The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday extended support to displaced villagers of the Tata project at Gopalpur of Ganjam district who are continuing their dharna in front of the State Assembly here since March 18.
AAP leaders at a Press meet at the dharna place declared their support to the “genuine demands” of the displaced people and said the party would fight for their rights.
“The displaced people have been taken for a ride by the company, the Government and various political parties,” said party State convener Nishikant Mohapatra, adding, “This is a perfect case of crony capitalism, where valuable land resources have been handed over to a corporate house that has clearly failed to give benefits to the State or the displaced population that was expected and promised.”
Members of the Tata Bisthapita Manch, a platform of the displaced villagers, said the company was given over 3,500 acres of prime land in Gopalpur for its proposed steel project almost 18 years ago. Although a resettlement colony has been set up by the company, many displaced families have a long list of complaints which remain unaddressed, they said.
Manch leader P Tulasaya Reddy said the Tata company has failed to fulfil its commitments given at the time of land acquisition. Even, the State Government has not paid any heed to the villagers’ demands, he said. “We will continue our hunger strike at the lower PMG till our demands are fulfilled,” added Reddy.