (KYCC), Kosal State Coordination Committee (KSCC), Koshal Sena, Koshal Mukti Bahini and Koshal Mukti Morcha are mainly leading this.

Origin of the movement

The demand for secession from the state of Odisha arose mostly because of the prolonged underdevelopment and backwardness of this region. Pro-separatist groups have repeatedly claimed the state government is not doing enough for the development of undeveloped districts of western Odisha.

To develop the western Odisha region, the state government has established a Western Odisha Development Council (WODC). A significant budget is allotted to this council from the total budget of Odisha. But the WODC headquarter is located in the state capital Bhubaneswar rather than in Western Odisha.

Reasons for the campaign

Poverty

The incidence of chronic poverty in western Odisha, coupled with government failures to address its rising trends have been the most important factor for the demand for a separate state in Odisha. A majority of the region's population lack the purchasing power to buy sufficient food each day. In the backward districts of Kosal region—Boudh, Sonepur, Balangir and Nuapada more than 60% of people live below the poverty line. Recurrent droughts, inadequate irrigation and uneven land distribution have made Kosal a "hunger belt" in Odisha since Independence. The results included large-scale deaths from starvation, child-selling, out-migration and malnourishment.

Industrialization and environmental degradation

Western Odisha also experiences mining and environmental degradation and tribal displacement. It is reported that farmers from more than eight district depend on water from Hirakud reservoir. Farmers are angry because industries are using a huge amount of this water, leading to frequent protests.

Access to health services

There are three government medical colleges in this region, which are in Sambalpur, Balangir and Sundergarh. The first college was (Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research) in western Odisha.

Later medical college at Balangir named Bhima Bhoi Medical College and Hospital was started on the year 2018. Also a medical college at Sundergarh established. Now College at Bhawanipatna of Kalahandi district is under construction.

Language

The major language of the area is Sambalpuri. It is variously seen either as a dialect of Odia or as a language in its own right, and has so far eluded recognition by the state or union governments.

History

The demand of a separate state is more than three decades old. Lawyer of Supreme Court Shree Prem Ram Dubey was first person to feel the need of a separate state; he submitted a memorandum to the President of India. Local parties from Jharkhand claimed inclusion of Sambalpur and Sundergarh District into Jharkhand. Dubey formed the Kosal Sammelani, which urged the state and union government not to enter into any negotiation with any claimant for the transfer of any part of proposed state. Dubey asserted that while Punjab has only 46,000 km², western Odisha has 75,000 sq. km and a population of one crore, still was not provided statehood. He also published the first newspaper for the region "Kosal Khabar" and constituted the "Kosal Sena". He wrote the books ''Hame Kosli Hamar Bhasa Kosli'' and "Why Kosal State". In 'Kosal Khabar' he propounded the solutions to carve a separate state to end the discrimination by coastal people on the Kosalites. He was spearhead in most of the protest programmes. The movement was independently supported by former BJP MLA Balgopal Mishra. As reported in "The Indian Express" the Odisha PCC president Hemananda Biswal had strongly opposed the demand for a separate state. Addressing the media, he told in Bhubaneswar that, "the Congress party is committed to the establishment of the Western Odisha Development Council (WODC) and the Bill in this connection is pending before the legislature".Cong flays demand for Kosal state
/ref> Balgopal Mishra reacted to it saying "there is a growing demand for a separate state; it was regrettable that the newly elected MP and some legislators of Bolangir district had failed to see the writing on the wall".

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 state despite stiff opposition from the ruling party. Sapan Mishra of Sambalpur, along with some dedicated youth, chalked out a route map for 'Kosal Mukti Rath' traversing the region, which ultimately made it a mass movement from a class movement. Later, the "Kosal Rayej Kriyanusthan Committee", which fought Odisha State Assembly & Lok Sabha Election for the cause, was formed.

The region will include many districts of western Odisha and adjoining areas that continue to be extremely backward and poverty-stricken. These are Bolangir, Sonepur, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsugudha, Deogarh, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Sundergarh, Boudh.

In 2004 the Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani told reporters in Balangir that India could consider the demand for a separate Kosal state only if the Odisha Assembly passed a resolution in this regard, claiming "a consensus is needed in this matter".

2005-2009

Various political parties demanded the formation of a new Kosal state composed of the most backward districts of Western Odisha; the call was led by political parties and organisations like Kosal Kranti Dal, Koshli Ekta Manch, Kosal Party, Odisha Sanskrutika Samaj, Kosal Rajya Sangharsha Samiti, Veer Surendra Sai Manch and All Kosal Students Union (AKSU).

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 us then we will not hesitate to demand a separate state".

In 2009, Sambalpur University Student Union, Rajendra College Balangir Student Union and Balangir Women's College Union supported demands for a separate state.Kosal activists tear Orissa map students boycott classes
In addition, the bar associations in Sambalpur and Balangir demanded the formation of a separate state. Frequently, '' bandhs'' (strikes or acts of civil disobedience) are observed in parts of Western Odisha demanding a separate state. Activists have distributed maps of the proposed Koshal state and torn up the Odisha map as a symbolic declaration of separation from Odisha.

On 23 December 2009, thousands of members of the Kosal Kranti Dal (KKD) staged a demonstration near the Odisha assembly building.Thousands_stage_rally_for_a_separate_Kosal_state_[newkerala.com,_United_States,_17114]
_The_separatist_supporters_marched_on_the_main_street_of_the_capital_city_Bhubaneswar_

Bhubaneswar_(;_)_is_the_capital_and_largest_city_of_the_Indian_state_of_Odisha._The_region,_especially_the_old_town,_was_historically_often_depicted_as_''Ekamra_Kshetra''_(area__(''kshetra'')_adorned_with_mango_trees_(''ekamra''))._Bhubaneswar_is_...