'Harassed by govt...' Tribal welfare NGO HRDS to move out of Kerala
The HRDS hogged the limelight when it hired Swapna Suresh, the prime accused in the sensational gold smuggling case in February this year.
FollowThe High Range Rural Development Society (HRDS), an NGO that has been engaged in tribal welfare projects in Attappadi in Kerala, has decided to move its centre outside the state, alleging harassment by the government.
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The HRDS hogged the limelight when it hired Swapna Suresh, the prime accused in the sensational gold smuggling case in February this year. Though Swapna was appointed as the director of the Corporate Social Responsibility section under the women empowerment division, the organisation sacked her in July, citing government interference as the reason.
"The HRDS has become a victim of state terrorism for providing a job to Swapna Suresh four months ago," was the statement given by HRDS when they annulled her employment.
Aji Krishnan, secretary of HRDS, says that the organisation's offices are regularly raided by officials even now. "Why is the government afraid of us," he asks.Â
Aji Krishnan alleges that the government has been hounding HRDS ever since Swapna Suresh started working for them.
Formed in 1995, the HRDS works in tribal areas spread across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Tripura, Assam and Jharkhand. According to its website, "HRDS INDIA primarily focuses on uplifting living standards of the oppressed, especially the Tribes. Several welfare projects have been initiated across India that directly benefit many tribal families. The projects undertaken spread across varied sectors like education, health, livelihood and women empowerment."
The SC/ST Commission has already called for an inquiry into the complaint that the NGO has encroached into land belonging to tribals. Aji Krishnan is also the accused in a case against an attack on tribals and confiscation of their land.
The government has prohibited HRDS from constructing houses for the tribal community in Attappadi. This came after the houses built by the NGO were found to be inappropriate for the locality. The ban on construction was issued by the Sub Collector of Ottappalam, followed by an order from the Attappadi nodal officer.
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