Amidst violations of rules of law, Tribals and Dalits of Kashipur lack confidence on the state apparatus
Dr.Badal Tah,Odisha brata
Associate editor
Rayagada, April 24: Bad or good, Kashipur has always been in limelight. Jhodias in Kashipur, almost for past three decades, are running from pillars to posts in the arena of policy makers to get recognised as “Tribals”. Unfortunately, their demand has gone to deaf ears. In the eighties, late Rajiv Gandhi visited Kashipur after hunger death news was reported. Multi crores rupees project of Tribal Development department of Govt supported by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), a body under United Nations, chipped in and got implemented for almost a decade. Output: further hunger deaths during nineties again. People of Kashipur hurled mango kernel porridge and cow dung water at Naveen Patnaik, the then Chief Minister of Odisha, who visited Kashipur to take stock of the situation.
Entry of Utkal Alumina International Limited (UAIL) saw death of three tribals by police firing at Maikanch. Cholera deaths have become a recurring phenomenon. Mass tonsure of tribals because of an intercaste marriage was a very sensitive news.
And now, tribals & dalits of Sijimali areas of Rayagada and Kalahandi are up in arms against establishment of a mine by the multinational company Vedanta in Sijimali hills. A violent struggle took place between Kantamal villagers and police both claiming injuries to many of them. Villagers obstructed a road construction by state coercion. While people assert violations of several acts like PESA, FRA, gram sabha, etc have taken place, administration has blamed the agitators to have violated rules of law and obstructed the construction of a road by Govt for local development.
Police’s midnight operation, teargas firing, blank gun firing, excess lathi charge, institution of false cases against innocent people, conducting several fake gram sabhas, several other administrative abuses, etc are some of the violations pointed out by the local villagers.
In the meantime, there is a beeline of netas and babus from prominent opposition political parties like BJD, Congress, AAP, etc, who, seemingly, have supported the people’s cause. Leaders from the ruling BJP have also visited the spot, interacted with people and assured them that henceforth no police atrocities will be meted out to people and they will be free to move in the area even if there is promulgation of 144 IPC or 163 BNSS. Proper gram sabhas will be conducted after due consultation. BJP team members alleged that the BJD, which is shedding crocodile tears now, is primarily responsible for instituting the agreement with Vedanta during 2023 while it was in power. But to a question of locals “Can the double engine govt scrap the mining agreement with Vedanta now ?”, the team got dumbfounded.
“People lack basic amenities like drinking water, housing, communication, etc in many villages. Solar drinking water projects, check dams for irrigation, borewells, etc are either defunct or non-existent. Govt schemes like PMAY, NHM, etc hardly reach the needy. Scores of Divyangs till date toil to have UDID cards and avail intended pensions. Hence, social security for the poor is in abysmal stage. Niether the govt authorities are proactive not the civil societies question about these lack of entitlements. It is time that anti-mining activists raise these disparities in the area alongwith registering their protests democratically against corporate loot”, said Sibaram Naik, an anti-mining activists himself, who was in jail for nine months and still facing a few false cases instituted against him.
Be it political party: both opposition and ruling, media houses, tribal and dalit organisations, civil societies, the locals show a sheer trust deficit.
