All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) today expressed its "outrage" over the "arbitrary" arrest of POSCO Pratirodh Sangram Committee president and Odisha CPI state council assistant secretary Abhay Sahoo and demanded his release.
A resolution adopted on anti-POSCO movement in AIKS' two-day national council meeting, which began here today, said, "AIKS is appalled and outraged by the arbitrary arrest of Comrade Abhay Sahoo.
"That was one of the senseless steps to appease the South Korean POSCO company and for land grabbing. Such attempts and actions are being used to grab land, water, minerals, forests and culture in different parts of Odisha and in other states by the respective state in favour of corporate giants, causing displacement of thousands of local people across the country."
The resolution alleged the state government is "performing such anti-people misdoings as a direct agent of foreign big corporate houses...While a new (land) bill is under the stage of discussion in Parliament".
The Council demanded release of Sahoo and others arrested and withdrawing of all "false" cases against those in the anti-Posco struggle. It also called for scrapping the Posco project.
Over 90 farmers leaders from 14 states participated in the meeting, AIKS general secretary Atul Kumar Anjan said.
AIKS president and MP Prabodh Panda presided over the meeting, while Anjan presented the draft report on agrarian situation in India.
Maharashtra Kisan Sabha leader Namdev Gavade appraised the meet about drought situation in the state.
