Activists
mercilessly beaten up and implicated with false Case during COVID-19 Lockdown
by BJD Goons and Police in Odisha – A Report
Introduction
While declaring Corona
Lockdown in the country in March,20, the Central Government announced a number
of Packages/ COVID Assistance for three months ( April to June) to strengthen
food security of the poor and distressed
people under Pradhan Mantri Garibi Kalyan Yojana. Under this scheme, each
NFSA card holder is entitled to get 3 kg dal for
three months free of cost and
quantity of 5 kg rice was
allotted per head per month free of cost which is in addition to normal
rice distributed to all
beneficiaries under NFSA ( National Food
Security Act). Besides that all pension
holders (Old age pension, widow pension and disable pension) will get an ex-gratia
amount of Rs. 1000.00 each. This announcement
was followed by immediate release of fund and food-grains to all states
including Odisha for distribution among the beneficiaries. The Central Govt.
also released kerosene in advance for
distribution among the beneficiaries at subsidised price.
In view of unprecedented delay
in distribution of food grains,
non-distribution and hoarding of
rice to
the beneficiaries, denial of
rice to Ration Card holders and demand of huge price
per litre of Kerosene by dealers ( Rs. 20.00 to Rs. 55.00 per litre of
kerosene against Govt. fixed price), Social Activists made on-line
and social media campaign
about these schemes and
entitlements and took
up the issue to fight out corruption and ensure proper
distribution of food-grains and
kerosene. Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhijan
took a lead role by organizing
Social Activists and RTI
Activists to fight against
corruption and
irregularities in distribution of food grain. Plethora of Memorandum was submitted
to the BDOs and Collectors seeking an inquiry into hoarding of Dal and
exorbitant price demanded by dealers. FIR was also filed by the beneficiaries
along the Activists in different police stations demanding inquiry against
the dealers and Marketing Inspectors.
Mass media made wide coverage of the news of the fight of the activists
against irregularities and corruption.
Being aggrieved due to
huge expose of corruption and
irregularities in PDS, the BJD goons
unleashed reign of terror in
different districts by
beating up RTI Activists mercilessly
and filling false FIR
against them in various
police stations. When the RTI
Activists filed FIR against them , the police did not
register their case
rather registered
counter-FIR filed by the Goons
and started immediate
inquiry against the Activists.
The Saga of Struggle of RTI
Activists and Social Activists during COVID 19 lockdown is as follows.
1.Manoranjan Jena, RTI Activist,
Derabishi Block of Kendrapara district
2. Bhuban Chand Hati, RTI Activist, Itamati,
Nayagarh District
On 7.4.20, while Sri Bhuban Chand Hati, RTI
Activist was sitting on his
verandah, a group of anti-socials
instigated by Sarapanch of Biruda GP of Nayagarh block assaulted him using
slang language, beaten up mercilessly
and took away his mobile threatening
him of dire consequence, unless he refrains himself from
making any complaints
of corruption relating to PDS and filling RTI against Sarapanch. Bhuban
was admitted in hospital and underwent treatment. He filed FIR in Itamati
Police station on same day. But the police did not register FIR for three days.
After a long persuasion by RTI Activists, the Inspector-in-Charge, Itamati
police station finally registered the
FIR having Case No. 42/20 dt. 7.4.20 and handed over the copy on 11.4.20. But the police neither conducted any inquiry
and nor arrested the criminals. Rather these Criminals of Biju Janata Dal had filed
a counter-FIR against Bhuban in same Itamati police station. The
police registered the
case and granted him bail. As the
criminals are scot free in the Gram Panchayat, they
are threatening more
to Bhuban and terrorizing his
family. He has also received
threats call from these criminals. As
the criminals belong to the same village,
his family live in the state of insecurity. The accused had also threatened to kill
him. A
Complaint case has been filed in National Human Rights
Commission. ( M- 9778142743.
3. Sarbeswar Behura, RTI Activist, Dharmashala block of Jajpur district
4. Sanjay Sahu, Banki, Cuttack district
On
1.6.20, Sanjay Sahu, RTI Activist
along with few Labourers was
holding protest Dharana in front of lock office, Banki in protest against rampant use of machine in NREGA work which
deprives hundreds of people from getting
employment in the village during COVID
Lockdown. They organized this protest
in unique way by beating Thali
and enchanting slogans before Block
office by demanding for restriction of rampant use
of machine in NREGA work, putting display board at
worksite, providing immediate work to
the laourers and maintaining
transparency in implementation of NREGS
work etc. They submitted a memorandum
to BDO, Banki and requested him to
ensure employment to the poor laourers, withdraw machines from
worksite and take action against the
officers involved in misappropriation of
fund y making forged Muster Roll. Day after,
around 20 hooligans and anti-socials of BJD party forcibly entered into sanjay’s house , abused him with slang
language and threatened him of dire consequence , if he continues
to oppose corruption in NREGA
work. They also thrashed him and created ruckus in front of his home
for few hours to terrorise the family. On 3.6.20. Sanjay Sahu
filed an FIR in Baideswar police
station under Banki block demanding inquiry
and quick action against the
people involved in attacking him. But the police is yet to take
any action against them.M- 9337343390
5. Dusmant Acharya , Raj Kanika Block of
Kendrapara district
Dusmant
Acharya is a young Social Activist and
running a web channel “ Janata Zindabad”. He regularly covered
news about corruption, irregularities in implementation of development programme
at village level and fought
to ensure entitlement of the
poor under food security and
social security programme. On 3.5.20., during COVID Lockdown, the villagers
of Deulatara Gram Panchayat
had come to block office of Rajkanika to file
complaint about huge irregularities in COVID assistance like distribution of
rice and kerosene by dealer Purusottam Das, excess
price Rs. 30.00 demanded by dealer against Got. fixed price Rs.15.00, less quantity of
rice given to beneficiaries against
their fixed entitlements etc. Dusmant
carried this news and also visited to their village to collect information from
the villagers about PDS irregularities. This news was put in his web media “
Janata Zindabad” which exposed details
of PDS loot engineered
by local dealer Purusottam Das. On 6.5.20., when Dusmant was on his way to
return to his village at 8 am, the Dealer
and his hired goons
stopped him at Namatara , hackled
him, took away his camera and eaten up mercilessly. They kidnapped him
to their village and locked him. However , after complaint
filed by the villagers, the
police rescued him. He filed FIR in
Rajkanika Police station at 1.30 pm on same day. Though one month passed, the police has not taken any action
on his FIR ( Registration No. 96 /6.5.2020). M- 9439083515
6. Sapan Swain, RTI Activist, Gop, Puri
district
