Cong bandh call hits normal life in Odisha’s KBK districts

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Kalahandi, Jul 2:

Normal life was paralyzed in Odisha’s eight KBK districts today due to a 12-hour dawn-to-dusk bandh called by Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee’s Tribal Cell protesting the arrest of party leader and former MP Pradip Majhi. This apart, the agitators are demanding land pattas for the tribals under the Forest Rights Act.

While shops and business establishments remained closed in the eight districts of Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Koraput, Rayagada, Malkangiri, Balangir and Sonepur, vehicular movement came to a grinding halt as party members staged road blockade by burning tyres at many places, sources said.

However, emergency services and educational institutions were excluded from the ambit of the bandh call. Police forces were deployed at many places of the districts to prevent any untoward situation during the bandh, sources added.

“The state government is taking credit by distributing land pattas to more than 3 lakh tribals. But in reality, the government has not executed the 2006 Forest Rights Act properly. The state government had intentionally arrested Pradip Majhi who fights for the rights of tribals,” said Congress leader Bhakta Das.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Prasad Harichandan claimed that the shutdown was successful. He said people spontaneously participated in the movement to show their support for the cause.

On the other hand, BJD leader Rabi Narayan Nanda said the Congress party is shedding crocodile tears. He said the shutdown call given by the opposition party had no effect in KBK districts as the tribals are always with the government led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Notably, Majhi and 18 other Congress workers were arrested on June 25 for allegedly beating up the Raighar Forest Ranger and ransacking the department’s Range office during a demonstration demanding land pattas for tribals and ration cards to eligible poor beneficiaries.

The Assistant Sessions Judge court, Umerkote had granted conditional bail to the former parliamentarian and 18 others, yesterday.