India, April 2 -- Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA and Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly, Prasanna Acharya, has urged the state government to recognize Kosali as a state language and push for its inclusion in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Raising the demand during the Zero Hour in the Odisha Legislative Assembly, Acharya emphasized that over 1.5 crore people across 11 districts of Odisha speak the Kosali language.

Acharya highlighted that Kosali is a significant and influential language with a rich literary heritage, including numerous short stories, poems, and books. He pointed out that the language even has its own dictionary, further strengthening the case for official recognition.

He further cited the w...