After backing tribals of Niyamgiri in Orissa who had opposed Vedanta’s mining project, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said people facing displacement by the Posco steel project should get justice, proper compensation and rehabilitation.
“Congress is with the people to provide them justice. Development is essential, but people project-affected people should be provided proper compensation and rehabilitation,” Mr. Gandhi said during an interaction with tribals at a youth conference here.
“If Posco provides proper rehabilitation to the affected people then we will be with Posco. If it fails to do so, we will be with the agitating people fighting for justice,” he said.
Mr. Gandhi said he had earlier visited Niyamgiri hills in Kalahandi district to be part of the tribal agitation against bauxite mining there.
To a question about alleged non-payment of compensation to people who lost their land to Brajarajnagar coal mines area near here, Mr. Gandhi said Congress was with the people in their quest for justice.
Stating that the Communists opposed development and liberalisation, and the BJP only thought of development of rich, he said it was the Congress which always thought for the development of common people and their interest.
Keywords: Posco project, rehabilitation, Posco displacement
