Bhubaneswar, July 13: General secretary of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Rahul Gandhi today threw his weight behind the would-be oustees of the proposed Posco project near Paradip.

Addressing a tribal youth convention at Jharsuguda, about 500km from here, Rahul said: “Posco is needed for development. We are not against development. However, one has to see whether justice is being meted to the land oustees or not. If they are not being given due justice and adequately compensated, my support will be with them,” he said, adding that the problem of the oustees should be addressed properly.

“My support is always with the people. They should be adequately compensated,” he said. Rahul also lent his support to the people who had lost land due to coal mining. “People should not stop at writing letters. The issue should be taken up properly.”

The Gandhi scion expressed concern over rising displacement because of the growing industrialisation. He advocated quick settlement of land related issues.

Making an indirect reference to the state government for its failure to lift the standards of the poor, Rahul said: “Though states such as Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand are rich in mineral resources, the development there has not been comparable with other states. Orissa is not poor. However, still its people are languishing below the poverty line.”

During his brief interaction with the youths in Jharsuguda, Kotpad and Baripada, he exhorted them to join mainstream politics. “Only by joining active politics, one can fight corruption. The Congress will continue to support the right candidates. Whoever joins the Congress will have direct access to me,” said the Gandhi scion.

Rahul also promised that the Congress would continue to encourage women to join active politics. “The party stands for 33 per cent reservation for women at the panchayat-level and 33 per cent in the Assembly and parliament constituencies,” he said.

Rahul started his Orissa visit from Kotpad in Koraput district, where he flew in a helicopter from Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh.

In Kotpad, he addressed the tribal youths and probable candidates for the next panchayat elections. During the interaction, 35-year-old Braja Nag wanted to know why tribal areas were no more the focus of the government.

Rahul said: “The Centre has introduced a number of programmes such as the NREGS and people should take benefit of it.”

After these programmes, Rahul reached Bhubaneswar in the evening. He is scheduled to visit Khurda and Bhadrak tomorrow and address a public meeting here in the afternoon.

Senior Congress leader in-charge of Orissa Jagdish Tytler and Pradesh Congress president Niranjan Patnaik accompanied Rahul.