THE ASSAULT ON THE SARDAR SAROVAR DAM
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THE ASSAULT ON THE
SARDAR SAROVAR DAM
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DOCUMENTATION
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Va-A-'VTHE ASSAULT ON THE
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““sardar sarovar dam
25th Dec. 1990 - 28th Jan. 1991
Documents, newsclippings, media statements
THE ASSAULT ON THE
SARDAR SAROVAR DAM
25th Dec. 1990 - 28th Jan. 1991
Documents, newsclippings, media statements
THE OTHER INDIA PRESS
Mapusa - Goa 403 507, India.
Nate from the Publisher
fte following pages provide, through a selection of press
reports, original documents and media statements, glimpses of the
Long March that tribals, peasants and activists from the Narmada
Valley and otter parts of the country undertook to stop the? Sardar
Sarovar Dam project. As the documents are placed in chronological
order, no attempt is made to provide unsolicited commentary.
The Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra as it was known, commenced on
December 25th, 1990 and ended on January 28th, 1991. Its
termination inaugurated a declaration of open ncn-cooperaticn and
resistance against the project within the villages of the Narmada
Valley.
The original compilation of these documents was carried out
by Raajen Singh in Banbay. Additional documents and final editing
wds carried out by the editors of the Otter India Press in Goa.
This publication is being sold at cost.
The leadens of the Narmada Bacteo Andolan met the Prune dieter
on ftey 17 f I??®.. aro thereafter wrote the fallowing letter o .
him on Play IP. 1PP&-
Shri V.P. Singh
1 Prine Minister of India
New Delhi
May 19, 1990
Dear V.P. Singhji,
On behalf of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, we would like to
sincerely thank you for giving the tribals and peasants of the Narmada
Valley-a patient hearing on 17 May,
1990. The people of the Valley have
gone back with the feeling that the voice of villagers is now being
heard ’in India with due concern and respect.
We are also thankful to you for agreeing to hold a dialogue,
between .the representatives of the Andolan and the Government, on the
issues raised by the Narmada Bachao Andolan. Pursuant to this assurance
of yours, a meeting to decide on the terms of reference and procedures
for such a dialogue has already been held on 18 May,
1990. It was'
attended by seven of us representing the Andolan, and the Secretaries oh
the Ministries of Water Resources, Environment and Fores’ts, and Welfare,
as well the Secretary of the Narmada Control'Authority.
At the meeting we have identified the various issues which
would need to be taken up as part of the process of comprehensively'
reviewing the Sardar Sarovar Project. These issues have been noted by
the Secretaries present at the meeting, and are listed in'an enclosed
note, for your reference.
We have also laid out a broad framework for such a review,
which should indlude discussions on various fundamental developmental
values and principles, raised at our meeting with you, and .accepted by
you as being serious.
There seerred to have been a basic agreement, at the meeting,
among the officials and non-official participants on the importance and
relevance of the issues identified. However, your view on the natter is
to be sought by the officials before arriving at a decision.
We have also presented our view of the modus operand! of such
a review. The main points are as follows:
i
» the process should be formal and official, with a commitment from both
Sides to honour the recommendations.
s the review team should be composed of (a) senior representatives of
the Ministries of Water Resources, Social Welfare, Environment and
Forests, and Finance, as well as the Planning Commission;
(b)
representatives of the Narmada Bachao Andolan; and (c) independent
experts, acceptable to the Government and the Andolan,
in the fields
related to the issues under appraisal.
« in order to ensure that
the process is really objective and
inpartial, as also to ensure that the review does not becotre redundant
due to the large expenses incurred on the project, giving the dam an
■sppearance of irreversibi1ity,
it would be necessary that the work on
and related to the Project is stcpped,till the review is conpleted.
review precess should be completed within two to three months.
.■» the governn»ant should provide all the documents and data relevant for
the review, so as to allow all of the tean/s rrerrbers to get fully
inforned about the Project.
