JVM prepared a report on the Seminar held on the Land Rights in Odisha jointly organised by Khariar College, Khariar, Odisha Gabeshana Chakra and Vikash.
Odisha govt should protect the land rights of Dalits and Tribals to contain Naxalism
Khariar, January 25:
Odisha government should protect the land rights of the poor dalits and tribals to contain Naxalism in the state. The state government should not muzzle the land rights of the people, specially of Dalits and Tribals, for the corporates and MNCs like Posco, Vedanta and Tatas to set up their projects in the state, the policy makers, academicians and activists demanded here at a meeting.
At a two-day national conference on the Land Rights in Odisha jointly organised by Khariar College, Khariar, Odisha Gabeshana Chakra and Vikash on January 23-24, 2011 at Khariar in Nuapada district, all have expressed their concern that the state machinery has collided with the corporates to take away the land rights of the dalits and tribals to please the corporates and MNCs. The recent happenings prove that the police is branding the protesting people as naxalites and eliminating them systematically.
Addressing the gathering, AV Swamy, Member, Orissa Planning Commission said that the state is no more sovereign. The political parties and the state government are in the grip of the multi-national companies. "The corporates and MNCs dictate the terms to the government", he said.
Swamy said, "PESA is not enforced properly. The PESA not being implemented in Odisha and elsewhere is responsible for the tribals going to the Naxal fold". We need to think what the state ought to do, he said.
Explaining the challenges before the government agencies in enforcing the land rights, Sushanta Kumar Mishra, Tehasildar, Khariar, Nuapada district said that the rich are trying to extend their monopoly over the land in Odisha. "There is a clear nexus between the black money and the illegal acquisition of land", he said.
He said that in order to help the government agencies to play their roles efficiently and effectively, it is necessary to envisage a few improvements and changes in the institutional set up and statutory provisions in Odisha.
Kalindi Mallick from Orissa Dalit Adhikar Manch said that the state government is using anti-social elements and police force to grab the land of the dalits and tribals to give it to the companies like Posco in Jagatsinghpur,
Vedanta in Niyamgiri and Tatas in Kalinganagar. "In post-globalisation and liberalisation, the government is taking away the land of the SCs and STs to please the corporates and MNCs. The government is working on behalf of the companies", he said.
He said that the government is not giving a proper compensation package to the project effected people. "The displaced people do not get proper jobs also within and outside the state", he said.
In the key note address, Prof Manoranjan Mohanty, president, Orissa Gabhesana Chakra said that the landlessness is one of the main reasons for the poverty in Odisha. The trend of landlessness and marginal farmers is increasing. "MGNREGS is not the solution to address the problem of the poverty in the state", he said.
Prof Mohanty said, "The poverty in the state can not be removed till the land rights are given to the people of the state. We need to bring the land reforms to the fore". The tribals in Kalinganagar are facing problems in getting compensation to their land as they do not have the land pattas. The Narayanpatna incident shows that the tribals are not able to protect their land rights in the state.
He said that all the political parties including Communists, Socialists, Gandhians, followers of Bhudaan Movement and others should make the poverty and the land rights as a major political plank in the state. "In post-globalisation and liberalisation, the land reforms has taken a back seat. Structural changes are required to resolve the land related issues", he said.
Participating in the discussion, Prafulla Samantray, a frontline leader of the anti-displacement movement in Odisha, said, "Indian politics is in the hands of multinational companies. The political parties and the governments are dancing on their tune to capture the land of the deprived section".
He said that the government is using the land acquisition act as a weapon to snatch away the land of the poor dalits and tribals. "Industrialisation in post-globalisation and liberalisation is leading to the landlessness and agriculturelessness", he said.
A known Gandhian, Rabi Das said that the more than one crore people from the rural sector have left the agriculture sector in the last few years in the state. The people are leaving farming and going out to other states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Delhi, Southern and Northern states in search of jobs. "The landless labourers in the agriculture sector should get the land rights", he said.
During the Veledictory session, Prof Bijay Bohidar from Orissa Gabeshana Chakra said that the globalization and liberlisation is being followed in India and globally to serve the interest of the imperialist countries led by USA. These imperialist countries are encouraging MNCs to expand their business in India. "Indian and Odisha governments are using repressive measures to take away the land of the poor people for the corporates and MNCs to set up their ventures. The land rights should be bundled with other rights because all are inter-linked", he said.
In the welcome address, Dr Fanindam Deo, Principal, Khariar College and author of the Roots of Poverty said that the poor has gone poorer and the rich has gone richer in Odisha. The rich are trying to grab the land of the poor. The land reforms in the state has not been carried due to the political pressure, he said.
Among others, Ajit Panda from Vikas, Dr H. Tula, an academician, Anjali Padhi, an academician and Sai Prasan from Janata Vikas Manch addressed the gathering at the two days national seminar.
For more details, contact at : 9439203195
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Palash Biswas
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