Activists from different places in India raised concern about forceful land acquisition during a talk organised by Navdanya, Delhi based NGO working on conservation and sustainability. Recalling the last six years of the anti-Posco struggle, Abhay Sahoo, leader of the movement, blamed Orissa government for dealing ruthlessly with the affected villages.

Sahoo also said that the state government is attacking democracy, human rights, the local economy and ecology at the behest of promoting foreign direct investment (FDI) without taking into consideration the ecological loss incurred because of the project.

“About 400 armed goons of Posco attacked villagers of Govindpur with rods, sticks and hand-bombs at on September 26 inuring more than 30 villagers. Those injured are not able to go for treatment to the nearest hospital fearing arrest as the police have already booked false cases against them in the earlier incidents,” he said at the session ‘Robbery of the Soil’, held here on Saturday.

Sahoo also accused police of harassing peaceful protestors of anti-Posco campaign.

“The state of Chhattisgarh is no different,” said Himanshu Kumar, who is leading a movement in the state. “The state is using draconian laws to persecute those that dare to stand up for justice,” he said.

The farmers of Fatehabad, who have been protesting since over a year against the acquisition of their land for a nuclear power plant, were also present.

Nutan Tewatia, who is fighting on the behalf of her husband, lodged in jail by leading resistance against land acquisition move in Aligarh and Greater Noida said, “Every time my husband (Manveer Tewatia) receives bail, they (UP government) add new cases to make sure he is not able to get out of jail. Is leading farmers for the defense of their land a crime?” she asked, voicing later fears for her husband's life.

“India faces two choices at this critical moment in history: to either live in the vision of Gandhi and Tagore for sustainability and justice for all through protecting and rejuvenating the soil or continue the predatory path of destruction of earth,” said Navdanya founder-director Vandana Shiva.

During the day-long conference, the representatives from different movements - anti-Posco, anti-nuclear movement, Niyamgiri, Bhatta Parsaul, Chhattisgarh, Nandigram were honoured as bhu rakshaks (defenders of the soil) in defence of the earth by Justice (rtd.) Leila Seth.