The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed two bills to change the name of Orissa and the name of the language of the State amid a clash between Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress MPs after a member from the ruling benches attacked the Naveen Patnaik government for giving clearance apparently to Posco plant.
The Orissa (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2010 and Constitution (113th Amendment) Bill, 2010 for change of name of the language were moved by Home Minister P. Chidambaram on the basis of resolutions passed by the Orissa Assembly.
The Bills provide for change of name of State to Odisha and language to Odia.
Soon after the Bills were moved for consideration, Congress member Bhakta Charan Das used the opportunity to attack the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government accusing it of playing into the hands of the corporates, thereby usurping the rights of the tribal population, even as the House agreed that the Bills be passed without discussion.
Evoking strong protests from BJD members, Mr. Das alleged that the State government was trying to convert the State into a land of corporates at the cost of tribals who are the original inhabitants of the region.
Referring to the clearance given by the BJD government to Korean steel major Posco for setting up a plant despite reservations of the Union Environment and Forests Ministry, Mr. Das accused the State government of violating the Constitution and law.
He demanded the State government's dismissal which was endorsed by thumping of desks by Congress members, including party chief Sonia Gandhi.
