Bhubaneswar: A fact-finding team constituted by the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee has alleged serious irregularities in the Gram Sabha process and violations of tribal rights in Sijimali region of Rayagada district, demanding immediate corrective measures, including judicial oversight of a fresh consent process.
The team, led by Lok Sabha MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, visited affected villages such as Kantamal and Sagubari and met the Rayagada District Collector.
In a press note issued on Saturday, it claimed that eight Gram Sabhas conducted in December 2023 were “false and fabricated”.
According to the press note, the Sarpanch allegedly signed resolutions for all eight Gram Sabhas on the same day, raising serious concerns about the credibility of the consent process linked to a proposed mining project in the area.
The team further alleged that claims under Community Forest Rights (CFR) and Individual Forest Rights (IFR) of local tribal communities have remained pending for the past three years and were not settled before project-related activities began.
Raising concerns over law enforcement action, the team also alleged arbitrary arrests of villagers not involved in any violence. While condemning any form of violence and asserting that those responsible should face legal action, it stressed that innocent villagers must not be harassed.
It criticised a reported police operation on the night of April 6, 2026, alleging that personnel entered a village around 3 a.m., cut off electricity, broke open doors and detained residents opposing the project. Such actions, it said, amounted to a “grave misuse of state machinery” and contributed to escalating tensions.
The team urged the District Magistrate to act as a custodian of constitutional safeguards rather than a facilitator of mining activities.
Among its key demands, the Congress team called for a fresh, fair and transparent Gram Sabha process under judicial supervision, drawing parallels with the Niyamgiri Gram Sabha precedent. It also sought immediate recognition and settlement of all pending forest rights claims before any further project activity.
Additionally, the team demanded withdrawal of alleged false police cases against innocent villagers while ensuring due legal action against those involved in violence. It also called for the formation of a joint committee comprising local representatives, MPs, MLAs and other stakeholders to facilitate dialogue and determine the future course of action in line with constitutional provisions.
The press note, issued by the office of Ulaka—who chairs the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj—asserted that the Congress party, under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, stands firmly with tribal communities and will oppose any project that proceeds without free, prior and informed consent as mandated by law.
