CONG-CALLED BANDH HITS LIFE IN KBK DISTRICTS
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Normal life was paralysed in eight KBK districts on
Saturday due to a 12-hour dawn-to-dusk bandh called by the Odisha Pradesh
Congress Committee Tribal Cell protesting the arrest of party leader and former
MP Pradip Majhi.
This apart, the agitators demanded land pattas for
tribals under the Forest Rights Act.
PCC president Prasad Harichandan told reporters
that the bandh was a total success.
While shops and business establishments remained
closed in the eight districts of Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Koraput,
Rayagada, Malkangiri, Balangir and Subarnapur, vehicular movement came to a
grinding halt as party members staged road blockades by burning tyres at many
places.
However, emergency services and educational
institutions were excluded from the ambit of the bandh call. Police forces were
deployed at many places of the districts to prevent any untoward situation
during the bandh, sources added.
“The State Government is taking credit by
distributing land pattas to more than 3 lakh tribals, but in reality the
Government has not executed the 2006 Forest Rights Act properly. The State
Government had intentionally arrested Pradip Majhi who fights for the rights of
tribals,” said Congress leader Bhakta Das.
Notably, Majhi and 18 other Congress members were
arrested on June 26 for allegedly beating up the Raighar Forest Ranger and
ransacking the range office during a demonstration demanding land pattas for
tribals and ration cards to eligible poor beneficiaries.
The bandh was successful in Nuapada district. Over
a thousand people, mostly tribals, attended a rally organised at Khariar. They
held a meeting at the DFO office. The Jami Jungle Adhikar Mancha provided its
full support.
“About 4,000 applications approved by the Gram
Sabhas are still pending with the Forest Department. Why the department is not
taking action,” wanted to know PCC secretary Adhiraj Panigrahi.
The DFO is not taking serious steps for awarding
entitlement to the people under the FRA, alleged agitators.
The agitators also raised issues of irregularities
in distribution of ration cards and delay in distributing input subsidy.
In Balangir, the bandh too evoked good response
from people. Shops, petrol pumps and Government offices were closed due to
picketing and buses were off the road.
“The Government is not implementing the FRA
properly. We demand unconditional release of Padeep Majhi,” said Congress
district president Bhagabana Bagarti.
“A total of 11platoons of police force were
deployed to avert any law and order situation,” said Balangir SP Ashis Singh.
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