When the bandh was being observed over 12 demands by trade unions on Friday, thousands of Dangaria Kandha men and women under the aegis of Niyamagiri Surakhya Samiti (NSS) came down to Muniguda in support of the bandh but with the sole demand of closure of Vedanta refinery at lanjigarh.
Though Dangarias assembled to participate in the bandh, not a single trade union supported their cause, said a NSS leader.
“By branding us Maoists or their supporters, the Government had always suppressed us and used several tactics to dismantle a democratic struggle even by arresting and killing innocent tribals,” said the leader, adding, “ultimately it was not possible as we were united for the cause.”