ISSN 0970-8669 Review

Formation of Modern Odisha and Contribution of British King-Emperor

Dr. Janmejay Choudhury

With the national spirit growing rapidly, the A great national unrest soon overtook the Congress as well as other parties felt disappointed country. When the Simon Commission landed in with the working of the Government of India Act Bombay in February 1928, it was received with of 1919. Within a few years of its working it black-flag demonstration and hartal. Protest proved itself rather unworkable. The country was meetings were held all over the country more conscious than ever before. Demands for simultaneously and wherever the Simon self-government were coming from most Commission went, it faced hostile processions quarters. The British Government therefore felt with the slogan: “Simon go back”. Police resorted to lathi-charge and repression. But, everywhere, the necessity of a fresh assessment of the Indian the people demonstrated their hostility towards demands. Accordingly, in November 1927, the the Commission. At the behest of the Indian Viceroy announced that a Parliamentary National Congress, the members of the Congress Commission of 7 members, headed by Sir John Party in Odisha boycotted the Simon Simon, would visit India shortly. The Indian Commission. But not so the moderate members Statutory Commission was constituted by seven of the erstwhile Utkal Union Conference who saw British members of the parliament including Sir in the Commission a golden opportunity to get John Simon, the Chairman. The primary purpose their demands fulfilled. Brajasunder Das, Rajendra of the Government of India Act, 1919 was to Narayan Bhanjadeo, Laxmidhar Mohanty, determine the future course of constitutional Brajananda Das and Bhikari Charan Pattanaik development. It was declared that a Commission felt that Simon Commission alone was vested with of all white men could not be a proper body to the constitutional power to give a separate enquire if India was fit for Swaraj or self- province to the Odia-speaking people. Therefore, government. That no Indian was taken into that notwithstanding criticism from the Congress Commission proved that the British Cabinet had members they welcomed the Commission at no confidence in Indian. Moreover, a Commission Patna Railway Station, drawing the attention of consisting of all Englishmen was bound to voice Simon to the just demand of Odisha. This gesture only the views of the Government. The Congress, of the Odia-leaders impressed Simon profoundly, therefore, decided to boycott the Simon and a sub-Committee under C. R. Attle was Commission. appointed to investigate the problems of the Odia-

96 April - 2016 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 speaking people and recommended measures to speaking people for their ungrudging loyalty and redress their grievances. protect their ancient glorious culture through a district political set-up. To overcome the financial The Sub-Committee consisted of major hurdle, he assured the British Government that C. R. Attle as the Chairman, Dr.Suhrawardy of the rich mineral and forest wealth of Odisha would the Central Legislature, Rajendra Narayan be properly exploited. Taking a favourable Bhanjadeo and Laxmidhar Mohanty of the Bihar attitude to the long outstanding problem of the and Odisha Legislative Council as members. They Odias, the Government appointed Sir Samuel recommended the creation of a separate Odisha O’Donell, as the Chairman of the Boundary Province which includes the Odisha Division, Commission to demarcate the boundaries of the Angul, Khariar and the Agency of either proposed Odisha Province. Other two members Singhbhum area or the Vizagpatanam agency of the Commission were H. M. Mehta (member, tract. The Sub-Committee felt that the Feudatory Council of States from Bombay) and Tarun Ram State should be associated with proposed Phookun, (member, Central Legislative Assembly province. The above report of the Sub-Committee from Assam). The Raja of Parlakhemundi, co- made Simon’s job easier. He suggested necessity opted members to represent the Odia, Bihari and of setting up a Boundary Commission with a Telegu interests respectively. B. C. Mukherjee neutral Chairman to demarcate the boundary of I.C.S. functioned as Secretary of the Commission the proposed Odisha Province. Two problems and represented the Bengali interests. These co- still loomed large as impediments against the opted members were authorized to take part in creation of the Odisha province. The shape and the proceedings but had no authority to sign the size of the proposed province remained uncertain. final report. Secondly, the problem of financial liability appeared quite formidable. Rajendra Naraya Apropos to the terms of reference, the Bhanj Deo, who was then the Financial Member Boundary Commissions were to report: (1) what in the Government of Bihar and Odisha played a should be the boundary line, (2) what would be significant role in reducing the formidability of the the administrative, financial and other financial question. Brajasunder Das, his associate consequences of such a province and (3) what and a leading disciple of Madhusudan Das assured would be the administrative, financial and other the Simon Commission to meet the challenge of consequences in the adjoining territories of British India. The appointment of the Commission deficit likely to be faced by the New Province. evoked great public interest and enthusiasm in The British Government convened a Odisha. It provoked resentment in Midnapore and Round Table Conference in November 1930 to Naybasan areas of Bengal as these were likely to discuss with the Indian leaders the issue of be affected by the formation of the new province. constitutional reforms. On behalf of the Odia- The Odia leaders made a concerted move to speaking people Sri Krishna Chandra Gajapati, represent their case united before the the Raja of the Paralakhemundi went to attend Commission. They forgot their political and other the conference in London. He made an impressive differences to constitute several committees to speech and presented a memorandum in favour raise funds, mobilize public opinion, organize of creating the separate Odisha Province. He meetings and propaganda in areas like appealed to the Government to reward the Odia- Midnapore, Singbhum, Phuljhar, Vizagpatam, etc.

