Eminent citizens belonging to Civil Society Forum on Friday felicitated the Anti-Vedanta movement leaders of Puri after the Supreme Court verdict which branded the land acquisition by Odisha government for Vedanta Anil Agarwal Foundation illegal.
Coinciding with a meeting was held on the eve of Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das Birth Anniversary, those who had opposed the land acquisition were heaped with praise.
Prof. Birendra Nayak the Vedanta University concept was nothing short of land grab. Thousands of acres, river and sanctuary were put under threat, he said.
Gandhian Krushna Mohanty, Padmashree Debi Prasanna Pattnaik, former Vice Chancellor Narendra Kumar Mishra, Environmentalist Prafulla Samantara, Former Minister Niranjan Pattnaik, Deba Prasad Ray, Sasmita Behera, graced the occasion.
Vedanta Viswavidyalaya Birodhi Sanghrasa Samiti(VVBSS) leaders Damodara Pradhan, son of late Benudhara Pradhan the founder president, former Puri MLA Uma Ballav Rath, Bishnu Prasad Mishra, Parsuram Pradhan, Hara Parasad Jena, Gangadhara Pradhan Maguni Bhoi Brundabana Pradhan, Ramesh Ch. Dalei, Satyaban Pradhan, Laxman Pradhan & Abinash Mishra were felicitated.
Uma Ballav Rath spoke of the 17-year-long struggle to restore the land during which they had all faced the brutalities of the Naveen Patnaik government which was hell-bentto hand it all over to Vedanta Foundation.
Ultimately, people’s power won over the corporate-government nexus, he remarked.
It was possible only because of Advocates like Prasanta Bhusan, Sanjay Parikh and late Jayanta Das, he added.
They fought the case free of cost for the benefit of farmers and environment, he said.
Krushna Mohanty blessed those who had fought for the land and praised their commitment, patience, sacrifice and courage.
Among others Deba Prasad Ray, Braja Kishore Tripathy, Suresh Panigrahi, Ramchandra Hansada, Ram Krushna Panda, Rabi Das, Sibananda Ray Gokulendu Mishra spoke.