Title: At the crossroads /
Authors: Sarangi, Deba Ranjan,; Pedestrian Pictures (Bangalore, India)
Publisher: Pedestrian Pictures,
Year: 2013
Subjects: Indigenous peoples India Odisha Social conditions; Communism India Odisha.; Indigenous peoples Social conditions; Communism; Politics and government; Scheduled tribes in India Social conditions; Odisha (India) Scheduled tribes Social conditions.; India Politics and government; India; India Odisha
Abstract: The Nehruvian era made ordinary people - mostly adivasis and dalits - lose their lands, forests and streams in the name of 'national development'. That development never reached them. Not only they remained as deprived of basic health care and education as ever, but also of even safe drinking water though surrounded by reservoirs and dams. While this state injustice continued unabated, the post-liberalization era made these very people 'anti-national', 'anti-development' and 'Maoists/Naxalites', when they resisted corporate land grab for mining and industrialization. This branding became and continues to be an easy license to kill them with impunity. Southern Odisha is witness to this war between the hapless people and the neoliberal development paradigm. It led to CPI (Maoist) consolidating its presence in this area in the recent past. The film AT THE CROSSROADS tries to explore the predicament, the dilemma and the confusion of the local people, especially, of adivasis and dalits in this war zone.