Before confronting the Madras Government attitude, the Government of India appointed a committee to enquire into the desire of the people of Ganjam and submit a report. The committee consisted to C.L. Philip, the Political Agent of Orissa feudatory states and A.C. Dutt, the collector of Bellary district.
For the Oriya-speaking people of Madras Presidency, it was a moment of great challenge. Their political fate depended upon the report of Phillip-Duff Committee. Several public meetings organised at Jeypore, Koraput, Rayagada, and Gunupur were well attended.
The committee visited a large number of villages hearing people concerned with the issue and submitted before the Government that, there is a genuine long-standing and deep-seated desire on the part of the educated Oriya classes of Oriya-speaking tracts of Madras for amalgamation of these tracts with Orissa under one administration.
But the above report provoked strong protest of the Madras Government. They not only took strong expectation to the appointmen of the Inquiry Committee to ascertain the views of the Oriya people, but also refused to be guided by the recommendation. Considering the gravity of the situation the Government of India decided to refer the sensitive issue to the Simon Commision.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Simon Commission/Attlee Committee report:
The Simon Commission which visited India in 1928 created great controversy throughout the country on account of its composition and and protest of the Indian National Congress. Although it was boycotted by the Congress leaderss in Orissa, the leaders of the Utkal Union Conference decided to ignore the boycott decision for the sake of a separate identity of Oriya-speaking people.Brajsundar Das, Raja of Kanika Laxmidhar Mohanty and Bhikari Charan Pattnaik arranged a warm reception of the Simon Commission at Patna to draw the latter’ this attention to the suffering at the Oriya-speaking people.
This unusual gesture naturally impressed the commission and a sub-committee under the chairmanship of C.R. Attlee was instituted to goods into the problems of the Oriya-speaking people and recommend suitable remedial measure.
Besides C.R. Attlee, the sub-committee had Dr. H. Suhrawardy of the Central legislature, Raja of Kanika and Laxmidhar Mohanty of Bihar and Orissa Legislative council as members.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
The sub-committee being highly sympathetic to the Oriya cause recommended the institution of a separate province including the Orissa Division, Angul, Khariar, Ganjam and Agency tracts. They felt that the Princely States should be integrated with the new set upon, but excluded Singbhum, Phujihar, Padmapur area and Vizagpatnam Agency.
While incorporating the above recommendation of the Attlee sub-committee, the Simon Commission advised the Government of India to set up a Boundary Commission under a neutral chairman to demarcate the boundaries of proposed Orissa-province.