In the last three years, Das has staged 25 protests against Vedanta Alumina that is building the 1.4 million tonne alumina refinery at Lanjigarh. The project, which was stuck in litigation in the Supreme Court, cleared all the hurdles in August after the apex court said the company can go ahead with mining of the mountain for bauxite.

The postcard purportedly from Maoists sent to Das at his Bhawanipatna residence in Kahandi district said they tried to contact him on November 18, but failed. "If you oppose Vedanta you would be hit by bullet in any rally you organise in future," the letter said. But the postcard did not bear the names of any Maoist functionary.

The letter which castigates Das for opposing the project accused the Congressman of trying to hoodwink the tribals. "However hard you may try, you will never win an election, because you are from Congress that looted the state for 40 years," the letter said.

Das said the letter can never be from Maoists and seems to be handiwork of Vedanta. "First they tried to bribe me and when they failed they resorted to the cheap tactics.

The letter seems to have been written by people who know me. They want to create confusion among tribals who are coming for the December gherao of Niyamgiri. My presence in the agitation would prove to be difficult for the company," Das told The Indian Express.

He added that he has sent copy of the FIR to the Kalahandi SP, Director General of Police and state Home Secretary. "I have not been given security. I have never asked for it. I am not bothered about the threats as I have always been a revolutionary throughout my life," he said.

... contd.