Thousands of tribals and dalits of Kandhamal district came in a procession from the Madikaunda Chhak to the Coronation Field of the district headquarters here on Friday demanding urgent steps to ensure justice and peace in Kandhamal as well as in other districts of the State.
later, the tribals under the banner of the Kandhamal Nyaya Samhati O Sadbhavana Samaj staged a rally in front of the district Collectorate here. The members of the organisation said the violent attacks on them are still continuing unabated since 1960 with tacit support from the State machinery. The delay in taking necessary steps against fanatics has further fuelled violence against minorities, they added.
Among others, president of the programme Praful Pradhan, Father Ajaya Kumar Singh, human rights activist Dhirendra Panda, Dr Prasad of NCDHR, social activist Prafulla Samantara and Jugalkishore Ranjit of Minority Rights Forum (Odisha) took the lead of the rally. Father Ajaya said the victims have been suffering from various socioeconomic constraints and difficulties after five years of the Kandhamal communal violence.
There is serious dissatisfaction brewing among the affected community, he added. The KNSSS submitted a memorandum to the President of India through Kandhamal Collector N Tirumala Nayak. The 35 points in the memorandum included establishment of a State-level Minority Commission, proper relief and rehabilitation for the victims of communal violence in Kandhamal and Gajapati districts and adequate measures for restoration of life and liberty as well as security and dignity of Christians in the State.