Koraput: All the villages of Kotia panchayat belong to Odisha only. This is universal truth like sun and moon, said Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday.
Pradhan, who visited the controversial areas today on the occasion of Utkala Dibasa, said that the day is not for political conflict, but to unite for the interest of the state.
The Minister visited various places including schools, health centers, post offices, banks gurukula ashrams and temples in Fatusineri village of Kotia. He celebrated ‘Utkala Dibasa’ with the local residents and later sang the state anthem ‘Bande Utkal Janani’ with them, paying tributes to the great sons of the soil who had played a significant role in formation of a separate Utkal province.
Attending the ‘Utkala Dibasa’ program organized by Kotia Gram Samiti, Pradhan said that April 1, 2023 is an unforgettable day for his.
He said that he had visited Kotia in 2018 with the determination to secure the borders of our state geographically and culturally. He had written to Andhra Chief Minister regarding the border dispute. He promised to take the matter further to the Andhra CM/
“Andhra officials are doing wrong work on border. There is no reason to go to Odisha border. There is a need to respect each other’s geographical boundaries in the federal system. Time has come that 4.5 crore people need to come together for the State’s cause,” he added.
Talking to the students at Fatusineri school in Kotia, Pradhan said that students have dreams of serving people as doctors and officers. Our responsibility is to make their dreams come true, he said.
The Minister pointed out that New National Education Policy has been introduced in the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which Mother tongue is given more importance.
In the coming days, efforts will be made to teach the children in the local language of Koraput, including the local Kui language of Kotia region.
