Jindal Pratirodh Sangram Samiti
The Anti-Jindal movement or the Jindal Pratirodh Sangram Samiti is a community-led protest movement by the villagers of Jagatsinghpur District in Odisha, India against the illegal handover of people’s land in several villages in Odisha State to JSW Utkal Steel Ltd. (JUSL). The government of Odisha handed over the community land to Indian steel major, JUSL in September 2018, to set up steel and cement plants, a power plant and a port. The government of Odisha handed over the community land to Indian steel major, JUSL in September 2018, to set up steel and cement plants, power plant and a port. It is estimated that, if implemented, the project would displace up to 40,000 people from their land and livelihoods, impinge upon their human rights to food, water, work, health, adequate housing, healthy environment and other economic and social rights, and will have disastrous effects on the environment. The State of Odisha has responded with severe repression to the protests. The violence and criminalization against members of the Anti-Jindal movement has terrorized the communities that have mobilized in opposition to the project.
Human rights defenders in India face a diverse range of attacks and harassment from state and non-state actors alike, including killing, physical assault, arbitrary detention, threats and judicial harassment. Police officials are often the perpetrators of violence against HRDs, which is usually carried out with impunity. Armed groups and private companies also target HRDs for work related to economic development projects and their impact on the local communities or the environment. HRDs are increasingly the targets of online smear campaigns by radical nationalists.
