--'Quash false charges against people arrested for protesting mining': Prafulla Samantara, social activist working on nature conservation, who came to Rayagada to participate as a guest in Youth Congress meet was abducted allegedly by police in plain clothes and was escorted to his hometown Brahmapur. The primary objective of the meet was to resist unlawful arrest of people protesting green field mining activities in Sijimali and Kutrumali mines in Kashipur block of Rayagada district.
Though Samantara complained about the ill-treatment by police, reliable sources from police mentioned that he was apprehended in the context of a law and order situation in the area. He was never arrested and sent with all the respect to his home, according to police.
A Press release by Youth Congress projected the arrest of several people protesting mining activities by Vedanta. It also blamed unauthorised entry of Mytri Mining Company in the villages. But an interaction with a Mytri representative revealed that it had an MoU/ToR with Vedanta as developer and operator.
According to Mytri, most of the villagers in the villages to be affected welcome development intervention in the area. To avoid middlemen, they directly go to the villages, interact with villagers to know their problems and act upon the felt needs of the poor.
The Youth Congress demanded to quash the false charges framed against the illegally arrested persons from Kashipur villages at the instance of Mytri and unconditional release of anti-mining detainees. This charge was strongly refuted by Mytri by saying that only a handful of people were registering their protest on flimsy ground. They are paid to protest, the company alleged.
On the other hand, a few villagers instigated many innocent villagers, who attacked Mytri officials on duty with arms and ammunitions, he stated.
Youth Congress leaders also alleged that no Gram Sabha was conducted. According to official sources from the district administration, the Gram Sabhas will certainly be conducted prior to mining activities.
It is also discussed locally that L&T company, which earlier got the mining lease of Sijimali before Vedanta and now filed a case in the Supreme Court, might be supporting some anti-mining activists. There are also instances where many self acclaimed activists are getting fellowship assistance from multinational aid agencies like OXFAM, Action Aid, Survival International, etc.