Rights activists, leaders of mass movements and tribal leaders warned the State government against implicating ‘innocent’ people in false cases.
Activists under the banner of Campaign Against Fabricated Cases (CAFC), Odisha took out a rally and held convention highlighting plights of people, whose near and dear ones were languishing in jail without having involvement in any offence here on Sunday.
“The State government is registering false cases against people, who are fighting displacement. The government is sending innocent people to jails under pressure of corporate houses,” said Narendra Mohanty, convenor of CAFC.
“Oppression, deception, threat and fabrication of cases are some of the vicious tricks being used by the State to put down any kind of dissent by people. Such an approach of the government has let loose a reign of terror among the common people,” Mr. Mohanty said.
Although the number of ‘innocent’ persons languishing in jails is not known, the government often fails to give a credible explanation on encounters carried out by police, said Biswapriya Kanungo, human rights activist.
“In the last one decade, the State government has not allowed an independent inquiry into number encounters that hat taken place. Only in two cases State Human Rights Commission conducted an enquiry and in both the cases police were found guilty,” Mr. Kanungo said.
Activists and leaders of mass movements decided to establish coordination against alleged police atrocity and raise their voice cohesively. Instead of using force to suppress movements against displacement, the government should hold discussions with people.
