SKM demands justice for West Bengal and Odisha Adivasis

West Bengal Adivasi
Image Courtesy:countercurrents.org

Turning attention towards indigenous farmers in the East, farmers umbrella body Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on February 26, 2022 decried state oppression against Adivasi peasantry in West Bengal and Odisha.

“The SKM expresses deep concern at police repression against farmers in Birbhum in West Bengal and Dhinkia in Odisha. These farmers have been protesting against land acquisition for coal mining and industry, respectively, without due process,” said SKM leader Darshan Pal in a press release.

Earlier on February 22, leaders issued a statement condemning the police repression in Deocha-Panchami-Harinsingha-Dewanganj area of Birbhum in West Bengal. The next day, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced in a press conference that farmers and cattle-small ruminant keepers will not be ousted from their farm, pasture lands. Further, Birbhum farmers will receive land-for-land. The move can resolve the issue, provided the government proposal follows a clearly laid down process as per the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. However, so far, details of the land-for-land announcement are not available in the public domain.

Still, farmer leaders voiced concern for activists and local farmers arrested on February 20 and February 21 for holding peaceful protests. They continue to remain in jail while the police drag their feet on producing relevant documents before the court.

“SKM condemns this highhandedness of the police and urges Banerjee to personally direct the administration to set free the arrested persons and withdraw all cases against them so that an atmosphere conducive to peaceful discussion and possible resolution is created,” said SKM.

Members resolved to send a fact-finding team, led by activist Medha Patkar and other senior leaders to coordinate with the state government, interact and hold public hearings in the project area and recommend steps to resolve the issues.

Meanwhile in Odisha…

Tensions continue in Jagatsinghpur district. State police have been positioned along Dhinkia and its surrounding villages since December 4, 2021. Still, residents stand firm on their decision not to let the JSW Utkal Steel Ltd continue with its development projects in the area.

On February 16, the Odisha High Court formed a five-member committee to visit Dhinkia and assess the current situation. The need for this was pressing especially after the brutal lathi-charge in January that injured 200 persons, mostly women and girls. On February 19, a committee visited the village assisted by a local social activist. Gathered villagers gave their deposition but they were attacked by miscreants. Four people sustained serious injuries. At the time, the High Court Committee members as well as the police were present at the spot but did not provide any protection. Meanwhile, villagers alleged the attackers were goons hired by JSW.

“The Odisha government has given a free hand to the district administration and the police are responsible for mindless police violence as witnessed in many incidents, the worst being the brutal lathi charge of January 14,” said the SKM.

While many people were arrested in previous incidents, still many others are in hiding as the police set up its camp inside the village, said farmers. Farmer leaders called this a siege on villages for the coercive acquisition of land for the state sponsored project. Farmers said all of this violated laws and due processes related to forest rights and land acquisition. SKM’s Odisha unit wrote about these concerns in appeals to both the Governor and the Chief Minister.

“Yet, the state government is putting all its resources in support of JSW. An MoU between JSW and the Odisha government, if it has been signed, is not available to the general public,” said SKM.

Prior to the JSW project, Dhinkia villagers rallied against and finally succeeded in stopping South Korean company POSCO from entering their area after 12 years of protests. Still, the land was put into a Land Bank and then given to the JSW when it should have been returned the 2700 acres of acquired land back to the people. To add to local grievances, Adivasi farmers have alleged that their betel vine plots were destroyed over the last two months by the district administration. They demanded compensation.

SKM that led a 13-month long national struggle and continues to voice farmer grievances voiced solidarity with West Bengal and Odisha adivasi farmers and upheld their right to dissent.

“While we condemn the lack of transparency with people and the use of force and coercion to bring in steel and mining companies, we wish to reiterate that industrialization cannot happen at the cost of the peasantry – landed and landless – in India’s predominantly rural agrarian economy. Fertile agricultural land is not for profit-making corporations,” said the SKM.