Statesman News Service

Jajpur, March 25, 2008: Tribals of Kalinga Nagar have threatened mass agitation against the indifferent attitude of the state government towards fulfilling their seven-point charter of demands.

Hundreds of tribals who gathered at Ambagadia, the cremation ground where 14 of the firing deceased were mass cremated to decide their future course of action, charged the Jajpur district administration and the Naveen Patnaik government of being puppets at the hands of multinationals and working against the interests of tribals.

“The police and the district administration has assured us of the arrest of the accused involved in firing at one of our activist Jogendra Jamuda on 13 March. But not a single person has been booked so far” said Mr Rabindra Jarika, general secretary of Visthapan Virodhi Jana Manch (VVJM) while noting that such inaction by the police was encouraging hired goons to destablise the movement led by the VVJM.

The VVJM, a tribal outfit has been formed since 2 January 2006 when 14 tribals protesting against displacement were gunned down by the police.

The Janamanch leaders reiterated their demands i.e. Rs 20 lakh and 10 lakh for the kin of each firing victims and injured respectively, treatment cost for the injured in the police firing, amendment to the land acquisition Act 1894 and scraping of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the state.

Instead of protecting us and booking culprits, the administration is accusing us of being involved with Naxals said the VVJM leaders while asserting that they are fighting for the tribal cause, land rights and livelihood.

Ten platoons of police force and one platoon special protection group were deployed in the area for todays meeting.

District Collector Mr Dhiren Das said, “police have conducted the poly graphic test on some of the suspects. The matter is being investigated and the accused would be apprehended soon.”

Source: The Statesman