Girijans would protect themselves at any cost and the Government should concede their demand of stopping the bauxite mining proposal, CPI State secretary K. Narayana said at a public meeting here on Tuesday.
“The Girijans will lay siege to the Government and you should stand united and be strong. The CPI will be with you”, the party leader said at the meeting organised at this village, falling under the Balapam panchayat in Chintapalli mandal, on the border with Orissa, and one of the areas in which the Government is keen on going ahead with bauxite mining. A hill stream separates the village from Malkangiri district of Orissa and Maoists enjoy a lot of support in this area. A memorial is erected in the village in memory of those killed in the Amidelu and Gunukurayi encounters.
The Girijans were living on their own on the hills and forest and protecting them at the same time but the Government was keen on displacing them and handing over their area to the multinationals and the rich.
“Who gave the Government the right to sell us? We won't keep quite if it is doing so”, he thundered. Governments, Chief Ministers and political parties were not permanent but the Girijans were and they should have the right over their land, he said.
Legendry freedom fighter Alluri Sitaramaraju fought the British and the same time protected the Girijans and the spirit would continue, Mr. Narayana said.
CPI district secretary J.V. Satyanarayana Murthy said the Government was not concerned about the Girijans and was determined to go ahead with mining of bauxite.
The Government was planning to lay roads connecting some interior villages of the area at a cost of Rs.2.5 crores but they were not meant for Girijans but for transport of the bauxite, he said.
CPI mandal secretary G. Satyanarayana presided. Former MLA and president of AP Girijana Samakhya G. Demudu, Koyyuru MPP B. Ramarajyam, Golugonda MPP B. Venkataramana, AP Mahila Samakhya district secretary A. Vimala, CPI leaders S. Kondala Rao, Sk. Razak, Rao Jagga Rao and others were present.
Quits Congress
President of the Balapam panchayat Gabbalangi Appa Rao announced during the meeting that he was quitting the Congress party since the Government had not taken steps to develop the village, did not issue passbooks to farmers cultivating the land in bauxite mining area. It had totally ignored the panchayat, he said.
