Odisha Bhumihina Praja Samiti State president Debashisha Hota has thanked the Chief Minister for the recent direction to all district Collectors to solve the issues of landless people, which were raised by the Samiti most of the time.
However, he said that the agitation for the landless will continue till the land grabbers like Mines Minister Prafulla Mallick and BJD leader Jasobant Parida were taken to task who have occupied a 2.7 acre land of the Soil Conservation department in Dhenkanal district. He also demanded action against the Kamakhyanagar Sub-Collector, SDPO Seikh Abdul Karim and IIC Pravat Tripathy who illegally ordered lathicharge on thousands of landless people, leading to death of one recently.
On December 27 last, Hota was arrested at Khatuahata, while moving towards Kamakhyanagar along with 1,500 supporters to lead a rally in support of the poor landless. More than 2,000 supporters of Hota from Kamakhyanagar rushed to Khatuahata on foot walking more than 20 km. looking at this, Kamakhyanagar MlA and Minister Mallick pressurized the local administration to order lathicharge.
About 437 innocent landless belonging to Talagorada, Alatuma, Mahulpal, Tentulisinga, Kandarsinga, Bijadihi, Aluajharan, Bangura, Kendudhipi, Kandhabola, Indipur, Saruali, Bampu, Mota, Rekula, Bankual, Jiral, Mathakaragola, Balisahi, Goda, Syamal, Balijhati, Bhuban, Mrudanga, Jamunakote, Odisa and Baisinga villages were injured. Most unfortunately, one severely injured Parikh Khatua of Bangura died on December 30 while under treatment at the Dhenkanal DHH.
Hota demanded that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik should immediately axe Minister Mallick and declare `1 lakh compensation for each 437 injured and `20 lakh for the kin of the deceased.