Condemn BJD Govt’s Police Repression on Slum Dwellers of Salia Sahi

Condemn BJD Govt’s Police Repression on Slum Dwellers of Salia Sahi

In Solidarity with Salia Sahi Slum Dwellers

As per the 2006 Forest Act, the Slum Dwellers of Salai Sahi, Bhubaneswar, who belong to the category of Traditional Forest Dwellers, should be settled in their place of residence. Hence the Slum Dwellers of Salai Sahi who were residing there since the last 50 years have been constantly asking the BJD govt to settle them in their dwelling place. However, though the Govt of Odisha has provided Land Right Certificate to Slums in Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, with malafide intentions, same was denied to the people of Sali Sahi.

Therefore, on 22 November, 2023, around 20 thousand slum dwellers of Salai Sahi including women and children marched to the State Assembly with their demand for issuing Land Right Certificate for a minimum 600 sq., land for each family and for the implementation of the 2006 Forest Act. The purpose of the peaceful March was to submit a letter to the Chief Minister. However, at Biju Patnaik College Jayadev Vihar, the huge police force led by ACP, DCP, IIC obstructed the Rally, blocked the road and arrested 2000 slum dwellers including Jayadev Nayak the president of Salia Sahi Anchalik Committee and other active leaders Com.Pramila (State Secretary, CPI (ML) Red Star), Raghunath, Narayan Lenka, Umesh Das, Santosh Das and Anjan.

The intention of the BJD govt is to evict the dwellers of the biggest slum in Odisha, by cunningly going back from its earlier assurances, and entrust the land to real estate mafia.

CPI (ML) Red Star strongly condemn this heinous move on the part of the BJD govt. We appeal to all progressive democratic forces to stand in solidarity with the struggling slum dwellers.

Red Salute to the Slum Dwellers of Salai Sahi!

P J James
General Secretary