BJD leader accuses AICC spokesman of influencing Gram Sabhas

With seven consecutive Gram Sabhas held in hill slope tribal villages rejecting a proposal to allow bauxite mining on Niyamgiri Hills, ruling BJD today accused AICC spokesman and MP Bhaktra Charan Das of influencing tribals against the mining project.
Like the six previous gram sabhas, residents of Phuldumer in Kalahandi district today rejected the proposal of mining claiming that their religious and cultural rights would be affected due to mining on Niyamgiri Hills.
All 49 members of Phuldumer village including 32 women attended the Gram Sabha held under supervision of additional district judge P K Jena. They all stated that their cultural and religious rights would be affected if mining is allowed.

Meanwhile, district president of BJD Balabhadra Majhi in a statement alleged that Kalahandi MP Das had influenced Gram Sabhas held so far. "The Supreme Court in its April 18 judgement had given rights to the local people decide fate of the proposed mining. But the presence of Das at Gram Sabhas do influence the members," Das alleged.
Stating that views expressed by the villagers was not other than the statement of Das, Majhi said that he had kept away from meeting the people despite being a Kutia Kandha in order to maintain transparency.
"I have been elected four times as MLA in a row, as a people's representative, I would have approached the tribals in their language to influence them before Gram Sabha," he said.

"But I did not do that respecting the apex court judgement. However, Congress leader did not follow the court's directions," Majhi said.
Meanwhile, Das has clarified that he has not committed anything wrong as a people's representative.