Last rites of the victims being performed
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, July 10: Politics over the Last rites of the victims being performed during an anti-Maoist operation in Kandhamal Fridat night hots up in the state.
While Opposition Congress and BJP left no stone unturned to attack BJD ahead of panchayat polls, the ruling party is also strongly defending it. Both Congress and BJP have called Kandhamal bandh Monday.
A fact finding-team led by Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Prasad Harichandan visited the spot, where the incident happened.
“The state government is responsible for killing of five tribals in Kandhamal. The state government has announced an ex-gratia as per the direction of Supreme Court. The judicial probe order is just to hoodwink people,” Harichandan told reporters in Kandhamal.
Holding the state government responsible for the killing, the Congress leader said, “We have called a Kandhamal bandh tomorrow.”
Similarly, leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra said, “The state government is anti-tribal. Be it in Kalinganagar or Kandhamal, the government is killing innocent tribals on one pretext or the other.”
Reacting to the clarification issued by the police and the government, he said they claim that it was an accident and not deliberate. “If the police knew that such an incident might occur, then it is criminally liable. The Chief Minister is solely responsible for the incident,” he alleged.
Terming BJD government anti-tribal, BJP leader and Union tribal affairs minister Jual Oram said, “It is the same mindset of the state government, which had indiscriminately killed tribals including a girl child and chopped off their hands after their death in Kalinganagar in Jajpur district. The BJD government is always wants to suppress tribals. I strongly condemn the incident.”
A team from the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) would soon visit Kandhamal and conduct an on the spot inquiry, Oram added.
BJP state unit president Basant Panda demanded an SIT probe under the chairmanship of a sitting high court judge. “Demanding action against police officials involved in the murder, we called Kandhamal bandh Mondya.” Besides, a delegation of the state BJP led by Panda would visit the spot Tuesday.
“It is unfortunate that so many innocent people were killed. The state government has admitted its wrongdoing by ordering for probe commission,” they said.
Both the Opposition parties have demanded action against southern range IG and Kandhmal SP for the incident.
Meanwhile, CPM state secretary Ali Kishore Patnaik met the injured persons at MKCG Medical College and Hospital and demanded `20 lakh compensation to each family of the deceased. The left leader also demanded immediate arrest of the CRPF personnel, who had indiscriminately killed innocent tribals.
Putting a step ahead of Opposition, the state government ordered a judicial probe into the issue and announced an ex-gratia for deceased families. The BJD government has also indicated administrative action against some officials soon.
Defending his party, BJD leader and Rajya Sabha member Prasanna Acharya said the Chief Minister had taken immediate steps following the incident and has ordered a judicial probe, announced an ex-gratia to each family of the deceased and promised to cover them with all benefits.
Accusing the Opposition of giving a political colour to the incident and trying to get political mileage out of it, he said; “It was an accident. I feel the attempt of the Opposition to implicate the Chief Minister on every issue reflects their sick mentality.”
Similarly, BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said as per the preliminary report, it was an accident. He indicated that the state government would take action against the officials, who are responsible for the act, Monday.
