ABSTRACT

A dominant discourse links displacement with development (economic growth and modernization) as a critical factor. Existing literature in this regard have tried to understand the processes of displacement caused by the industrialization, construction of dams and establishment of Specials Economic Zones (SEZ). The dominance of “development” discourse on displacement has, however, overlooked some critical discourses such as resource conflict and political opportunism. Lately, literature have focused on resource conflicts, violent or otherwise, that have contributed substantially to large-scale displacements. The inter-tribal conflict over land resources in Chhattisgarh, and the Dalit and tribal conflict in Koraput are good examples in this regard. Similarly, the politics, in terms of using the issue of displacement as a political capital to capture power, doesn’t allow the issue to die down. Hence, in many cases, the pains of displacement don’t reduce as the demands of the displaced are conveniently overlooked. In order to engage with the criticalities involved in each of these discourses, this chapter attempts to engage with the processes of displacement in Odisha state. Based on observations through extensive field research, the chapter argues that while the development activities are single most factors of displacement in Odisha, the more localized conflicts, especially among the marginalized communities backed by the external forces such as the Maoists and the state officials, have also contributed to large-scale displacement. Moreover, displacement is also seen as a political resource that are kept alive in order to further vested political interests.