[Reader-list] Dalit Study Circle demands comprehensive Investigation against Jindals in Raigarh (Press Release)

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DALIT STUDY CIRCLE

C/o Goldy M. George, Karbala Para, Behind State Bank of Indore, G.E.
Road, Raipur, (C.G.) 492001, India
Contact No: +91-98933-57911 E-mail: dalitstudycircle at yahoo.com 


17-05-05
Raipur

Press Release

Dalit Study Circle demands comprehensive Investigation against Jindals
in Raigarh



Dalit Study Circle had demanded a comprehensive investigation against
the Jindals in Raigarh. This comes in the wake of the recent killing
of an Adivasi youth Digambar Siddar on the night of 4th May 2005 by
the security guards of Jindal industry. The incident took place in
Saraipalli village adjoining the factory premises, which is an
expansion project of the Jindal industry in Raigarh. Dalit Study
Circle initiated a fact-finding investigation of the whole matter,
which brought out the different dimensions of the issue.

According to a press statement of Dalit Study Circle, the
investigation report clearly indicates the involvement of the Jindal
management in the incident as similar tactics had been evolved in the
past also. The investigation pointed out that Jindal had adapted to a
formula of "Khareed Lo, Hatta Do, Mitta Do, Phasaa Do" (Buy or remove
or eliminate or entrap). Clear indications how the Jindals had
succeeded in manipulating the administration and also flouting the law
had been mentioned in the investigation.

During the investigation the team met with the people of Saraipalli
village, many social activists, police officials and others. After the
incident people in Saripalli village are living under utter terror and
fear that this incident is to teach a lesson to the ordinary people.
Hence whoever will ever try to protest against the Jindals in future
will face similar consequences is what the message is!

The investigation team is also suspicious of the role of police and
administration in the whole incident. It says that "in Raigarh people
have got less faith in the police and administration, since they
strongly feel that the Jindal runs it. Here is how Rajesh Tripathi
puts it. There is no administration or police or even legal framework
for the poor. All is perfectly reserved for the rich. Jindal is
running a parallel government in Raigarh. Everything is bought and
sold, just like a commodity in the market. For the administrative
officials Raigarh is the pastureland in the whole of Chhattisgarh.".

The investigation clearly points out how the Constitutional bodies
like the gram sabha, panchayats had been turned defunct in Raigarh.
People are compelled to accept their life as per the whims and wishes
of the corporate empire. The present status of accepting whatever is
going on is taken as a part of their fate.

Killing of Adivasi youth is a clear violation of human rights. Further
it violated Article 21, Article 39(a), (b), Article 46 of the
Constitution. Such incidences are taken as model in order to force the
people to move out of their land, this is a clear violation of UN
Declaration on Forced Eviction. Violation of right over livelihood is
a gross violation of human rights, the investigation says.

Based on the investigation team's recommendations we demand the following

1.	Under the above-mentioned circumstances it is vital to initiate an
impartial investigation into the whole incident of the killing of
Digambar Siddar and indirect pressure tactics of Jindal company. All
the cases of human rights violation should be seriously looked into
since there are clear narrative chronologies of many incidences of
similar nature in Raigarh in the past.

2.	All those behind the killing of Digambar Siddar including the
overall management of Jindal as well as the tardy police and
administrative officials should be brought under the clutches of law.

3.	Ensure security to the inhabitants of Saraipalli and also to all
other villages in the vicinity affected by the Jindals as well as
other industries in Raigarh. Proper direction should be given to the
administration to ensure the safety and security of people living
under utter terror and fear, particularly the villages in the
surrounding areas of the plant. Failure in doing so will have severe
impact.

4.	The state government should take precautionary measure of
preventing such atrocious incidences on ordinary villagers,
particularly weaker section in future since it is a constitutional
right.

5.	Ensure the constitutional rights, human rights, political rights,
educational and health rights of the people in Raigarh, which has been
thrashed by the corporate houses. Any infringement of these rights are
violation of a whole set of human values and particularly the very
right to existence and survival. It is recommended to set-up a
vigilance committee comprising of social activists and local villagers
from the affected villages in Raigarh in order to continuously monitor
violation of any of these.

6.	The killed persons family should be properly compensated so that
they resume their lives anew and afresh. Compensation is not just in
terms of monetary disbursement but also at large in creating an
environment of justice and peace. Sense of liberty and tranquillity
needs to be inculcated which had been lost due to the demise of their
beloved one. In reality no compensation could fill their psychological
and cerebral wound to the family, but all possible efforts should be
made.

7.	Fanindra Kumar Patel, who survived the pellets, should be provided
with protection as his life is still on the point of Jindals. It is
not impossible, as in the past, that he and his family could be bribed
and threatened to shut their mouth. Such aspects should be taken into
serious account. It is not to be debated that the treatment cost of
the injured person should be borne by the factory management.

8.	Immediately stop the expansion project and look into the legitimacy
of the expansion program. If the permission had been granted or not?
Also the questions such as environmental clearances, the extents of
land purchased from people, the extents government land appropriated
vis-à-vis actual acquired land, occupational security to the workers,
etc. should be investigated by an independent body.

The investigation team consisted of Sandya Bodlekar, Virendra, V.K
Prasoon and Goldy M. George.

For Dalit Study Circle
Durga