A first list of the documents and data
needed by us is enclosed.
The Secretaries assured us that they would seel: your views on
the matter. and convey these to us by the end of this rronth. Your
decision on our requests n>ay please be conmunicated simultaneously to
all the representatives of the Andolan,
to save tine. Their addresses
are enclosed.
U? do hope that you would look into the specific issues
related to the SEP,
as well as the fundanental questions, regarding our
deveIcpnental policies, raised by the Narmada Bachao Andolan. As the
Secretaries themselves stated,
looking at the SSP within a broad
franework would certainly prove to be a niajor contribution towards re
orienting our develcpnental rrodel,
to make it socially just and
ecologically sustainable.
thanking you, with regards,
Yours sincerely.
(Medha Patkar.)
on behalf of Narntada Bachao Andolan
Narmada 3iati Navnirman Samiti
38 Gandhi Narg
Badwani, Khar gone
Nadhya Pradesh - 451339
Narmada Bachao Andolan - Delhi
C17/A Munirka
New Delhi - 110067
library
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ANt>
oOCUMeNTATtON
-4 NG AL Of'
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J
NAFJjADA BACHAO ANDOLAN at Dhule, Maharashtra.
Announcement of Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra (Long March)
Dear Friends,
The struggle in the Narmada Valley has reached a critical phase. The oppression ty
the Madhya Pradesh government is increasing every day with arrests, caning and
mcunted police amidst public gatherings. All efforts are made to repress the
struggle by bribing a handful of villagers and luring them with small pieces of land,
Q-i the other hand there are a number of issues implying serious inter state conflicts
which have in a way confirmed our objections to the project.
The issues range from
the allocation of Narmada waters to escalated cost of the dam.
And yet the dam
construction goes on, utterly false arid manipulated statistics are being presented to
the World Bank.
Inspite of all these happenings, the movement of the people is gaining strength arid
momentum with 'non-co-operation' and various other programmes of protest.
The
government is, no doubt, feeling threatened by the opposition as is obvious from its
resort to increasingly repressive measures.
It is in this context that the valley feels a need for the strongest ever agitation
in the near future.
The next move will be taken with the commitment to extract a favourable response from
the government to the issues raised.
Thousands of people in the Valley - the tribals
from the hilly ranges of the Vindhyas and Satpudas and farmers and labourers frcm the
prime agricultural land of West Nimad are all ready to come out of their houses,
hamlets and villages.
They will themselves lead the intense agitation with strong
determination to stop the government from carrying cut its campaign of falsehood, its
repression of the non-violent movement as also the disastrous work of Sardar Sarovar
dam site.
They will walk down hundreds of kilometres in a long march announced as Jan-Vikas
Sangharsh Yatra (Long March for People Oriented Development).
This unprecedented leng march will bring to light the issues of the human rights of
every village, not only in Narmada but in every valley of the country. Throwing a
challenge to the faulty model of development it will establish people's right to the
land and forest in the villages and raise the issue of the survival of ttie poorest in
the cities.
The struggle against Sardar Sarovar will thus become a prime force to
the broader movement for people— oriented development.
The long march will obviously have the immediate aim of halting the further
construction of the destructive project of Sardar Sarovar.
Thousands of people
determined to achieve the ultimate goal will march straight to the dam site.
The march will commence on December 25, 1990 from Badwani, Madhya Pradesh, after the
participants take an oath at the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi on the banks of Narmada.
They will move from village to village in the districts of Khargone, Dhar and Jabva.
Thousands will join them not only from the affected villages but from people's
organisations all over the country.
You are requested to raise the issue of human rights, environment sustainability and
people oriented development by taking appropriate actions wherever you are with the
concern and commitment that you have always shown to the cause.
Do remember this is
the strongest every battle in the Narmada Valley to safeguard their right to life to
which we are sure you will extend your support and solidarity in every possible way.
