New Delhi/Thuamul Rampur: Congress Tuesday slammed the Centre over the protests by tribals against a bauxite mining project in Odisha’s Sijimali and demanded an independent inquiry into the unrest.
It also asked the government to ensure that Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996 and the Forest Rights Act, 2006, are implemented both in letter and spirit.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said Odisha is no stranger to public protests by tribal and other communities when mining projects that have major ecological impacts are sought to be bulldozed, bypassing all legal and constitutional safeguards.
“The latest in this depressing saga involves a bauxite mining project with associated infrastructure in Sijimali in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts,” Ramesh said on X.
There appear to have been serious violations of the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA), 1996 and the Forest Rights Act, 2006, he claimed.
Rights of affected individuals, local communities, and local institutions like Gram Sabhas guaranteed by these laws passed unanimously by Parliament have reportedly been deliberately diluted or even bypassed, Ramesh said.
When agitation inevitably took place a few days back, the police used disproportionate force in a targeted manner against Scheduled Tribe communities, specially women, thus violating the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, he alleged.
This has happened in a state where the chief minister himself is from a tribal community, Ramesh said.
“The Union Minister of Tribal Affairs (Jual Oram) is also from Odisha. He should demonstrate greater sensitivity and order an independent inquiry into the unrest at Sijimali and ensure that PESA, 1996 and FRA, 2006 are implemented both in letter and spirit in a credible, transparent and participatory manner,” he said.
The Congress and Left parties have condemned the Odisha government for the alleged brutality towards tribals protesting against bauxite mining at Sijimali area in Rayagada district and alleged that the PESA and Forest acts are being violated in the area to help a private company.
Earlier this month, fact-finding teams of the Congress, BJP and Left parties visited Rayagada district’s Kashipur block, where on April 7, tribals clashed with security personnel over the construction of a road leading to Sijimali bauxite mine allotted to a private company for mining.
Around 60 police personnel and over 10 villagers were injured in the clash.
PTI
