By Purushottam Nayak
Baliguda, Sept 1, 2023: The survivors of Odisha’s anti-Christian violence and their supporters have demanded the implementation of the Supreme Court’s 2016 order on compensation to the Kandhamal victims.
They demanded in a memorandum prepared by about 2,000 people who observed on August 31 the 15th Kandhamal Martyrs’ Day Baliguda, a town in Kandhamal, a district in the eastern Indian state of Odisha.
They recalled the 2007-2008 violence that killed more than 100 people and displaced more than 56,000 villagers, mostly Christians.
The participants included members of the Kandhamal Nyaya, Shanti O Sadvabana Samaj (Association of Kandhamal justice, peace and fraternity).
Their ten-point demands included review of cases closed without conviction because of faulty investigation, improper prosecution and absence of witness protection programs.
Another demand is to ensure accountability of the government officials involved in the anti-Christian violence.
The association also wants compensation for all houses damaged in the 15-year-old violence. It urges the government to announce just and enhanced compensation as there was no assessment of the damage to people’s property.
The association wants the government to announce minority packages for Christians of Dalit and Adivasi origin to provide them skill training and livelihoods and to prevent their unsafe migration to other parts of India.
The association also wants four blocks of Kandhamal district enlisted as Minority Concentrated Blocks.
It wants the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (prime minister’s people’s welfare programs) revamped. To monitor minority projects and other programs at the block level, the association has demanded Block Level Facilitators appointed with immediate effect.
The sub-collector assured the association that she would forward the memorandum to the country’s president, prime minister, Odisha governor and the chief minister.
Manoj Kumar Digal, the general secretary of the association, said the government officials not only cooperated with them but assured them to fulfil their demands.
He said his association is alert and determined to continue to press for their demands until the government agrees.
Association president Prassana Bishoyi says the government should take immediate action if the perpetrators of the 2008 violence still create problems for Christian minorities of Kandhamal.
Ashalota Nayak, a widow at the anniversary program, told Matters India that losing her life partner at her early marriage continues to cause her unbearable pain and agony.
Her husband Bikram Nayak was butchered during the 2008 violence.
Anita Pradhan, another survivor present, said her husband was murdered only 15 years ago but “the agony and painful memory still haunt me.”
She is the widow of Sibino Pradhan, who too was killed in 2008.