The Hindu
Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: A group of eminent citizens called on the Resident Commissioner of Orissa here on Thursday to express their resentment over the police firing on the displaced people of Kalinga Nagar in the coastal State on May 12.

Supreme Court advocate N. D. Pancholi, former Delhi High Court Chief Justice Rajinder Sachar, senior journalist Kuldip Nayar and other concerned citizens submitted a joint memorandum to the Orissa Resident Commissioner Sunil Kumar Bhargav demanding a judicial enquiry by a sitting High Court judge into the displacement of tribal people and loss of lives and properties in the State. They also criticised the State Government for its high handedness in evicting the tribal people.

“Totally unwarranted”

“The firing was totally unwarranted as the movement was justified and peaceful. Instead of talking to people and taking them on board, the Naveen Patnaik Government is doing unconstitutional work,” said Mr. Sachar.

Mr. Nayar described the police firing as a wanton attack on the basic right to life and livelihood of the poor and hapless tribals in Kalinga Nagar.

The group demanded that the Orissa Government pay a compensation of Rs.5 lakh to the family of the deceased and Rs.3 lakh to the injured persons. Meanwhile, Janhastakshep has also written to the Orissa Chief Minister demanding that the guilty officers of the firing incident on May 12 as well as the police firing of March 30 be immediately punished.

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