Over 5,000 tribals under the banner of Jakeritali Adibasi Sangha (JAS) took out a massive rally here and assembled for a Mahameli protesting the exploitation of tribal employees in NGO Prishan Foundation. The NGO is based in Maoist-infested hinterland of Mukundapur.
According to a leaflet released by the JAS, one Raja Gupta of the NGO lured to marry an orphan tribal girl working there and continuously raped her. When Raja started breaking his promise and cheating the girl who had become pregnant, some local tribal youths intervened and demanded that Raja accept the victim girl as wife.
However, they were misbehaved by the staff of Prishan Foundation. The tribal girl then filed an FIR against Raja who was arrested and forwarded to jail after a medical test of the girl.
“Similar cases are aplenty where non-tribals are luring the tribal girls to marry, enjoy and finally abandon. Many cases do not come to limelight due to social taboos. There are instances where the girls either go out to far flung areas or commit suicide. Some also remain as concubines for lifetime,” said JAS advisor Gopinath Kandagari.
The leaflet also mentioned the death of a tribal kid named Asim and Narges, who is a foreigner and chief of Prishan Foundation was held responsible for it. Around two years back, Narges brought the differently abled children of the foundation to Rayagada cantilever bridge near river Nagabali for a picnic. She was imparting swimming coaching to them. Asim, not a differently abled child, was the son of Pitara Jilakara working as cook in the foundation. During the coaching, Asim was swept away and the body was not found till date. Pitara ran from pillar to post and approached the local administration including the Collector but in vain.
“Pitara Jilakara, son of the tribal deceased kid Asim, approached the Childline office in Therubali. The staff of Childline helped Pitara file a petition before the Collector for grievance redressal. But no action was taken even after passage of almost two years,” said social worker and CEO of the Childline at Therubali Radha Shyam Panda, adding that a Crime Branch inquiry should be instituted to render justice to Pitara.
According to JAS president Jaldu Kandagari, “The staff members of the NGO including its chief Narges are notorious for their highhandedness due to access to plenty of Government and foreign funds. With superficial lip service they have also influenced a few higher Government officials in the district. They think tribals as objects of charity and with money power they can purchase them for their poverty. They think that they are doing great service by giving a few utensils, books and umbrellas. They are yet to assess the strength of tribals.”
Their demands include compensation of Rs10 lakh to victim tribal girl, restoration of her job in the foundation with a dignified salary amounting Rs10, 000 per month, a permanent house inside the campus of the foundation, Rs15 lakh compensation to Pitara Jilakara and restoration of his job in the foundation etc.
They warned that if these demands are not met within one month, they will give a declaration for the closure of the NGO and hand over the movable and immovable asset of the NGO to Pitara and the affected girl.
Prishan Foundation has partnered with the State Government and is able to access lakhs of money from Integrated Action Plan (IAP) meant for Naxal affected districts. The NGO has also availed huge amount of money, materials and services from foreign agencies like MOMs against poverty, Mossalanejad Cultural Foundation, love my life Right Now, 1000Irani.com, Eklecia Community and Conspiracy of Hope, etc.
State Convenor of Odisha Adibasi Manch Bidulata Huika said that when the authorities do not pay heed to the lively issues of tribals after several representations, there would be spontaneous revolt like the Mahameli.
Former MlA of Bissam Cuttack Sarangadhar Kadraka, former Zilla Parishad Member Narasingha Kandagari, JAS advisor Ajaya Mandangi and Narahari Ulaka attended the rally.