For My Own Language Poem by Gajanan Mishra

01.07.2015,
On this very first day
Of July 2015,
I was on fast-unto-death,
For my own language
In my own native state
Named Odisha.
On this day,
From 9 AM IST, I was
At Lower PMG,
In front of secretariate
Bhubaneswar, my state capital.
On this day,
I started my fast
With thousand supporters.
Against whom I was
On strike- matter to think.

The Govt is for us,
The Govt is by us,
The Govt is ours,
Still, we are on the fast.
We have got separate state
Only for our language
In the year 1936
Under British rule.

We got independence in 1947,
Our constitution as adopted
In 1949, The Constitution has forbidden
Use of a language other than official
One, and English is not there,
In the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.
English is not there
And hence use of English always
Within the state is unconstitutional.

Our state Official Language Act
1954 is also there;
That says for all or any purposes
Of Orissa, Oriya language
Shall be used.

We are sovereign,
We are democratic,
Still, we use foreign language
English, for whose benefit?
That I wonder.
Who is guilty, my dear?
The men elected by us
Are making laws,
The men in service are taking salaries
From us, from our public exchequer,
And are here for executing laws
And Judges are also
Taking money out of tax amount
Of the people, they are
Adjudicating laws and
Deciding cases for our people.

Still, we were on fast
On this day, though
We are the real owner and
Sovereign authority
Of free, Independent India,
And resident of Odisha,
The state called Odisha is
Formed only on the basis
Of state Oriya language.

No Odia language means
No Odisha.

And still, we were on fast
And our demand was/is
To use our state official language
Always everywhere within the state
In all and any purposes.
And the violators of laws
Be punished.

Really, it is shame, shame,
In this state, where
An elected Govt is not caring
The language- voice of the soul,
Voice of the voters-native men.
This Govt is not caring
The Act and the laws
And the constitutional provisions.

I am drawing the attention of all
Through this poem,
This fact, worldwide and request all
To extend all support for the cause
And to do all necessary actions
As they think proper.