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Kandhamal limping back to normal

BERHAMPUR: Normalcy is returning slowly to communal violence-hit areas of Kandhamal district. But, the presence of heavily-armed police force and ear shattering sounds of sirens related to visits of VIPs of political parties is not letting people forget the gruesome violent week that started from December 24. Resumption of passenger traffic by buses and minibuses has played a vital role in the return of normalcy in the district. But night curfew still remains in force at places like Baliguda, Brahmanigaon and Daringbadi. Curfew has been lifted completely from the district headquarters town, Phulbani.

Winter chill has started to get reduced in this district also called Kashmir of Orissa. But people do not prefer to come out of their homes after evening at places like Brahmanigaon and Baliguda. Bidyutprabha Das, a housewife of Phulbani, says: “we get worried if any family member did not return home after 7 p.m.” “The shops are also getting closed after evening,” says Prafulla Nayak of Brahmanigaon. Although buses travel to Brahmanigaon during day time, they stop their trips after 6 p.m. although the restrictions for curfew start at 8 p.m. According to Kumari Panda of Brahmanigaon, the shops, especially roadside restaurants, which have survived the communal violence are making good profit as they have got a large number of policemen to do business with. The violence-hit areas have started to receive supplies of vegetables and grocery items from outside due to resumption of transport system.

The favourite pastime of people in these places is to get together to analyse the past incidents sitting at roadside shops and to rush to the visiting political leaders when their vehicle reaches the place. Every one tries to be the best guide for the leader. Most of them are worried about the arrests continuing by the police. So far 169 persons have been arrested. Many allege vindictive FIRs were also being lodged to settle past grudges.

The former MP of Phulbani, Nakul Nayak, has urged the enquiry commission and the investigating Kandhmal violence to treat violence in Phulbani subdivision and Baliguda subdivision separately. According to him, the violence in Baliguda subdivision was comunal in nature fanned by the Sangh parivar. But in Phulbani subdivision the violence was due to tension between Kui tribals and harijans.

According to him both incidents were being clubbed together as they occurred during the same period.

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