To discuss the issue of increasing crimes against Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and minorities in Odisha, a State-level convention was held here on Thursday in which 154 persons from different districts participated.
Convention coordinator Manas Jena, who is a well-known writer on social exclusion issues, presented the NCRB data and explained the reasons behind the growing crimes in the State. He stated that there were 3,500 cases pending investigation in the State by 2021 and they related to atrocities against the scheduled communities. And 22,207 cases were pending in courts by 2021. Out of total 20,784 under-trial prisoners, the SC and ST prisoners were 11,611.
Opening the debate, eminent leaders former MLA and CPI(ML) leader Radhakanta Sethy, former MLA and CPI leader Narayan Reddy, Samajwadi Party State president Rabi Behera, Samruddha Odisha president Jatish Mohanty, CPI(M) leader Suresh Panigrahi, Prof Dhaneswar Sahoo and Kishore Samal expressed their concern over the increasing socioeconomic disparity and lack of social inclusion of the marginalised classes in the development process in the State.
B Ramachandra CST Voltaire, Sumitra Behera of ODM, Narendra Mohanty, Pramila Behera, Deba Ray, Md Sukru, Sk Tanbir, Sarita Badapanda, Chambaru Soren, Rabi Deep, Pradyumna Nayak, among others, also participated in the debate. An action plan on the issues was prepared by the civil society.