The Bhumi Adhikar Andolan has alleged that some vested interest upper caste and ruling elites in connivance with the district administrations are depriving dalits and adivasis of their basic land rights in Ganjam and Kandhamal districts.
At a Press meet held here on Friday, the activists informed that a fact-finding team of the land rights body made a two-day visit to both the districts to look into allegations regarding violation of land right of dalits by upper caste people in Kandhamal district and demolition of houses of dalits by the district administration in Ganjam district.
Citing instances found during the visit, Narendra Mohanty of the land rights outfit said some upper caste groups backed by the Viswa Hindu Parisad (VHP) are conspiring to evict 26 numbers of dalit families from their occupied land at Nuagam village n Kandhamal district in the name of temple land. The VHP is trying to create caste conflict with the poor landless dalits in Kandhamal district and grab land encroached by dalits, the activists said.
Similarly, the Ganjam district administration has demolished 21 houses of poor dalit families at Saantaraghai village in Ganjam district without giving prior notice to them in the name of widening of the NH-59 though their houses were situated about 15-20 feet distance from the complete road.
The team had met IICs of both Brahmnigaon and Sorada, Tehsildars of Daringbadi and Sorada, Sorada MlA and discussed the issue. They also submitted a memorandum to the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Southern) demanding immediate intervention of the administration to ensure justice to the affected families.
The team had members including Abhiram Behera from Odisha Krusak Sabha, Srikanta Mohanty from AIKMKS, Bijay Swain from Chasi Adhikar Sangram Manch, Ganjam and Narendra Mohanty of Bhumi Adhikar Andolan.