Odisha: Dongria tribals warn of election boycott over ‘false’ cases
Bhubaneswar: On the Niyamgiri hills of Rayagada, the fight of the Dongria Kondh tribals against mining and police matters may become a topic of political discussion as the election campaign intensifies.
Dongria has threatened to boycott the upcoming dual elections unless the pending criminal cases, which he describes as ‘false’, are withdrawn. The cases are registered in four police stations in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts.
The tribals, under the aegis of Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti, claimed that the cases were pending since 2007–2008 when they started their Niyamgiri agitation.
He has been accused of crimes including supporting Maoists, harassing the police, taking part in protests against mining, among other crimes.
Apart from closure of the criminal cases, the Dongrias are demanding cancellation of leases of mines in Sijimali, Basangamali, Kodingamali, Mali Parvat, Maliguda and other blocks of Niyamgiri hills.
“There are many people in these villages, including me, who have false cases against them. There are also villagers against whom five to ten cases are pending. Whenever there is any conflict in the area, the police pick us up, harass us and then leave us. This has been going on ever since we started fighting for our water, forest, land,” said Krishna Sikaka, head of the committee.
Dinja Jaksika, another member and a villager from Lakhpadar under Kalyansinghpur, said the police had in the past assured closure of all cases against tribals, but have not made any promises so far.
Alleging that they are caught between the Maoists and the police, the tribals said that no government authority is standing by their side, which is why they have decided to boycott the elections until their demands are met. Are not completed. “Besides, there are many villages atop the Niyamgiri hills that still do not have electricity, affecting our daily lives and the education of our children,” said Jogendra Vadaka, a villager from Kalyansinghpur.
The Niyamgiri hill range, considered sacred by the Dongria Kondhs, is divided into Rayagada and Kalahandi districts.
