State Cong's 40-km 'padyatra' to protest 'unjust privatisation' of Bastar's resources

Raipur: The Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee will organise a 40-km ‘Nyay Padyatra' from Kirandul to Dantewada from May 26 to 29, to protest against the alleged unjust privatisation of state's water, forests, land, and mineral resources.

The march, led by Pradesh Congress president Deepak Baij, will culminate in a gherao of the Dantewada Collectorate on the final day.

The Congress said that since the BJP govt came to power, Chhattisgarh's resources are being handed over to private entities, with several cases of illegal mining surfacing. The party fears more such incidents in the future and is organising the padyatra to highlight these concerns.

Pradesh Congress president Deepak Baij said the Vishnu Deo Sai govt has again turned Chhattisgarh into a ‘fodder ground for corporate houses'.

He alleged that four major iron ore mines in Bastar have been leased to private capitalists. Of these, the Bailadila 1A and Bailadila 1B mines have been leased to ArcelorMittal for 50 years, while the Bailadila 1C mine has been given to Rungta Steel for the same period. Additionally, the Hahaladi mine in Kanker district has been leased to Sagar Stone for 50 years.

Baij further claimed that this is just the beginning, and preparations are underway to hand over all of Bastar's valuable mineral wealth to the Adani Group, with a ‘red carpet' being laid out for them in Bastar.