Bhubaneswar: The alleged kidnapping and subsequent release of social activist and human rights leader Prafulla Samantara from a hotel in southern Odisha’s Rayagada town on August 29 still remains wrapped in mystery.
Samantara, the winner of the Goldman Environmental Prize-2017, claimed that he was abducted from his hotel room minutes before he was scheduled to address a press conference to highlight the atrocities being committed against the tribal people resisting mining-related activities in Sijimali, about 70 kilometres from Rayagada. However, the local police denied any knowledge about the incident.
The inspector-in-charge of Rayagada police station, Kamlakant Kanhar, said he had not received any complaints regarding the alleged incident. However, Samantara, who heads the Lok Shankti Abhiyan, a people’s movement, claimed that he had sent a complaint to the Rayagada police by speed post, and that it had been delivered.
“The complaint was delivered, though I have not inquired whether they have registered my complaint or not,” said Samantara. Kanhar replied to this saying, “We are yet to receive any complaints in this regard.”
Samantara, however, feels certain that his abduction was the handiwork of government agencies as they wanted to prevent him from taking up the cause of the people fighting against mining by the Vedanta, a multinational mining company. The company is the preferred bidder for bauxite mining in Sijimali hills, which falls under Kashipur block of the Rayagada district.
The Vedanta group has reportedly hired an Andhra Pradesh-based contractor, Mythri Infrastructure Ltd, a private company, to carry out excavation. Mythri is currently convincing the residents of around a dozen villages under Sunger and Sindurghati panchayats, in the foothills of Sijimali, that mining is in their interest.
The people, however, are far from convinced, and 22 of them have been arrested so far for resisting the bid to carry out mining in the hills. These hills have 220.39 million tonnes of mineable reserves.
How the events unfolded
Samantara had checked into his Rayagada hotel room in the morning, and the press conference was scheduled to be held around 4 pm. In the morning, he visited the Rayagada jail to meet the people being held there for protesting against mining in Sijimali.
“Three people barged into my room around 3.40 pm. They covered my face with a towel and tied my hands. I was taken out and made to sit in a vehicle in which another person was already there. From their conversation and movements, I could make out that they were working under instructions. After a few hours, however, their tone changed, and they started addressing me in a much more respectful manner. Perhaps, they had realised that they should not have treated me the way they had. The vehicle changed direction, and finally, they dropped me off at my home in Berhampur,” said the anti-mining activist. He said that his ordeal lasted more than five hours.
Rayagada district president of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), Bhawani Shankar Jena, who had organised the press conference, said that he also feels that state agencies were involved in the sudden disappearance of the Lok Shakti Abhiyan leader from his hotel room.
“Around 4 pm, minutes before the press meet was scheduled to begin, I was told that Samantara was not in his room. The person staying in the room next to him said that he had heard someone shouting from his room, which indicated the presence of several people. Though he did not see Samantara being taken out of the room, it was clear that something untoward had happened,” said Jena, who was associated with the Youth Congress for a long time.
The movement against bauxite mining
Local journalist Maudi Barik said that the movement against bauxite mining in the area has been going on for a long time because people are not only unhappy with the alleged selfish attitude of the mining companies but also remain apprehensive about the kind of impact it may have on the environment.
“There is a lot of apprehension about mining. Given the level of fear and distrust, it will be extremely difficult for anyone to convince people that mining is in their interest,” said Barik.
Rayagada borders Kalahandi district, which has a long history of resistance to the mining of bauxite in the Niyamgiri hills. The intensity of the movement, which united the Kondh tribals of the area, pushed Vedanta, which has a refinery in Lanjigarh in the foothills of Niyamgiri, on the back foot.
In fact, the movement against mining in Niyamgiri continues and remains a source of inspiration for the people fighting against mining in Sijimali.
“The truth is that the movements against mining in Niyamgiri and Sijimali are connected. The company is the same, and the mineral to be mined is also the same. The people in Sijimali not only draw inspiration from what happened in Niyamgiri but they are also being guided by the leaders of Niyamgiri movement,” said Barik, adding that incidents like the alleged kidnapping of Samantara are going to make things even more difficult for them as they generate a lot of negative publicity.
Similar sentiments were expressed by INTUC leader Bhawani Shankar Jena, who said, “This has given a fillip to the movement and further cemented the unity of the people resisting mining. There is no way anyone can counter the movement with the use of force now,” said Jena.
He dismissed the claim of Kashipur inspector-in-charge, Surjya Prakash Nayak, that things were now under control in the mining belt. “Certainly not. The anti-mining volcano is ready to erupt,” said Jena.
