Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has been urged by the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) and a number of democratic organizations to drop cases brought against tribal leaders of the Niyamgiri Surakhya Samiti (NSS) and their supporters under the IPC’s harsh provisions and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Outraged by the treatment of the tribal leaders, NAPM informed the chief minister that the NSS spokesman had been repeatedly assaulted, slapped, and intimidated while being held in police custody.
“Lathis and axe which many Dongria Kondh adivasis traditionally carry have been cited as a ground for registering cases under UAPA. Linking the NSS to left-wing extremism is completely unfounded. We condemn the abuse of law and brazen attack on the right of the democratic movement to peaceful resistance,” said NAPM leader Prafulla Samantara.
The alliance has demanded that all charges against the Adivasi leaders and NSS supporters be dropped, the FIR against them be quashed, the whereabouts of those who were detained or arrested in August made public, along with information about the cases they are facing, a fair investigation into the dubious FIR against Krushna Sikaka from 2018 be conducted, and the jailed leaders be immediately released.
