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Poet’s arrest draws flak

Correspondent

Unconditional release sought

BHUBANESWAR: Several writers in the State have condemned the arrest of Saroj Mohanty, poet and editor of the socio-cultural magazine ‘Anwesha’ for his involvement in the ongoing people’s movement in Kashipur region.

The writers include poet Jayant Mohapatra, former Orissa Sahitya Akademi vice-president and well-known revolutionary poet Rabi Singh, Prasanna Kumar Mishra, Sailaja Rabi, Ashutosh Parida, Bhima Prusty, Senapati Pradyumna Keshari, Basudev Sunani, Bharat Majhi and Kedar Mishra.

In a statement signed by the writers and released to the press, the fraternity has observed that Saroj has been deliberately arrested on fictitious grounds to keep him away from the ongoing people’s movement against industrialisation of the region. He has been relentlessly fighting for the livelihood rights of tribals and dalits of Kashipur who are protesting against the establishment of the Utkal Alumina project, according to them.

The former Sambalpur University Students’ Union president was arrested by the Rayagada police from Tikiri near Kashipur on July 14 on the charges of attempt to murder and dacoity, the writers have recalled. They have demanded unconditional release of the writer-activist and withdrawal of all charges levelled against him.

Voices of protest and dissent should not be interpreted as activities of naxlites, remarked poet and scholar Kedar Mishra who has been consistently writing columns in the media about burning social issues.

“Arrest of a creative and decent person like Saroj would alienate the police from intellectuals and writers who also strive for a peaceful and democratic social fabric,” he has feared.

Saroj has been detained at the Rayagada district jail. He was also arrested earlier for his involvement with a similar people’s movement of Lanjigarh.

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