Tribals doubts EU teams Kandhamal visit, seek reply from state

The tribal Kandhas of Kandhamal have sought a clarification from the Orissa government on purpose of the visit of an European Union delegation to the district.

"The visit by EU diplomats was aimed at encouraging conversion activities in Kandhamal district," said Baliguda MLA Karendra Majhi, also a tribal leader from Kandhamal.

Majhi along with LK Das, general secretary of the Banabasi Kalyan Samiti and tribal leader Padmanabha Pradhan, told reporters that though the EU delegation claimed to have interacted with all stake holders in Kandhamal, they did not meet tribals and local people's representatives.

Instead of meeting all stakes holders, the EU delegates met a section of the community indicating that they had visited Kandhamal for the welfare of one section and not all, Majhi claimed.

While the EU team met the archbishop and missionaries, they did not bother to interact with the Shankaracharya or local tribals in Kandhamal, he said.

"The two-day activities of EU delegation confirmed that they are interested in a particular community and not for all those suferred due in the riots," Majhi claimed.