New Delhi, Mar 10 (PTI) The Congress on Monday attacked the BJP over its Odisha MLA Jayanarayan Mishra's recent remarks that Koshala becoming a part of Odisha was a 'historical' mistake, and questioned Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan's silence on the issue.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, shared a media report on X, which claimed that Mishra did not stand up when the state song 'Bande Utkal Janani' was sung at an event.

Also Read | KEAM 2025 Registration Last Date: Application Window for the Kerala Engineering, Architecture and Medical Exam Closes Today at cee.kerala.gov.in; Know How To Apply.

"Dear Dharmendra Pradhan ji, why your silence on the statements and actions of your Sambalpur colleague who did not stand up when the Odisha state song 'Bande Utkal Janani' was sung," Ramesh asked on X.

Pradhan, who is the education minister at the Centre, belongs to Odisha.

Also Read | Sunita Williams Return To Earth Landing Date Confirmed: NASA Reveals When ‘Stuck-in-Space’ Indian-Origin Astronaut Will Come Back on Earth With Barry Wilmore.

It was a historical blunder for Koshala to become a part of Odisha in 1936 as the region has remained neglected, senior BJP MLA Mishra said on Saturday.

Addressing a government function in Sambalpur where financial assistance was disbursed under the Subhadra Yojana, Mishra said Odisha was formed with the merger of three regions -- Utkal that comprised the coastal region, Kalinga in the south, and Koshala in the west.

"The merger of Koshala during the formation of Odisha was a mistake. We have been neglected," said Mishra, the BJP MLA from Sambalpur, the biggest city in the region.

"People of this region participated in the movement for merger with Odisha. But that was our biggest mistake," he added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)