INDIA: ANTI-DISPLACEMENT LEADER DIED IN JUDICIAL CUSTODY

 
NOVANEWS


Anti-Displacement Leader Madan Kalundia Dies in Judicial Custody

Rajeesh | August 15, 2010 at 8:13 am | Categories: Uncategorized | URL: http://wp.me/pglpM-1Tp

Source: Face Book
Madan Kalundia, a leader of anti-displacement movement of Kalinganagar (Odisha), died on August 3, 2010 in judicial custody. Death of Com. Madan in judicial custody has come as a part of the Govt. Admn.-police attempt to crush the anti-displacement struggle of tribals against TATAs. His death is a telling story of the criminal disregard of basic rights of the people by not only the police and admn. but even judiciary in the service of corporates. Hundreds of tribals have been thrown out of jobs in the industries of the area for refusing to leave their land for TATAs. Leaders and activists of the movement are arrested and not allowed to come out even on bail as they are re-arrested on trumped up charges. Leaders and activists are being implicated in the open ended FIRs routinely registered against the agitators for false and fabricated charges. The power of different wings of the state and the goondas of TATAs is being openly employed to strangulate the struggle of tribals for saving their land.
Madan Kalundia, a 34-year-old Adivasi from Baligotha village of Kalinga Nagar was arrested on 15 September 2009. He is one of the several Bisthapan Birodhi Jan Manch leaders and activists who have been picked up and framed under false charges. Madan had 6 criminal cases against him the most severe being a case under Sec 506 of the IPC. 3 cases were of 2007, 2 cases of 2008 and 1 case of 2009. Then another 8 cases were slapped against him on the 5 Oct ’09 including one under Sec 307 for attempt to murder. 2 cases were of 2006, 2 of 2007 and 4 of 2008 which included the attempt to murder case. Then on 10 Feb ’10 one case from 2005 was brought up against him and on 23 Feb ’10 another case from 2006 was made against him. In the 1st week of May Madan got bail in 14 cases and 2 cases were still pending. That day Madan had requested the judge to direct authorities to provide him with immediate medical aid as he was in severe ill health. The judge did not even acknowledge his plea and Madan died on 3 August ’10 either in Chowduar jail or at SCB Hospital, Cuttack. Death of Madan Kalundia in judicial custody through denial of medical aid to him is clearly a case of killing of a anti-displacement struggle leader by the state agencies.
It is not yet clear what the official cause of death is but an investigation into a few recent incidents indicates what might have transpired with Madan in the jail. Before being shifted to Chowduar jail on 26 July ’10 he was being held at Ragadi jail in Jajpur. While in Ragadi jail, news reached Madan’s relatives in Baligotha village that he was suffering from jaundice. So the widows of his two deceased brothers visited him in jail with herbal medicine for jaundice. One of Madan’s deceased brothers is Ghanshyam who died earlier this year due to lack of medical aid in the village that still remains cordoned off from the rest of the world by the police and Tata goons. When Madan’s relatives met him in the jail they found several injuries on his body likely to have been incurred from torture. Madan was also unable to walk by himself and had been brought to the visitors’ area with the aid of two wards of the jail. His eyesight had also deteriorated badly and he could recognize his relatives. The herbal medicines brought by the relatives was denied by jail authorities who said they would take good care of him. Madan’s relatives had visited him around the 20 July ’10. On 10th July ’10 he had been taken to Jajpur hospital where the doctors said he had no physical problem and his ill health was due to psychiatric problems.
Madan’s death again exposes the ugly & brutal reality of a State that is ready to torture people, deny them medical aid and kill them in captive for the sake of companies like Tata and Vedanta. Whether Madan died from torture or jaundice the blame definitely rests on the Govt. The Tata project seems to be setting up a mega graveyard of Adivasis rather than a steel factory. A powerful resistance of the tribals is emerging from this graveyard — deaths and sacrifices of the leaders and activists of the struggle like Madan Kalundia are part of it.

4 thoughts on “INDIA: ANTI-DISPLACEMENT LEADER DIED IN JUDICIAL CUSTODY

  1. Madan Kalundia’s death at such a young age is indeed a sad affair but for all the accusations that are being made against the Administration and the Corporates, his dying while in judicial custody may be a pure coincidence. It is not true that leaders and activists are being implicated on trumped up charges. There is enough truth in the accusations and the atrocities that are carried out by BBJM are proof to it. Also, it is a fact that a lot is being done by a company like Tata Steel for the families that have been displaced on account of its Kalinganagar project. Members of Tata Steel Parivars, as they are called, have found a new life of hope in the Rehabilitation colonies that have been built for them. They now live in a good environment which provides for all civic, social and economic benefits. BBJM has its own reason for accusing not only the corporates but even the judiciary, when any judgement is passed against their interests. While they are proclaiming that Madan Kalundia had been denied medical aid in judicial custody, it is a fact that Healthcare facilities in Kalinganagar and its surrounding villages have improved manifold, thanks to the efforts of Tata Steel. Hospitals are coming up, dispensaries are running, medical camps are held and all kinds of help are extended when people need it. Thus it is best to keep an open eye and judge by the actual benefits that people have received.

  2. From the day of its inception Tata Steel has been striving to develop the women empowerment. Tata Steel has always taken steps in developing the near by rural areas of it’s mining & industrial areas of Orissa. Tata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS) has been attempting to empower the women of these rural areas. TSRDS has been providing various kinds of training for income generation to the rural women. Have a look on the this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dAqORxQ8Yg

  3. Tata Steel has always stood by the people in their times of distress. So whether it is a condition of poverty that has been continuing for generations or a natural calamity that has changed the destiny of people overnight, the Company has tried to help through effective initiatives. Tata Steel Relief Committee volunteers support and caters to the long-term needs of people . It has been a true friend for the cyclone affected people in Orissa in 1999 and to the flood victims in later years. The Company’s project team in the State too has always been active in relief activities. When a sudden fire devasted families in Ranipada, Tata Steel immediately sent its team to the rescue with the necessary items and medical help. For more details you can check this link – http://kalinganagar.tatasteel.com/events/tata-steel-provides-relief-to-the-fire-victims.asp

  4. It is indeed sad that Tata Steel has to face resistance from various people and groups in spite of the fact that the Company has been continuously doing good work in the Kalinganagar area. Those who have been instrumental in spreading rumours about Tata Steel should get their facts correct. Tata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS), in association with ‘Ama Odisha’ distributed books and notebooks among students in the Kalinganagar area. Tata Steel took this initiative with the aim of promoting Oriya language. This programme would benefit about 700 students from 14 schools under Sukinda and Danagadi blocks in Jaipur district. There are more things to come from Tata Steel. Thus it would be better to watch out for the Company’s next initiative rather than being judgemental. For more information on the above programme, take a look at http://kalinganagar.tatasteel.com/events/distributes-notebooks-to-students.asp

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *