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Vedanta varsity: oustees stage protest

— PHOTO: ASHOKE CHAKRABARTY

UP IN ARMS:People opposing Vedanta varsity staging a dharna in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday.

BHUBANESWAR: Hundreds of people whose land has been acquired for the proposed Vedanta university near Puri staged a dharna near Raj Bhavan here on Wednesday demanding immediate implementation of the recent High Court order quashing the land acquisition proceedings.

The dharna was organised by the Vedanta Vishwavidyalay Birodhi Sangharsh Samiti, the organisation that has been opposing acquisition of land for Anil Agarwal Foundation to establish the proposed varsity.

The agitated villagers raised slogans against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik describing him as ‘Vedanta agent' and demanded for dismissal of the Biju Janata Dal government for allegedly showing undue favours to Anil Agarwal Foundation.

The Samiti leaders also submitted a memorandum to the Governor urging him to intervene in the issue and put an end to the alleged ‘unholy' alliance between the State government and Anil Agarwal Foundation.

Temple lands

Disposing of a bunch of public interest petitions on November 16, the High Court quashed the land acquisition proceedings and directed the State government to restore the possession of land to the respective land owners irrespective of the fact whether they had challenged the acquisition of their lands or not.

Of the thousands of acres of land acquired for the proposed university, over 600 acres belonged to Sri Jagannath temple.

The State government, however, has already filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court challenging the High Court judgment.

Many social activists and several politicians also took part in the dharna and criticised the State government for approaching the Supreme Court to protect the interests of the promoters of the university.

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