A large number of tribals rallied in Kalinganagar, the steel hub in Jajpur district, on Wednesday to mark the 13th anniversary of the killing of 14 tribals, including three women, in police firing while protesting against the Tatas’ proposed steel project.
13 years ago, the police had fired on tribals protesting against forcible displacement through the construction of a boundary wall by the Tata Steel for its 6 million tonnes steel plant in the steel hub.
The anti-industry groups under the banner of Bisthapan Birodhi Janamanch (BBJM) assembled at Ambagadia, where the tribals were massacred in the police action.
The tribals, mostly women and children, brandishing sword, lathis and their traditional weapons took out a 4-km long rally from Birbhumi, the firing spot to Ambagadia. Carrying posters and banners, the tribals marched towards the memorial pillar where the victims were cremated en masse in the Kalinganagar industrial complex, shouting slogans against the State Government and the Tatas.
Other than local tribals, various groups from Jagatsingpur, Keonjhar, Niyamgiri and Puri and Chattisgarh, where the locals are opposing land acquisition, expressed their solidarity with the BBJM, which is spearheading an anti-industrialization movement in the area since inception of police firing on January 2, 2006.
“We won't tolerate any torture on the innocent tribals. There shouldn't be any industry at the cost of tribals and their livelihood.
Our fight against industrialisation will continue till the Government changes its decision to set up industries on farm land. Fourteen of our fellow men sacrificed their lives for tribals’ cause. We are ready to die even in en masse, but will not spare even an inch of land for industry," said BBJM secretary Rabindra Jarika in the meeting which was attended by at least 8,000 people.
“Ruled by BJD, Odisha remained a highly lawless State with high incidence of atrocities against the tribals, who are the indigenous people,” said Prasanta Paikray of Posco Pratirodhaka Sangram Samiti (PPSS).
The killing of the tribals in indiscriminate police firing at Kalinganagar was one of the worst cases of violations of the Right to Life perpetrated by the security forces in India, said tribal women leader Swarnalata Banara.
Security was tightened in Kalinganagar area on Wednesday with deployment of 12 platoons of police, said Kalinganagar police station IIC RN Patnaik.