PARADIP: A nine member fact-finding team of the Congress party led by general secretary of All India Congress Committee (AICC) and Odisha in-charge A Chellakumar on Saturday visited Dhinkia and interacted with villagers who had clashed with the police last week while protesting the betel vine demolition for the JSW steel plant project. Ever since the incident, many villagers reportedly are still in hiding apprehending police arrest on their return.
Coming down heavily on the ruling BJD and party supremo Naveen Patnaik, Chellakumar condemned the treatment meted out to the villagers.
Talking to mediapersons, the Congress leader questioned as to how the administration entered the area and goons beat up people when an MoU has not been signed.
Till date, many villagers are missing and scared to come home. Such is the extent to which the people have been terrorised, he said.
Alleging involvement of the CM in land mafia, Chellakumar claimed that land is acquired in the name of industrialisation but no industry is being set up. Once the land price rises, it is immediately handed over to another person or company.
“The Congress party condemns the police atrocity on villagers. We will definitely approach the National Human Rights Commission and also raise the issue on the floor of the assembly,” he added.
Senior Congress leader and MLA Narasingha Mishra, who was also part of the delegation, said the party has demanded withdrawal of police force, dropping of cases against the villagers and release of those arrested.
“We have also urged to set up industry in areas where displacement will not be required,” he stated.
Congress working president Chiranjib Biswal, former MLA Lalatendu Mohapatra, party leaders Ganeswer Behera and Ram Chandra Khuntia were present among others.