Attack on anti-POSCO women agitators condemned

Bhubaneswar, Apr 11 (UNI) Navanirman Samiti and Rastriya Yuva Sangathan today condemned the attack on the anti-POSCO women agitators at Nuagaon on April 8 by anti-socials, allegedly hired by POSCO and local police.

Samiti convenor Akhaya Kumar told newsmen here that the district administration and the local police have conspired with the POSCO to forcefully evict the people, opposing the mega steel plant in their area.

He said on the night of April 8, hired goons attacked the women guarding the check-gate near the entrance of Nuagaon village, hurled stones and dismantled the gate, erected by villagers to protest the land acquisition for the South Korea Steel major POSCO to set up a 12 million tonnes steel plant.

Mr Kumar said it was clear that while the people were adopting the Gandhian way of movement, the government at the behest of the POSCO was trying to incite violence in the area.

He also opposed the move of the district administration to forcefully allow the police force in the area on the plea of conducting Panchayat elections and warned that the villagers would be prepared to sacrifice their blood if the administration used force to acquire the land for the project.

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