THOUSANDS of people, on the call of the CPI(M) district committee of Malkangiri, the southern most Adivasi populated district of Odisha, demonstrated before the sub-collector’s office demanding a CBI inquiry into the land allotment and mining scams, in which the ruling BJD and its leaders are involved. The involvement of BJP and Congress leaders is also clear in the scams, like the chit fund fraud in which CBI had raided the houses of some of BJP and Congress functionaries. The CAG, in its report, has revealed gross irregularities in land allotment and mining. The report also referred to many other irregularities in 37 departments of the state government, which have been continuing for years. Congress and BJP cannot simply wash off their hands now, since they too were part of the ruling dispensation. A huge procession of Adivasis and people from all walks of life, with red flags, marched to the office of the sub-collector and submitted a memorandum addressed to the Governor of Odisha. The memorandum also raised the demand for distribution of forest land among Adivasis and others residing in the forest area for generations, homestead land to people without shelter, to open procurement centres in every panchayat for agriculture products including paddy, to declare minimum wage of Rs 300 per day by the government, etc. Demonstration and dharna were organised on the these issues in about 20 districts and urban centres like Bhubaneswar, Berhampur, Rourkela, Cuttack, Baleswar since September 5. The people of the state have been on their feet against the BJD since last four months after naked exposures of the ruling party’s involvement in the mega scams in the state.