TNI Bureau: After visiting the POSCO site in Jagatsinghpur district, noted Social Activist Swami Agnivesh has questioned the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD Government in Odisha over the issue of land acquisition and demanded that police personnel should be withdrawn from the site with immediate effect.

“Government has no right to use force to acquire land at POSCO site. It’s completely undemocratic, illegal and criminal,” said Swami Agnivesh. He further asked Naveen to come to the site and meet the people who have been at the receiving end so that he knows the truth.

Swami Agnivesh alleged that Naveen Patnaik has some vested interests for which he is trying to set up the POSCO plant despite stiff opposition from the locals. He vowed to take up the cause of affected people at the national and international level.

“I will meet Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Rajnath Singh to discuss the POSCO issue. We will also go to South Korea to tell the people in that country how POSCO is violating human rights in Odisha,” he said.