Medha Patkar
NARMADA BACHAO ANDOLAN
“
"
News on Narmada
* Since March 6,1990, the Nar mada Bachao Andolan has entered a more vigorous phase, not
of course compromising on the principle of non-violence. This vigour has been fuelled by the
growing articulation and strength of the people of the valley on the one hand, and the
government sponsored repression on the other.
There have been repeated incidents of unprovoked police beatings, harrassment and
detention. And now, recently -
* Sankalp Diwas (DAY OF RESOLVE), BADWANI, 26th Sept. 1 990Planned to be a huge gathering reiterating the resolve to fight “destructive development”
as celebration especially of the Harsud Sankalp Mela of Sept.28th last year, the police and the
administration made all effortsHo thwart it. They broke the memorial monument at Kasravad,
cordoned off the meeting place with barbed wires, raided the houses of the local village leaders,
night after night and arrested 40 persons. They also arrested guests arriving from outside.
Inspite of this, the villagers hid, rowed across the river and gathered in huge numbers to
defy the police to participate in the programme. The public meeting became a rally which ended
at the police station, where the people sat in protest against the police atrocities.
*SANKALP PARISHAD-DHULIA 28th Sept.,1990A seminar was held at Dhule, in which tribals and tribal organizations from Shirpur,
Nandurbar, Molgi, Marathwada, Bombay, Pune, Nasik took part. They collectively conceptualized
their common understanding on the question of “tribals, environment and development"
especially in the context of the Narmada Valley Projects.
* GUJARAT: SAMVAD YATRA (THE JOURNEY OF DIALOGUE) From 2nd to 10th October, members of the Jan Vikas Andolan travelled through Gujarat.
Around 22 meetings were held at various places with tribals, slum-dwellers and middle-class
citizens. The local, area-specific problems of the rampant industrialization and present devel
opment patterns were discussed. Potential victims of the various proposed mega-projects
resolved to oppose these projects and fight them tooth and nail.
Several examples of soil and water conservation works and appropriate agriculture
interventions initiated by the local NGOs in Gujarat in the drought prone areas of Kutch and
Saurashtra were visited and studied in detail.
NEWS SNIPPETS
’ The 4 chief ministers of the states of Gujarat. Rajasthan Maharashtra and Madhya
Pradesh met on 18th Sept. 1990. People's representatives were meant to have been called to this
meeting, but with the exception of one person, the other persons were "put up" candidates by the
government.The Commissioner, Scheduled Castes and Tribes, Govt, of India, protested strongly
against the Narmada project. The Chief Ministers, however, had already made up their minds and
dismissed the suggestion of reviewing the project.
* Inspite of the fact that all important environmental studies on this project are still
pending, no complete plan exists for development and resettlement, let alone even any passable
identification of land for the oustees. The World Bank has chosen to ignore these ground realities
and has further relesased funds to the project on July 1, 1991.
* The Ministry of Environment, Governemt of India, has withdrawn its clearance for
further construction of the project, on grounds of incomplete environment related studies.
LONG MARCH
* The next large and very crucial mass action of the Narmada Bachao .Andolan is a proposed
long march from Rajghat in Badwani. Madhya Pradseh to the dam site in Gujarat, begining
Dec 25.1990. Thousands of tribals and peasants from M.P., Maharashtra and Gujarat shall take
part in this march, alongwith many friends and sympathisers.
November 13. 1990
Narmada march
25
from I
I uZ. NO
Lwd-A.
Raju Kane
IN A LAST ditch attempt to stop
the construction of the con
troversial Sardar Sarovar Pro
ject, over 75,000 oustees from
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra
and Gujarat, have decided to
march
from
Badwani
in
Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone
district to the dam site, even as
the Madhya Pradesh govern
ment has let loose a reign of ter
ror in the valley to crush the
movement
The over 400 km long march,
called “Jan Vikas Sangarsh
Yatra” (a march for the struggle
of people oriented develop
ment), would begin from
December 25, activists of the
Narmada Bachao Andolan, the
organisation spearheading the
movement said.
