TNI Bureau: The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das paid homage to the tribal martyrs who lost their lives in the Kalinganagar firing incident, as the state marked the 20th anniversary of the tragic event.

Recalling the incident, Das said 12 innocent tribal people were killed and around 40 others injured during police firing in Kalinganagar when locals were protesting against land acquisition for a Tata company project. He alleged that the then BJD–BJP coalition government forcibly took away ancestral land of tribal families to hand it over to the company.

The OPCC president expressed deep anguish over the findings of the commission of inquiry constituted to probe the incident, stating that the report did not clearly hold the administration responsible for the flawed handling of the situation. He said the incident reflected the “cruel attitude” of the then government towards tribal communities, which, according to him, cannot be forgotten.

Das asserted that the Congress party has always stood with tribal communities and will continue to work sincerely for the protection of their land, rights and livelihoods. He also recalled that former UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi had visited Kalinganagar after the incident to express solidarity with the affected tribal families and to offer condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.

The Kalinganagar firing remains one of the most tragic episodes in Odisha’s industrial history and continues to symbolise the struggle of tribal communities for land and dignity.