PARADIP: The woman and child agitators against the Posco project received a shot in the arm with the joining of Medha Patkar, noted environmentalist-cum-Narmada Bachao Andolan leader on Monday. Patkar’s decision to join the protestors may further delay the land acquisition process, it is feared. “The land acquisition is going in an undemocratic manner at the proposed project site. The administration should understand that land acquisition cannot happen at gunpoint. It should be done only through a proper dialogue with the local people,” Patkar told a gathering. “It is a gross human rights violation,” Patkar said.“I am with the women and children of these villagers to extend my cooperation to protest Posco project,” she added.Patkar’s visit coincides with the observance of Martyr’s Day by Posco Pratirodha Sangram Samiti on Monday to commemorate the death of anti-Posco activist Dula Mandal. Mandal died on this day in 2008 after a bomb was hurled at the protestors by pro-Posco activists during clashes between the two groups.A meeting conducted by PPSS leader Abhaya Sahu to prevent the entry of police and officials to the proposed site was attended by Chief of Ekta Parishad PV Rajgopal, Azadi Bachao Movement leader Banwarilal Sharma, All India Sarvodaya leader Amarnath Bhai along with two others Ashok Bharat, Ramakant Mandal, Baji Rout Chatrabasa secretary and daughter of former chief minister Naba Krushna Chaudury, Krishna Mohanty and national convener of Rashtriya Yuba Sangthan Biswjeet Ray.Rajgopal said, “Land of the common people is acquired for setting up public infrastructure but here it is being acquired by the government for private foreign company so we are determined to pressurise the State Government to stop forcible land acquisition at gunpoint.” Patkar said, “Now the post of sarpanch is more important than that of chief minister and prime minister, so the suspension of innocent Dhinkia sarpanch by the State Government is illegal and undemocratic. The gram sabha has the final word be it at the Posco site villages or elsewhere where villagers would decide about this plant, she noted.Let the villagers give their opinion through palli sabha and gram sabha, she stated. The environmentalist has threatened a countrywide agitation against the Posco project.
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