Bhubaneswar, Feb. 2: CPI secretary A.B. Bardhan today reiterated his party’s opposition to Posco’s mega steel plant proposed to be set up in Jagatsinghpur district and demanded immediate withdrawal of police from the project site.

Talking to reporters here today, Bardhan dismissed the claims by the administration and the Posco authorities that the displaced persons under the banner of United Action Committee had agreed to the rehabilitation package placed at a meeting on Thursday.

The main demand of the displaced people for adequate compensation for the government land had not been agreed. Yesterday, a public meeting was held at Gada Kujangarea, part of the project site, which rejected the “agreement”, he said.

It was really a propaganda ploy of Posco and the administration to confuse people, said the CPI stalwart. Alleging that money is being used to create confusion and division, Bardhan said the anti-Posco plant agitation would continue till its logical conclusion.

He demanded that the government should hold discussions with all stakeholders, all political parties and the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti, which has been spearheading the anti-displacement agitation there.

The anti-Posco agitation is being led by Abhay Sahu, a local CPI leader.

The so-called negotiations with the affected people were held apparently in a panicky atmosphere in presence of police. So the police should be withdrawn first to create a congenial atmosphere for negotiation, he demanded.