Will file contempt of court case against Odisha govt if land not returned to farmers: Prashant Bhushan

Bhushan was addressing a farmers' gathering at Beladala village in Puri district on September 9 to celebrate the victory of Vedanta University Sangharsh Samiti in the Supreme Court.

Prominent Supreme Court lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan has said he would be prompted to file a contempt of court case against the Odisha government if it did not return land to farmers following the apex court's verdict nullifying land allocation for Vedanta University project in Puri district.

Bhushan was addressing a farmers' gathering at Beladala village in Puri district on September 9 to celebrate the victory of Vedanta University Sangharsh Samiti in the Supreme Court.

The apex court had in April this year upheld the 2010 judgment of the Odisha High Court which quashed the land acquisition proceedings initiated by the Odisha government to acquire about 6,000 acres for the proposed university.

Bhushan said the state government should start returning land to the affected farmers. Since the purpose of the land was not met, the farmers should get back their plots, he said.

He also denounced the manner in which the state and the central governments have been allocating mines to different corporate firms in Odisha. Alleging that mines were being allocated by flouting norms, he said if the practice continues, there will be little mineral left for the future generations.

Bhushan cited the instances of Niyamgiri, Kashipur and Bolangir where local tribals were evicted to facilitate corporate mining operations.

Activist Medha Patkar said natural flora and fauna serve as the lifeline for people and the locals are fighting to preserve their rights over the natural resources.

OPCC president Sarat Pattnayak and senior Congress leader Niranjan Patnaik criticised the BJD and BJP governments for allocating agricultural land belonging to 6,000 families to set up a varsity by Vedanta group.

Umaballav Rath, who organised the farmers rally, said the farmers must get back their land immediately.