Bhubaneswar, April 4 -- Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Srikant Jena has urged the Members of Parliament (MPs) from Odisha to protect the interests of tribals from what he termed a "mining syndicate."
In a letter to the MPs, Jena alleged that grave injustice is being done to the tribal communities and forest dwellers of Odisha, where their constitutional and democratic rights are being systematically undermined to serve corporate mining interests.
He stated that the situation calls for immediate parliamentary scrutiny and collective action to uphold the rule of law and protect Odisha's people from relentless exploitation.
Jena noted that large-scale protests are ongoing in Sijimali (Rayagada and Kalahandi) and Nandapur (...