BERHAMPUR: A day after the violent clash between tribal villagers and cops over construction of an approach road to Sijimali bauxite mines in Rayagada, an uneasy calm prevails in the area with armed police force maintaining a strict vigil to prevent the situation from escalating again.
The situation seems to be under control amid deployment of six platoons of police force in Sijimali. But the deadlock between the administration and villagers showed no signs of breaking with tribals of Sagabari and Kantamal, armed with traditional weapons, standing guard in the nearby forest, vowing to continue their opposition to the road project.
Amid the highly-fluid situation, the 58 police personnel who suffered injuries in the clashes were shifted to Rayagada district headquarters hospital, Kashipur CHC and a private hospital in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam on Wednesday. Over 100 tribals were also injured in the violence, but have reportedly not yet been admitted to any government hospital.
No official from the Rayagada administration including the police was available for comments. Mediapersons were also not allowed inside the villages.
Meanwhile, several tribal leaders termed the police action as unwarranted and demanded immediate withdrawal of forces. Tribal leader Jayaram Pangi said with many tribals from Odisha holding top positions in the country, the villagers of Sijimali hoped that their development would be prioritised.
“However, the kind of oppression carried out by the government on tribals of Sijimali in the middle of the night, allegedly for the benefit of a private company, is undemocratic and unconstitutional. I urge the government to prioritise the interests of the tribals,” he said.
Pangi warned that public discontent could escalate into a mass movement if the issue was not addressed. “If the government engages in dialogue with villagers in a healthy atmosphere, the issue can be resolved quickly, as it concerns their life, livelihood, and traditions,” he added.
Tribal leaders Tirupati Gamang and Shankar Inquilab said the incident amounted to a violation of constitutional and human rights in a Scheduled Area like Rayagada. They pointed out that as per provisions applicable to Scheduled Areas, consent of the gram sabha is mandatory for development projects, which they claim was ignored in the decision to move forward with the road construction project.
They further claimed that the state government and district administration are taking 'planned steps' to hand over Sijimali and other areas to mining companies without the consent of the locals.