The battle between Odisha and West Bengal for Geographical Indication (GI) tag on “Rasagola” is not yet over.
Two months after the Chennai-based Intellectual Property Office reached a conclusion that the syrupy sweet had its geographical origin in West Bengal, a trust based in Jajpur district and another individual on Monday moved a PIL in the Orissa High Court seeking a direction to the authority concerned to withdraw the tag from West Bengal.
The petitioners — Punya Utkal Trust and Santosh Kumar Sahoo of Jankia in Khurda district — also urged the High Court to direct the Odisha government to stake claim to the GI tag for Rasagola as the famous sweet had its origin in the State.
Jagannath culture
“The sweet is also associated with the Jagannath culture and is being offered as prasad to the Trinity for over 400 years now,” the petition said.
The petitioners assailed the “inaction” of the State of Odisha in taking needful steps for applying and obtaining GI registration of Rasagola as per the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act of 1999.