The march would start from
Rajghat near Badwani, after a
vow of peaceful struggle at a
memorial to Mahatma Gandhi
there, and would pass through
various villages in the Khargone and Dhar districts that will be
affected by the SSP.
The march would also cover
the predominantly tribal areas
of Alirajpur and Jhabua in
Madhya Pradesh and Akrani
and Akkalkuwa in Maharashtra.
Many mass-based organisa
tions from all over the country
have decided to participate in
the march and several promin
ent citizens would also extend
their support.
The march would be led by
noted social worker and Magasaysay award winner Baba
Amte and Medha Patkar, who
has been at the forefront of the
struggle against the project.
The activists, however, refused
to give the names of the organi
sations supporting the march,
saying that the e would be
released to the press at a later
date.
The activists said that people
would join the march as it pas
ses through their villages, and
would only stop only after halt
ing the construction of the dam.
They said the aim of the
march is not only to stop the pro
ject, but also to highlight the
developmental problems of the
masses.
It would not only challenge
the existing developmental
model, with its insistence on
mega-projects,
but
would
instead strive toestablish aparadigm of development based on
maintaining ecological balance
and social justice.
The activists also claimed
■"hat the Madhya Pradesh
\vernment has let loose a
reign of terror in the Narmada
Valley to crush the movement.
Preventive arrests, lathi char
ges, beatings and harassament
of women activists has become
quite common.
Even Amte, who last year
shifted from his ashram at Anandwan in Mahashtra to Chhoti
Kasarvad on the banks of the
Narmada to lead the agitation,
has been “living under the
shadow ofgun toting police offi
cials and abusive, threatening
administrative machinery,” the
activists said.
Giving specific instances, the
activists said some villages like
Kasarvad,
Chhota
Badada,
Bagud, Chikalda and Kundia,
which have played an important
role in the anti-SSP agitation,
are being earmarked for special
treatment.
Late night raids, indiscrimin
ate arrests without any charges
being preferred, as well as tortu
re inside lockups have become
the order of the day in these
villages.
Villagers in Badwani were
madfe to sign blank papers and
these were later used to charge
some leading activists, the activ
ists alleged.
Boatmen
from
Chhota
Badada, who had helped the
people reach Kasarvad village
on September 26, which the
Andolan observed as ‘Sankalp
Din’(resolution day), have been
harrassed since, and their boats
seized by the police.
In a statement from Chhoti
Kasarvad village, Amte hashovvever reiterated the people’s
resolve to keep on fighting till
suspension of all work on the
dam and a holistic reappraisal
of the entire project.
In his statement, Amte has
said, “From my sick bed I pro
claim that people of the Nar
mada Valley will defy death
itself in the pursuit of their aim. I
am feeling the pulse of the
people, their determination.
The struggle is intense but non
violent.”
Appealing to the Madhya
Pradesh government to give up
its repression, Amte said,
“When a nation is being robbed
of its hope, it becomes impera
tive for the government to
understand the people, the real
issues. The people of the Nar
mada Valley have been continu
ing their struggle since the last
five years. Those who listen to
the dictates of their conscience
should stand by the valient
peoplein NarmadaValleytoprotect human rights — the right ti
livea safe, full and free life, wySout the shadow of fear."
iMwch against
Nmwh dam
By A Staff Reporter
BOMBAY, Nov. 12.
bhbilftation polk j was unsatisfactory
and people often had to live in transit
camps for months before they were
provided proper housing.
The canal-affected people were not
even taken into account and they ,
were over 60,000 of them, he said. In '
the yatra, where people were split into
groups, one for north Gujarat and the
other for the south, it was discovered
that the two areas had separate prob
lems that one project could not solve.
