Rehabilitate us or allow self-immolation: Dalits to Orissa CM

Driven out of their homes by a Maoist-back outfit and ignored by the state government, several Dalits from Orissa's Koraput district on Tuesday demanded immediate rehabilitation or permission for self-immolation. Representatives of the group, who launched a sit-in and hunger strike in Bhubneswar, met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

The chief minister was told that nearly 400 families of Narayanpatna and Bandhugaon areas have lost everything after their houses were forcibly occupied by Maoist-backed Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha.

"Like nomads, we have been staying outside villages for a long time, fearing physical attack by CMAS activists. We narrated our plight to the chief minister," Bidyadhar Dehuri told reporters.

"The government should either rehabilitate us or allow us to commit self immolation," he said.

The Dalits had staged a sit-in at Bhubneswar last year and also met the chief minister, who had promised to look into their demand for rehabilitation. But nothing has been done since then, Dehuri alleged. The agitating group agreed to withdraw their hunger strike following Patnaik's assurance later in the day.

The chief minister has promised to provide at least 300 houses under the state government's 'Mo Kudia' housing scheme meant for the economically weaker sections, for which the site would be chosen within a week, he said. The displaced families have been running from pillar to post without food and shelter for support, he added.