Odisha Congress To Hold 'Samvidhan Banchao Divas' on April 28, to Enlighten Villages For Caste Census and OBC Rights

The party has announced to hold a state-level “Samvidhan Banchao Divas” at Bhubaneswar on April 28.The party has announced to conduct programmes from May 3 to May 10,in each districts across Odisha. It will  observe "Samvidhan Divas" in all Assembly constituencies, and the congress workers will go door-to-door in every village from May 20 to May 30 to campaign about "Samvidhan Banchao Divas” and raise awareness about people’s rightful demands and rights.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhakta Charan Das,in presence of the  State In-Charge Ajay Kumar Lallu, Leader of the Legislative Party Ramachandra Kadam, and former MLA Santosh Singh Saluja announced that “Samvidhan Banchao Divas” will be observed across Odisha, from the capital to villages.The initiative aims to spread the message of creating social,political and economic justice, their rightful demands and rights.

Lambasting at BJP,Das said,due to BJP’s conspiracies, in tribal-dominated districts like Mayurbhanj and other districts, the land, forests, and rights of ordinary tribals are being handed over to various companies. The Congress party will launch a comprehensive agitation against these conspiracies of BJP government.

The PCC President said,”Under the Odisha Forest Act, tribals are entitled to get land records in their names, but the BJP government’s actions to absorb their land are highly condemnable. It is unfortunate that, despite the Hon’ble President of India being a resident of Mayurbhanj, tribals in that district are getting injustice and face discrimination. He further stated that violence and atrocities against women in Odisha show no signs of ending, and the BJP government’s indifference is solely responsible”.

He said that from streets to the Parliament, the Indian National Congress, led by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and former Congress president , Rahul Gandhi, is fighting for a caste-based census and the rightful demands of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and OBC communities. While the Modi government, by using malicious tactics to engage ED  in harassing a leader,like Rahul Gandhi will not succeed.  

Odisha congress in-charge,Ajay Kumar Lallu  said that the Congress Party, along with the Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi, is tirelessly fighting for the rights of Dalits, tribals, and OBCs across Odisha and the country.

“Despite the Modi government’s vindictive attempts to target Rahul Gandhi by implicating in false ED cases, they will never succeed in silencing him for his attack on Modi government”.

He accused both the previous BJD government and the current BJP government in the state for continuing neglecting Dalits, tribals, and OBCs”.

During the Congress government’s tenure in Odisha,he said OBCs enjoyed 27% reservation, but it was scrapped by the BJD government after 2007. “Even now, under the BJP’s “double-engine” government, OBCs continue to face injustice”,he alleged.

 In contrast, Telangana, with a 52% OBC population, provides 40% reservation and 29% in education, while Karnataka, with 54% OBCs, provides 32% reservation”,he stated.

Lallu said that against this social inequality, Rahul Gandhi’s call for social justice has provoked vindictive actions from the Modi government. However, people from all sections of society will come forward and give a befitting reply.

Legislative Party Leader Ramachandra Kadam stated that tribals in Odisha are completely insecure under the BJP’s “double-engine” government. He alleged that despite the PESA Act being implemented in many states, the BJP government in Odisha deliberately refuses to enforce it.

He said,Odisha,which is the second-most tribal-populated state in India, has not implemented the PESA Act, and the Congress will take this issue to every village and the Assembly, opposing the handover of forests, land, and people’s rights to Adani.

It is deplorable that, despite the Chief Minister being a tribal, no steps have been taken to protect tribal interests, he said. He alleged in Mayurbhanj’s Rairangpur, the construction of an airstrip by Adani without consulting Gram Sabhas, displacing tribal homes and handing over forest land to companies, is completely illegal. The Congress will launch an agitation in the region against government attacks on tribals and undertake grassroots programs to protect their interests,he added.