September 08, 2008

CPI cautions of blood bath at POSCO project

PTI reported that India’s left party CPI last weekend cautioned Dr Manmohan Singh prime minister of India that a bloodbath could take place if the Orissa Government took repressive measures in acquiring land for POSCO.

Mr AB Bardhan general secretary of CPI in a letter to prime minister said that "It is reported that the bosses of POSCO have now approached you in this matter. The project is being resisted by farmers, fishermen and other sections of the people for a justified reason.”

He said that "Tension is now mounting because of the threatened police action to help POSCO forces enter into the area. Contingents of police have surrounded the area and preparations are going on for this purpose. Any repressive action to force acquisition of land for the steel project could be counterproductive.”

Mr Bardhan urged Dr Singh to ask the state government not to go for repressive action or it could lead to a bloodbath as had happened at Kalinganagar in Jajpur district on January 2nd 2006. Mr Bardhan added that all political parties, including Congress, were opposed to the project which would destroy the agrarian economy in Orissa.