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The student community also came forward to join in the form of a white paper on 18 March 1933 hands with elderly leaders and moved from village there was a sharp public reaction in Odisha. They to town, door to door, in generating felt greatly injured at the non-inclusion of unprecedented awakening for the Odia cause. Midnapore, Singhbhum, Phuljhar and There were occasions when senior Odia officers Paralakhemundi and Jeypore. It was like Nilamoni Senapati gave vent to their feelings apprehended that the proposed province would publicly advocating serious work for the proposed be truncated Odisha which would not be self- province. Other Odia leaders, like Lingaraj sufficient economically. A section of Odia leaders Panigrahi, Harihar Mishra, Chandra Sekhar wanted to reject the offer. They humiliated at the Behera, Bodharam Dubey, Ram Naraya Mishra, Commission’s suggestion that as a measure of Bichitrananda Das, Bhubanananda Das, economy the new province should neither have a Achyutananda Purohit, Laxminaraya Sahu, High Court nor a University. A protest meeting Niranjan Patanaik also rendered commendable was held at on 25th March 1933. The service in numerous ways. Raja of Jeypore was unhappy over the decision of the Government to leave his estate with The Commission recorded evidence of Madras. In Jeypore and Parlakhemundi large 410 witnesses and visited Jamsedpur, Chaibasa, public meetings were held protecting against the Sambalpur, Raipur, Midnapore, Gopalpur, white paper proposals. Waltair, Kakinada and Cuttack. In determining the boundaries they examined several factors; The Rajas of Parlakhemundi and economic interest and the administrative Khallikote, Lingaraj Panigrahi, Bhubanananda convenience. They also examined the 1913 Das and Shyamsundar Gantayat proceeded to census statistics in detail and came to the London to persuade the Home Government to conclusion that the proposed Odisha Province reconsider the boundary issue. They met Sir should include Odisha Division, Angul, Padampur Samuel Hoare, the Secretary of State for India and Khariar (of the Central Provinces), the greater and forcefully argued their case. The Joint part of the and Vizagpatanam Committee of the Parliament also allowed them agency Tracts. The new province would have an to present their case. The Joint Select Committee area of 33, 000 Sq. miles with a population of under the Chairmanship of Lord Linlithgow after 8,277,000. Paralakhemundi posed a knotty a careful examination of the case recommended problem, the Raja and the population statistics to the Government that the new province of pulling in opposite directions. As an Odia king Odisha would be formed with areas like the Krishna Chandra Gajapati wanted his estate to Odisha Division, Angul, Padampur and Khariar, be merged with Odisha. But the census figures of Odia-majority area of the Ganjam district, 1931 showed that the Telegus formed a majority town, Jeypore estate, about 30% of in the estate. Sir Samuel O’Donnell, therefore, Parlakhemundi estate including Parlakhemindi suggested that Parlakhemundi should not be town and the Maliahas of Parlakhemundi and integrated with the new province. Mehta and Jalantra. The total area of the new province of Phookun differing from the views of the Chairman Odisha was now raised from 21,545 to 32,695 recommended the transfer of Parlakhemundi to Sq miles. Thus, Joint Parliamentary Committee Odisha. When the contents of the Boundary gave the final shape to the new province which Commissions report were revealed to the public emerged as one of the eleven units of British India

98 April - 2016 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 by the Act of 1935. The Committee emphatically new subdivisions at Nawapara and Gunpur were stated that the question of financial deficit must created with their respective boundaries be made good by federal subvention. Thus all demarcated. Angul was split up into two divisions hurdles for the creation of a separate Odisha to be administrated by the Collectors of Ganjam province were allowed. and Cuttack respectively. After a period of brisk activities to transfer necessary man power, It was the desire of the Government of records and documents and make budgetary India to provide Odisha with a trained and provisions for the new province every things was experienced administrator, who would organize set for the happy augury. The Order-in-Council the basic framework of the Provincial regarding the formation of the Province of Odisha administration, constitute essential departments was released both in England and in India on 21st specifying the duties and responsibilities of various January 1936. The British Parliament’s officers. Lord Sifton, the Governor of Bihar and Constitution of the Odisha Order, 1936 got the Odisha, suggested that the governor of the approval of the King on 3 March 1936 which proposed province be appointed promptly as was entitled as “The Government of India Special Officer for the above purpose. In addition (Constitution of Odisha) Order, 1936.” The the Government of India appointed an members from Odisha attended the Legislative Administrative Committee under the Council of Bihar and Odisha for the last time on Chairmanship of Sir John Hubback to inquire into 28 March 1936 and they were given a touching the Administrative problems incidental to the farewell by the members of Bihar. It was creation of Odisha as a separate province. announced that the new province would come Hubback’s appointment as Governor of the into being on 1 April 1936 with Sir John Austin province was also shortly announced. The Odisha Hubback as the first Governor. Sir Hubback was Administrative Committee, also called the administered the oath of office by Sir Courtney Hubback Committee had eight members viz., Terel the Chief Justice of Bihar and Odisha High Madhusudan Das, Laxmidhar Mahanti, B.N.Das, Court at a gala inaugural function organized at Dhira Narendra, N.R.Naidu, W.O.Newsam, the Ravenshaw College Heritage Hall at Cuttack. Nilamoni Senapati, Lokanath Mishra and Gour The King Emperor and the Viceroy’s messages Chandra Deb with V.Ramaswamy as the of goodwill were read out to the people. Odisha Secretary. It had to consider and recommend became a new province. The long cherished measures on numerous issues; the location of the dream of the Odia-speaking people at last became headquarters and the district, territorial changes a reality. The new Province of Odisha was and their headquarters, and whether the new inaugurated on 1 April 1936 with Sir John Austin province should have its High Court and Hubback as its first Governor. Thus began the University; etc. The report of the Administrative last phase of her history under the British regime. Committee was published on 20 December 1933 recommending Cuttack to be the provincial headquarters and Puri as Summer Capital. There should be a High Court, but no university. The Committee made some territorial arrangements for areas transferred from Madras and the Central Dr. Janmejaya Choudhury, Lecturer in History, Sri Provinces. A new district for Koraput and two Jagannath College, Kaipadar, Khurda.

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