STUDENTS SUPPORT PADAYATRA IN ORISSA
Students from different parts of the country have joined the padayatra against the corporate invasion of land, water and forests in Orissa. Involvement of students have given a new energy to the padayatris.
`This is also a great opportunity for learning,’ said Vinolin Caleb who co-ordinated students from Bangalore, Tamil Nadu and Andhra. `Our team of students reached Bhubaneswar on December 1st and slept at the station itself. We joined the padayatra on 2nd and will go back only after completion’.
` We knew about the problem of displacement and environment caused by POSCO in Orissa through the net’, said Anish Roy Chowdhary, a student from St. Joseph’s college. `But we could see the depth of the problem only after coming here. It is difficult to imagine the misery of people sitting elsewhere’.
`The people here are quite united,’ said Arulappa. `But they are always confident and enthusiastic and not sad. They want to fight for their land. We will take their message to the colleges in Bangalore. We hope to show documentaries to generate awareness on this issue.’ For Arulappa, the train journey was also a first time experience.
`We spoke to many villagers,’ said Sumanto. `Their basic rights are being snatched here. Many of the villagers cannot move out of the village, since there are warrants on them. They cannot even go out for medical care. However, the levels of their awareness is very high. They are determined to protect their environment and livelihood.’
The padayatris walk for an average of twenty five kilometers a day. The students expressed no problems even to catch up with the padayatris who were walking very fast. `If we get tired, we just look at the old men and women who are walking with full energy’, they said. The students helped in serving food to the padayatris.
For Geetha from St. Joseph’s, it was totally a fresh experience in a people’s movement. `Now I am totally for the movement. The Government is not justified in taking away the fundamental rights of the villagers. We are trying to reports on this issue in order to inform others. We are also trying to do a documentary film.’
` I have neither travelled in a train nor gone beyond Bangalore,’ said Neela. `So it was totally anew experience for me. I didn’t know how important land is for people. Hence the villagers here have even withstood violent attacks of pro POSCO gang. I have made friends here. Some of them are even trying to teach me Oriya’.
The experience of the students from Delhi University, JNU and West Bengal were also similar. `The support of students is crucial for any people’s movement,’ said Sarat Chandran a film maker from Kerala. `The struggle against Coca Cola in Plachimada received major support from students all over, including those who were studying in the United States. It was only with such wide support that the adivasis and dalits in Plachimada could throw out the multinational from their land’.
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