Odisha govt denies migration of Kandhamal victims

The Odisha government has denied before the Supreme Court that there was any migration to other states by victims of 2008 Kandhamal violence.

It submitted that the allegations of threat to the victims, socio-economic boycott and fear of conversion to Hinduism or forced conversion was merely a figment of imagination.
The state government claimed that the migration to other states was mainly for search of employment opportunity and for other economic activities which had nothing to do with caste, creed or religion.

In an affidavit before the Supreme Court, the Naveen Patnaik government submitted that “the claim that approximately 10,000 victims are still living outside their respective villages in other districts of Odisha and migrated to states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat due to threat to their lives, socio-economic boycott, conditions to withdraw criminal complaints and conversion/ forcible conversion to Hinduism is not a fact.”

It also rejected the accusation that 27 deaths were reported from relief camps due to lack of medical care.

The state government also said: “No death has taken place in the relief camps. It is submitted that the deaths are due to other causes like old age, chronic anaemia, hepatitis, cardiac complications or prolonged illness etc but not due to riot.”

Giving its response in a pending petition filed in 2008 by Archbishop Raphel Cheenath, the state government said the family of all the dead people have been provided with ex gratia assistances of Rs 5 lakh each, including Rs 3 lakh by the Centre. Besides, 25 widows were covered under the pension scheme.

It said 229 religious institutions, including 127 centres located on objectionable land, have been provided with financial assistance. Assistance was also provided to 119 damaged shops and 12 public institutions.