1 T^TARMADA glial i kare
I \ sawal. jeene ka haq ya
maut ka jal," will be the slogan
for the long march against the
Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) in
the Narmada valley, which will
begin on December 25 at Rajghat
in Madhya Pradesh,
The march which will be a sort of
“do or die” agitation by the tribals in
In the north, for instance, people
die valley, will end at the dam site of who lost their land for the various
the Sardar Sarovar Project, Ms ‘ projects there were fighting for their
Medha Patkar, who is leading the ; rights and the mention of a colossal
agitation against the dam, told re- I one like the SSP angered them. In
porters today.
some drought-prone areas where the
The march will go along the banks ; SSP water would not reach, the
of Narmada and pass through villages people were not talcing a stand against
in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. the project because it did not affect
Several villagers will join on the way, them, he said.
she said. There will be a satyagraha at
> On the oilier hand, various groups
the dam site at Nawagam in Bharuch j were successfully using methods in
district of Gujarat
watersheds management on a small
She said the r^mnient and the scale and these people said that if
projecl^itithorities V/er^ ignoring the funds were provided, extensive work
guidelines prescribed by the environ could be done. The government in
ment ministry and the clearances tended to build the dam and the
granted to them had been deemed to powerhouse from foreign loans as it
have lapsed, as several conditions would be later impossible for them to
generate funds on a yearly basis.
were not met vzith.
No compensatory afforestation t Mr Gajanan Khatu of the Jan
plans, catchment area treatment i/ikas Andolan in Bombay, said van-plans, command area development ous progressive groups in the state
or soil surveys had been completed were now concerned about the agita
and the government was trying to go tion against the Narmada projects
ahead vzith lite project by using fores, and were raising the issue of develop
she said.
, ment in their meetings which was not
The irreversibility of the project the case earlier.
■ -was the key argument being held out •
Mr Buttu Sahgal of the Narmada
by the government, she added. In Bachao Andolan said the agitation
Maharashtra the tribals had declared ■ should create a climate where people
their resolve not to move from their oin speak about their opposition to
villages and had refused the forest the SSP openly. He said the jungles in
land allotted to them at Taloda, in the Narmada valley were destroyed'*
Dhule district Despite this, clear arid this would adversely affect *he
felling of the Taloda forest was going p. e/act
on and it was only because the
required security could not be
1 provided that it was kept in abeyance
for a while, she said.
Even tehsil level officers were
> threatening people, she said. In Ma
harashtra, where there is a tradition
of adivasi struggles the use of force on ■
tribals was highly condcmnable, she
said.
umza
In Madhya Pradesh, preventive
arrests and false charges on activists
were the order of the day and people
going for political meetings addressed
by the chief minister were often
stopped and asked to get down from
buses, she said.
EF
III
90
Mr Kersy Sabavala, from Gujarat,
who took part in a satnvad yatra in
the state, said the government ma
chinery through advertisements, pol
itical meetings and the media hadcreated a feeling that once the SSP
. was completed, all the problems in
Gujarat would be solved. The re-
NARMADA BACHAO ANDOLAN
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA
November 27, 1990
Dear Shri Chandrashekhar,
You will be aware of the controversy regarding the
Narmada River Valley Project, and about the struggle being waged by
tribals and peasants of the Valley against the human displacement and
ecological destruction threatened by this Project. You may also recall
that 1500 people from the Valley had demonstrated in front of the
residence of your predecessor, Shri V. P. Singh, for 4 days in May this
year, to press home their demands. Shri Singh had then promised a
serious and wideranging discussion between high-level government
officials and representatives of the Narmada Bachao Andolan. Our letters
to Shri Singh detailing our position on this are annexed.
Unfortunately the discussion never materialised, as there was no
further initiative or response from the government. For the people in
the Valley, this was the final signal that the government was not
serious in resolving the Narmada controversy through dialogue, for many
similar attempts at starting such a dialogue had met with a cold
response from officials of both the central and state governments.
Simultaneously, the Madhya Pradesh Government started taking a more and
more repressive stance towards the movement, ordering lathi-charges on
peaceful demonstrations, arrest of activists and villagers on flimsy
charges, and constant harassment of villagers in the Valley. In such a
situation, there was no alternative for the people but to resort to a
path of direct struggle and confrontation, and to strengthen their
resolve not to move out of their lands, even if the dam reservoir
threatened to drown them.
