Dharmendra Shouts ‘Andhra Go Back’ During His Vist To Kotia On Utkala Dibasa

Koraput: Odisha Dibasa celebration and BJP’s political campaign ahead of the 2024 polls has taken a sharp momentum when Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan visited Odisha-Andhra Pradesh’s disputed region “Kotia” today.

Pradhan along with six BJP legislators visited the area to celebrate Utkal Dibasa and during his visit, the senior BJP leader chanced to meet some officials of Andhra Pradesh who were present at Fatusineri village, but he asked them to go back.

Shouting ‘Bande Utkal Janani’ and ‘Andhra Go Back’, the Union Minister asserted that Kotia does not belong to Andhra Pradesh, but is an integral part of Odisha.

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.

Stating that the people of Koraput will never allow anybody to intrude into this region, the senior BJP leader said all the nameplates of Andhra government should be taken off.

Talking to reporters, Dharmendra said that he would discuss with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jaganmohan Reddy about the problems in Kotia and tell him that Andhra should not intrude into the area.

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, he added.

During his visit to the area, Pradhan interacted with children and local people about their problems before leaving for Sunabeda.