Amid the reported differences of opinions between Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Prasad Harichandan and leader of Opposition in the Assembly Narasingha Mishra, the two leaders on Saturday called on the AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi.
However, both the leaders were tight-lipped about what transpired at the meeting. They, however, told reporters that issues like the Kandhamal police firing, the Mahanadi water dispute and non-implementation of the Forest Rights Act were discussed with Gandhi.
The party’s central fact-finding team on the Kandhamal firing headed by former Union Minister V Kishore Chandra Deo also submitted its report to Gandhi at the meeting.
Quoting the report, Harichandan said four such cases as Gumudumaha in Kandhamal have been reported from across the State so far. After being killed, the tribals are branded as Maoists. The top officials involved in such incidents must be taken to task.
About the report of the fact-finding team, which included former Union Ministers Jairam Ramesh, Arun Oraon, Vincent Pala and KH Muniyappa, the OPCC chief said the people were killed by SOG jawans.
“The report makes it clear that there was neither any crossfire on the spot nor any encounter. The innocent people were killed by the bullets fired by jawans,” he stated.
Harichandan, who reportedly held an hour-long discussion with Rahul Gandhi along with Narasingha Mishra and AICC secretary and Congress State in-charge BK Hariprasad snd deputy in-charge Subhankar Sarkar, said the party would raise the issue in the ensuing session of the State Assembly to corner the Government.
On July 8, five innocent people, including a 15-month-old infant, were allegedly killed by security forces during an anti-Maoist operation at Gumudumaha village of Kandhamal district.