Black Day observed at Posco site

PARADIP: The sixth anniversary of  signing of the MoU for the Posco projectwas observed as Black Day by the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti (PPSS) which is determined not to allow any land acquisition at Gobindpur.Thousands of anti-Posco activists took out a mass rally by sporting black badges. The rallies from various villages of Dhinkia and Patana congregatedon the outskirts of Gobindpur where a human barricade is onvigil round-the-clock to prevent the entry of police and officials from acquiringland. Leaders of the Left parties, Congress and trade unions joined with villagers and expressed solidarity with the PPSS. Voicing strong opposition to use of force and dismantling of betel vines at gunpoint, retired Justice of the Bombay High Court Kosle Patil said, “Whenever people fought for their rights in this countrythey had to face police batons and oppression. But the peaceful agitationhere forced the Government to stop forcible land acquisition.” This is thevictory of democracy, he added. Patil, who visited Dhinkia twice, challenged the Government’s concern over ‘misuse’ of children for agitation, saying there is no violation of human rights or the Child Rights Act. He spoke about the children’s participation in freedom struggle during Mahatma Gandhi period. PPSS leader Abhaya Sahu said eventhe boundary wall construction work for the Posco project at Polang and Noliashai would be protested.SOLIDARITY DAY: The Left parties have called a nation-wide agitationby observing June 24 as ‘Solidarity Day’ to highlight the various Posco issues, said CPI national deputy general secretary S. Sudhakar Reddy at Dhinkia on Wednesday while addressing mediapersons. The leaders of CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc, RJD, Samajawadi Party and all democratic parties joined theprotest. Reddy said the associations which are working for the cause of farmers,envi ronment i s sues in the country will join the nationwide agitation.CPI leaders Dibakar Nayak, Ramkrushna Panda, CPM leader DushmantDas, Samajawadi leader Rabi Behera, Forward Bloc leader SantoshMitra and Congress leader Umesh Swain observed the Black Day.