Even as Odisha’s Tribal Welfare Minister on Sunday said he was unaware of the killing of five tribal villagers in Kandhamal district, the Congress and the BJP flayed the Navin Patnaik’s Government on the issue.
Both opposition parties said a shutdown would be observed in Kandhamal district on Monday to protest the death of five villagers during an alleged gunfight between security personnel and Maoists on Friday night in Kurtumgarh village.
Terming the State Government “anti-tribal”, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram said a high-level team led by National Commission for then Scheduled Tribes Chairman Rameshwar Oraon would visit Kandhamal and submit a
report on the killings to the Centre.
“Naveen Patnaik is responsible for the incident. It is a reflection of the anti-Adivasi mindset of the State Government. It’s a conspiracy of the (ruling) Biju Janata Dal to stifle the voice of the tribals,” said Oram.