The Kui Samaj Samanwaya Samiti (KSSS) gave a call for a ‘Bandh’ in the district here on the Christmas on December 25 to registering its protest against the Government’s apathy to their 34-point charter of demands. The decision was taken at a meeting of the KSSS executive body here on Saturday.
However, District Collector N Thirumala Nayak assured the Christian leaders that the administration would hold talks with the KSSS and make sure nothing went wrong with the biggest Christian annual celebration in Kandhamal.
The KSSS had not taken part in the peace meeting convened by the District Collector earlier this week to ensure a peaceful and trouble-free Christmas across the district. The outfit earlier had set December 20 as the deadline for the Government to meet their demands.
The demands include proper inquiry and settlement of cases of land grabbing, identifying and punishing those who have used fake caste certificates to get Government jobs and reservation of 50 per cent of Government jobs as well as seats in technical and training institutes in the district for people of Kandhamal.
KSSS president Biswanath Pradhan and his deputy Manoj Mallick told mediapersons that although the State Government had met three of their 34 demands, yet it was unwilling to consider the rest.
“We had given them a deadline but there is no word from either the district administration or the State Government about meeting the rest 31 of our old demands. We have, therefore, decided to call a bandh on December 25,” KSSS president Pradhan said. District Collector Nayak told that he is aware of the bandh call given by the KSSS but exuded confidence that he would be able to persuade the Kui outfit to withdraw their decision in the larger public interest.
The KSSS as well as Kui Samaj observe ‘Kui Martyr’s Day’ on December 25 in memory of Khageswar Mallick, who was killed at Barkhama village near Baliguda in December 2007 following a communal conflict. However, Kui Samaj president Tirthanand Jani made it clear that his organization would not hold public rallies or disrupt Christmas celebrations while observing the Martyr’s Day.