It was none other than Naveen Patnaik who had given order for firing on innocent tribal agitators at Kalinganagar on January 2, 2006 in which 14 tribals were killed, alleged Biramitrapur Independent MLA George Tirkey in a local TV talk here on Tuesday while leaving for Ranchi to rejoin his old party Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) in the presence of party supremo Shibu Soren.
He claimed that in his presence (at that time he was in the BJD), the Chief Minister ordered for firing. He thought the CM might be issuing the order for maintaining law and order “somewhere”. But sometime later, he came to know from TV news that the firing was made on innocent people of his tribal community at Kalinganagar.
So, immediately, he came back and charged Patnaik that he had made a blunder and was responsible for the killing of 14 tribals. He also urged the CM to visit Kalinganagar and beg apology to the tribal people. Even though he assured Patnaik to accompany him to Kalinganagar, the latter did not agree to his proposal. Since then, he became confirmed that Patnaik is anti-tribal and his decision of joining the BJD to work for tribals vibrantly was wrong. And in course of time, he left the ruling party, Tirkey said.
Then, about his joining the NCP, Tirkey said that from day one he had made it clear to the party leader Sharad Pawar that not believing in the party ideology, rather believing on Bijay Mohapatra, who could fight Naveen Patnaik, he joined the NCP. But when in the 2009 elections the NCP decided to go with the BJD, the very next day he left the party.
Now for him, there is no other option than to join the JMM to fight for the cause of tribal and poor people, Tirkey said.
Regarding the issue of second river Brahmani bridge near Panposh, he said the BJD and the BJP are only playing political games and no party is interested to resolve it.
He said it is pathetic that the tribals are more neglected in the home turf of Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram. If needed, he is ready to carry weapons, asserted he. He also said that at no point of time would he allow merger of Jagda panchayat in the Rourkela Municipal Corporation.
Tirkey said that while leaders of other parties have failed to fight with him constitutionally and legally, they are making propaganda that “George Tirkey is anti-development”, “believes in violence”. As many as 126 cases are lodged against him in different police stations, but he does not care for it and his drive for the cause of tribals would go on.