Ahead of the National Human Rights Commission’s visit to the State on January 12, the Odisha Gotimukti Andolan, a forum fighting for the cause of bonded labourers in the State, has decided to stage a demonstration in front of the Raj Bhavan here on Monday, protesting against the NHRC’s stand against the bonded labourers’ identification process.
The Government of Odisha issued a notification in 2011 to abolish the practice of extracting works from barbers and washermen by upper caste families under the customary ‘Bartan’ system for which they were paid.
Though the State Government has started identifying bonded labourers under the Bonded labour System Act, 1976, from the year 2011, it has not worked properly, said Odisha Gotimukti Andolan State advisor Baghambar Pattanaik.
The forum would also submit a memorandum to the President through the Governor. “If the Government fails to fulfil our demand, we will stage demonstration in Delhi,” Pattanaik added.