Alleging apathetic attitude of Bokaro Steel Plant management towards the displaced, hundreds of displaced people came out on road and held a strong protest at Bodrotand in Bokaro on Tuesday.
Earlier on Monday evening, the agitated youths held a torch rally under the banner of Bokaro Visthaphit Raiyat Sangh and shouted slogans in protest.
Despite the order of the High Court, BSL management is not on the move and has not returned the vacant lands to us, said Chhotu Singh President of Bokaro Vistaphit Rayat Sangh.
He alleged that BSL Management is adopting apathetic attitude in providing jobs and compensation to the displaced people.
According to the displaced people, BSL management promised earlier to solve their issues. There were several round of talks between management and group but they failed to solve it, said a district administrative official.
“Demanding jobs we (displaced) launched several agitations earlier include— ‘Jal Satyagrah’, ‘Brikshawas Satyagraha’ and today they launched ‘Agani Satyagraha’ but all goes in vain,” Saryu Mahato another youth.
Later, the protestor including women launched one day ‘Brikshawas Satyagraha’ (living on tree) protesting the indifferent attitude of management in providing the job. Protestors climb-up on a tree near Gandhi Chowk about 100 mts from the BSL’s Administrative Building to draw the attention of the management towards their demand. Rising up arms against the management to provide them jobs Nirsa MLA Arup Chatterjee along with AJSU leader Suresh Kumar joined hands with them that time, he said.
“At the time of acquiring our lands to set up plant company had promised us to provide jobs to 24,000 identified displaced people; now failed from their promise”, he alleged. “We will step up our agitation if our demand not met”, said Sukhdeo Rabidas another displaced. He also threatens to hold a massive demonstration.
Most of the displaced groups are demanding jobs from BSL in bulk while the management has declared that it has already provided jobs to about 16,000 displaced people earlier, said a BSL PR official.
