For those who are not informed of the nitty griities of Orissa's politics and media, Samaj is (was) one of the most respected and venerated newspapers in Orissa. However, in the recent years, like all other mainstream media, Samaj also has shown a strong tendency to become the voice of the powerful corporates and the State Government to crush the democratic protests of people against extractive industrialization and displacement. They specially favor the TATAs, whose trail of blood in India extends from Kalinganagar, Singur to Lohaniguda/Bastar, not to say the old exploitative colonial relationship Orissa has enjoyed with them in Badampahar, Gorumahisani, Joda-Berbil and Sukinda mining zones.
But then, as they would say to make omelettes you have to break eggs, even if the eggs are lives and cultures of adibasies and poor, and bullets are used to break them. But the news for the TATAs is that some eggs refuse to be broken, including those in Kalinganagar. Inspite of the State and its machinery acting as no better then henchmen of TATAs, Kalinganagar adibasies have not broken. Now the ploy to start selective killing of the leaders of the movement by using mafiosi imported from where else, Jamshedpur better known as "TATA". So TATAs not only export steel and steel making from Jamshedpur, they also manufacture and export mafiosi. And Samaj, the venerable newspaper that was respected by all and sundry, has become the handmaiden of this mafia, issuing velied threats to poor tribals who have the dignity to stand up and claim their rights to be equal citizens of this country. It has become the junior PR person of the eggbreakers- a shame that its illustrious founders and editors would never have imagined. The forth pillar of democracy seems to have become the fourth pillar of corprate sponsored fascism against common people. Nachiketa PS: Prafulla Samantra has been one of the leading Gandhian environmentalists in Orissa, one of the petitioners in Niyamgiri case, a tireless fighter for the environment and the rights of Orissa's marginalised. He has been active both on the ground and in the legal arena, and has been involved in umpteen number of legal actions against environmental destruction in the High Court, the Supreme Court and the CEC and the National Environmental Appellate Authority.To imagine this gentle soul, a deep believer in non-violence, as a agent provocateur provoking violence against the State is beyond ridiculous. But then, look at Dr. Binayak Sen, rotting in the dungeons of "D(R)aman" Singh in Chattisgarh, under false charges. ____________________________________________________ Today's Samaj carries an article in the first page that reads like an open threat to Kalinga Nagar people and activists by state, police, administration & Tata. It gives a detailed description of the number of Orissa armed police platoons being mobilised. It even goes futher to state how the police would send in a larger force if it fails to remove the road blockade by angry villagers. The report also talks about a 'seal' being imposed in the area which bars anyone from meeting the villagers. Who imposed this 'seal'? It is also claiming that 3 unidentified persons are responsible for breaking this 'seal' and entering the area to provoke people. Then it goes ahead to mention three names for these unidentified persons and one of them is likely to be Prafulla Samantara whose name seems to be misspelt as Prafulla Sabantray. Prafulla Samntara is the convenor of Lok Shakti Abhijan, a respectful socialist activist and he also happens to be a regular contributor to the Samaj's open pages. The report claims that the police has issued arrest orders for these 3 unidentified people provoking the villagers. After months of false reporting that the Kalinga Nagar movement was a Maoist group's handiwork *it has now resorted to say that Arbind Singh, the Tata contractor has Maoist links*. Reporters who write such things are blinded to the reality of Arbind Sing which is well known in the area. Another divisive rumour it is trying to spread is that other locals in the area are expressing anger against those who have put up the road blockade. When untoward incidents like the murder of anti displacement activist & Adivasi farmer Amin "Shyam' Banara does happen in Kalinga Nagar again then such newspapers come to the rescue of the state & company's public image. They haven't bothered to find out who Shyam was and whether this middle aged man deserved to die to bullets fired by Tata's goondas from Jamsedhpur. But by issuing such nonsensical articles they are certainly misleading the state and taking advantage of common people caught in a conflict situation. It is our earnest appeal to all concerned citizens to please take any kind of action against the rumour mongers in charge of the samaj. A newspaper that is an accomplice in the murder of democracy should be ideally banned. But for that one would need a working democracy. www.youtube.com/samadrusti -- website: www.freewebs.com/epgorissa
