Wednesday, January 4 2006 17:57 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's appeal to opposition parties not to politicise the Kalinga Nagar incident today (Jan 4, 2006)drew a sharp retort from the Congress which said it was only speaking up for the oppressed.

We are not politicising the incident in which 13 persons were killed but it is the Chief Minister who is trying to gloss over the tragedy by announcing ex-gratia of Rs. One lakh for the families of the victims, leader of Opposition J.B. Patnaik told reporters here.

What we are doing is to speak for the cause of the people who were felled by the police bullets, he said.

PCC chief Jayadev Jena said it was the chief minister who was trying to politicise the incident. The agitation launched to protest the incident would continue, he said.

Patnaik said the tribals of Kalinga Nagar area were not opposed to the establishment of industries there. All they were asking for was an enhanced rehabilitation package from the government and the private companies, he said.

The people are asking for better price for their land and house, electricity, water, health care and livelihood all of which are genuine concerns, the former chief minister said.

PCC leader Pinaki Mishra said the root of the whole problem was the rehabilitation and compensation package which could be sorted out.

If the companies were prepared to invest thousands of crores of rupees, it would not matter if they decided to spend an additional Rs. 40 to 50 crore for the proper rehabilitation of the displaced, Mishra said.