New Delhi, April 28 -- Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Tuesday slammed the Centre amid the tribal protests against the bauxite mining project and infrastructure projects in Sijimali in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts in Odisha.

In an X post, Jairam Ramesh called the bauxite mining project and infrastructure development in the region a violation of the Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) and the Forest Rights Act, 2006.

He called for an independent inquiry into the projects in Sijimali.

The Congress leader wrote, "Odisha is no stranger to public protests by tribal and other communities when mining projects that have major ecological impacts are sought to be bulldozed through, bypassing all legal and Constitutional safeguar...