Baripada: The 12–hour bandh called by PESA Gram Sabha Santathan, an outfit of tribal communities, over a 10-point charter of demands under Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act, 1996 was peaceful across Baripada Tuesday.
During the bandh, activists of the PESA Sangathan picketed in various parts of Baripada and Udala. They laid siege to the NH-18 at Murgabadi and Palbani in Baripada town leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded for hours.
However, shops and business establishments were open during the bandh. Hundreds of people staged protests in front of the District Collector’s office. A delegation of agitators held talks with the Sub-Collector regarding their demands.
Notably, some people had entered Jahira, a shrine of the Santhali community at Siripur under Udla block May 9. The miscreants desecrated the sanctity of the place and vandalised the deities.
The PESA Gram Sabha Sangathan activists had apprised the Chief Minister, the District Collector, Kaptipada Sub-Collector and the police about the issue.
However, no action was taken against the miscreants in this connection. This caused resentment among the tribals as the outfit alleged that constitutional rights of the tribals were violated.
Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act, 1996, came into existence to ensure tribal self-rule for people living in the Scheduled areas of the country.
The PESA has conferred the absolute powers to Gram Sabha, whereas state legislature has given it an advisory role to ensure the proper functioning of Panchayats and Gram Sabhas, the tribals leaders pointed out.
They added that PESA recognises the traditional system of the decision-making process and stands for peoples’ self-governance.
PNN
