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Seven-party team visits Khajuripada

BHUBANESWAR: Twenty days after communal violence erupted in Kandhamal district, leaders of various opposition parties visited some of the affected areas on Saturday.

The government had on Friday lifted the restrictions on the entry of politicians into the district after the opposition parties announced that they would defy the ban to visit the affected areas.

The administration had so far prevented politicians from entering Kandhamal saying that the situation was yet to become normal.

Leaders belonging to the Congress, the CPI(M), the CPI, the NCP, the JMM, the SP and the RJD jointly visited Khajuripada area during the day. Talking to The Hindu over the phone from Kandhamal, CPI(M) leader Janardan Pati said the seven-party joint team met representatives of the Kui Samaj, members of the Christian community as well as Dalits.

Basing on their interaction with the affected people, Mr. Pati said the activists of the VHP and Bajrang Dal started the violence, and subsequently members of the minority community retaliated in some places.

The entire violence could have been avoided had the government taken note of the demands of the Kui speaking tribals in time, Mr. Pati said.

The opposition leaders would visit the worst affected areas of Phiringia, Daringibadi and Brahmanigaon on Sunday and also visit the relief camps where the violence-hit villagers were living.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik ordered that two officials of the rank of Additional District Magistrate be posted at Barakhama and Brahmanigaon areas for effective execution of relief and rehabilitation measures.

Mr. Patnaik also ordered that two doctors be posted in the two localities that witnessed massive damage of houses and properties during the communal violence.

Attending a high-level meeting on Kandhamal here, Mr. Patnaik stressed the need for faster implementation of various developmental works and welfare schemes in the district.

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