A group of Left political parties has written to the Governor of Odisha, raising serious allegations of police excesses, constitutional violations, and coercive resource extraction in the Sijimali region, and demanded his immediate intervention, including the cancellation of the bauxite mining project by Vedanta Limited.
Groundxero | April 15, 2026
A group of Left political parties has written to the Governor of Odisha, raising serious allegations of police excesses, constitutional violations, and coercive resource extraction in the Sijimali region spanning Rayagada and Kalahandi districts in the state. The parties have demanded his immediate intervention, including the cancellation of the bauxite mining project by Vedanta Limited.
In their joint memorandum, parties including SUCI (Communist), CPI (ML) Red Star, CPI (ML) New Democracy, and CPI (M-L) accused the state machinery of unleashing a campaign of repression against Adivasi communities resisting mining in this Fifth Schedule area.
The letter highlights incidents of alleged police violence, particularly midnight raids conducted on April 6–7 in Kantamal village. According to the parties, security forces entered villages, used lathi charges and tear gas, and inflicted injuries on several villagers, including women and elderly persons.
A similar operation in Talaampadar village in Kalahandi district on March 10 reportedly led to attacks on villagers and damage to homes. At least 21 Adivasis, including 10 women, were arrested and remain lodged in Bhawanipatna jail.
Describing the situation as one of “systematic intimidation,” the parties alleged that security forces have created a pervasive atmosphere of fear across the region, and the developments raise serious concerns regarding constitutional safeguards, statutory protections, and the fundamental rights of Adivasi communities.
The memorandum alleged that Gram Sabha meetings—mandatory for decision-making in Scheduled Areas—were either not conducted properly or that their proceedings were fabricated. There are also allegations that signatures of deceased persons were included in Gram Sabha records. Such practices, the memorandum noted undermine the principle of self-governance and violate due process, particularly where prior consent of the Gram Sabha is legally mandatory.
The parties argued that the developments represent a broader breakdown of constitutional protections under the Fifth Schedule. As Sijimali falls within a Fifth Schedule area, this places a special responsibility on the Governor to safeguard tribal interests.
They further alleged non-compliance with key legislations, including the Forest Rights Act (2006) and the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA). According to the memorandum, forest rights claims—both individual and community—have neither been properly recognized nor settled prior to initiating any extraction activities. Decisions affecting land and resources, the parties contend, have been taken without the “prior, informed, and explicit consent” of local Gram Sabhas, in violation of PESA provisions.
The memorandum also raises concerns over what it describes as the criminalisation of grassroots resistance. Several local residents and leaders associated with the Ma Mati Mali Surakhya Manch have been implicated in false criminal cases. Multiple cases involving serious charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Arms Act have been filed against villagers and their leaders. At least 25 individuals, including activists such as Lingaraj Azad, Suresh Sangram, and Umakanta Naik, are currently in custody. Among them are 10 Adivasi women, including a pregnant woman. The parties allege that these cases are “fabricated” and aimed to suppress dissent and silencing legitimate voices against the mining project.
At the centre of the conflict is the proposed bauxite mining project in the Sijimali area linked to Vedanta Limited. The parties have called for its immediate cancellation, warning that the project poses a serious threat to the fragile ecology of the region, including deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and, most critically, the depletion of perennial water sources that sustain local communities and agriculture
“The environmental and social costs far outweigh any perceived economic benefits,” the memorandum states, emphasising the threat to the livelihoods and cultural fabric of indigenous communities.
The parties have urged the Governor to:
- Order an independent judicial or high-level inquiry into the allegations of police excesses, including the incidents of 6–7 April in Kantamal village and March 10 in Talaampadar village as well as the alleged fabrication of Gram Sabha proceedings.
- Ensure the immediate cessation of coercive actions by authorities in the region.
- Review all decisions taken in violation of the Fifth Schedule, FRA, and PESA, and nullify those found unlawful.
- Direct the withdrawal of false cases filed against innocent villagers and leaders, and take steps to secure the immediate release of those in judicial custody.
- Take immediate steps to halt and cancel the proposed bauxite mining project in the Sijimali area.
- Ensure strict protection of the environment, water sources, and livelihood rights of local communities.
- Ensure prohibition of mining projects in Fifth Schedule areas.
The memorandum concluded by arguing the Governor to immediately intervene in this matter to uphold justice, constitutional morality, and the rights of vulnerable and marginalised communities.
The copy of the memorandum.