MALKANGIRI: A fact-finding team of the BJD visited the violence-hit MV-26 and Rakhalguda here and held discussion with both the tribal and Bengali villagers on Tuesday.
The seven-member team comprised former ministers Rabi Narayan Nanda and Ramesh Chandra Majhi, Dabunga MLA Manohar Randhari, Pradeep Majhi, BJD’s Malkangiri president Manas Madkami, Iswar Panigrahi and women’s wing leader Laxmipriya Nayak.
Describing the situation unfortunate, Nanda said the BJD team visited the area on the direction of former chief minister and party president Naveen Patnaik. “Such an incident never happened in Malkangiri during the previous BJD government as brotherhood prevailed between both the communities over the years. Words are inadequate to condemn the violence which took place earlier this month,” he said.
The senior BJD leader blamed the lapses on the part of adminstration for the violence. “This is the first time an incident like this has happened in the district after the BJP came to power in the state,” he alleged.
On the day, district Koya Samaj president Mukund Podiami met the BJD team and placed his demand for Rs 1 crore compensation for the family of 51-year-old tribal woman Lake Podiami whose alleged murder sparked the violence.
Mukund also urged the state government to record a piece of land in the name of the deceased’s mother. He said normalcy has been restored in the area and there is no breach of peace. However, the tribals arrested by police for incident should be released soon.
“If the arrested tribals are kept in custody for more than a month, the situation may change and the villagers may get restive,” he warned.