Odisha Congress To Observe Kalinganagar Firing Anniversary As Sradhanjali Diwas On Jan 2

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Congress has decided to observe the 18th anniversary of the Kalinganagar firing incident as ‘Sradhanjali’ Diwas on January 2.

Giving this information, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Sarat Pattanayak appealed to the people, particularly tribals, to join the campaign by observing two minutes of silent prayers for the deceased tribals between 5 and 6 pm on January 2.

It may be noted here that 14 tribals were killed in police firing on January 2, 2006, when they were protesting displacement due to construction of a steel plant in Kalinganagar in Jajpur district. At that time BJD-BJP coalition government was in power in Odisha.

The Congress will observe Sradhanjali Diwas at all blocks, district headquarters and urban local bodies (ULBs) on January 2, the OPCC president said.

Tribal leaders like Birsa Munda, Dharanidhar Naik, Laxman Naik, Chakra Bisoyi and Madho Singh have sacrificed their lives for this soil. However, the BJD-BJP government was responsible for the killing of the tribals at Kalinganagar in 2006, alleged the PCC chief.