Speakers at the All India Adivasi Mahasabha Odisha conference held here on Saturday lambasted both the Union and State Governments for being callous towards tribals by handing over forestland, water and other resources to the greedy corporate houses.

Inaugurating the 4th Odisha State Conference of the Mahasabha, its deputy general secretary Ratrawat Shankar Naik alleged that the Government has also deployed Central forces to stop Adivasis from raising voices against such illegal acts. They are also terming rights activists as Maoists and arresting them on false cases.

“All the jails are now full of tribal under-trials. While the subsequent Governments are preaching the slogan of ‘sabka saath sabka vikash’, in reality, they do opposite,” he said.

He called upon the entire tribal community of the country to be united and join the struggle until their demands are met.

leaders like State Secretary Basudeb Bhoi, Haladhar Pujari, Duryodhan Bhoi, Gagan Naik and Krushna Gagarai conducted the conference. Kshirod Singdeo submitted a political report and Bhoi an organisational report.

CPI leaders Ashish Kanoongo and Sura Jena ,Utkal Mahila Samity State president Pramodini Paikrai, former MlA N Narayan Reddy, Odisha Forest Wood Agriculture and Building Construction Workers’ Union general secretary Bijay Jena, AISF State leader Biplab Behera spoke on the occasion.

Resolutions demanding stoppage of the Polavaram project, issuance of caste certificates and homestead land patta to landless tribals, rights to forest dwellers and formation of village level tribal right committees were passed.

A 45-member State council of the Mahasabha was announced on the occasion. Haladhar Pujari elected as president, Duryodhan Bhoi and Krushna Gagorai as vice presidenta, Basudeb Bhoi as secretary, Gagan Nayak and Rupei Majhi as Assistant Secretaries and Harihar Udhi as treasurer were elected. As many as 30 delegates were elected to attend the national conference scheduled to be held at Dumka in Jharkhand from June 4 to 6, 2016.