Your own statements, in your address to the nation on November
17th, asserted the right of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to a
life of dignity. You also stated that India's scarce resources need to
be used carefully to provide minimum needs to all and not luxuries to a
few. These statements have given some hope that the people of the
Narmada Valley may yet get a fair hearing.
It is in this context that we are writing this open letter. We are
acutely conscious of the fact that yours is a new government, but most
of the people in your government were also in the previous one, and did
not respond to our demands for a comprehensive reassessment of the
Narmada Project with the full participation of the people of the Valley
in any positive way. Besides, the people in the Valley are fast losing
faith in the government (of whichever party), disappointed as they are
with its record of broken promises, opportunistic politicking, and
complete disregard for non-violent people's movements. We now feel that
the only course open to us is to take to direct action, unless there is
fresh thinking and an immediate positive response from your government.
Hence we are announcing a Sangharsh Yatra, beginning December 25,
1990. The yatra will proceed from Badwani, Madhya Pradesh, to the
Sardar Sarovar Project dam site in Gujarat, where thousands of people
will offer indefinite satyagraha. Apart from tribals and peasants of
Narmada Valley itself, thousands of others, representatives of mass
movements, social action and environmental groups, academics and
scientists, lawyers and students, trade union workers, and other
individuals will take part in this action. Tribals from all over the
country are determined to join this struggle, considering it to be
symbolic of the issue of their survival.
This yatra marks the start of what we consider the final phase of
the movement. This phase will end only with a suitable and concrete
response from the government, or, failing that, the sacrifice of
thousands of people in defence of their lands and livelihoods.
Sincerely,
(Medha Patkar)
On behalf of the Narmada Bachao Andolan
58, Mahatma Gandhi Rd., Badwani-451551 (M.P.)
C-17/A, Munirka, New Delhi-110067
MEDIA STATEMENT CF BABA ANTE at Chhoti Kasaravad, M.P.
December 2, 1990.
Dear Friend,
When the entire nation seems to be in shambles and the Tires of passions
still unextinguished, the cool and pristine waters of Narmada and the
people in the valley are sending the message - the message of people's
development, tine message to turn to the real issues facing our great
nation.
With bruised heart, from my sick bed I call unto you to stand by
tine resolute and courageous people in the Narmada valley, come out bravely
and openly, in the unique endeavour, Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra (People's
March for Development) to be launched from 25th December, 1990, from
Rajgliat (Badwani) in Madhya Pradesh.
It is the time for all of us, who
have their conscience unstained and unsold, to care on which side of the
barricade we belong.
Friends, we share a common vision of our country; we all are striving, in
our diverse preoccupations, to chart out a way of sane, sustainable and
egalitarian, people oriented development.
In turn, we all are opposing the
destruction and desolation let loose by the power holders on our people and
the political arid economic fabric of our nation, that too in the name of
‘Public Purpose', ’Development'...! know personally some of you and your
efforts in the<cause of true development.
It becomes, therefore, doubly
necessary for us to protect cur dreams, and, surely, to make them a reality
in the minds of people and in our national policy.
As you know, the struggle in Narmada valley against the destructive Sardar
Sarovar Project (SSP) and the Narmada Sagar (MSP) has come to symbolise the
struggles we all are engaged in.
The Narmada Bachao Andolan (Save Narmada
Movement), sustained by the tribals, peasants, labourers - men and wcmen
alike - in the Narmada valley lias been a significant part of our Long March
for True Development.
The March is aimed for independence frcm the
shackles of conventional slavish wisdom of development thriving on the
design and money from multilateral agencies and multinational corporations;
freedom from overbearing, centralising bureaucratic structure, killing
people's initiative and their decisive participation; freedom from the
capitalistic-consumerist pattern, which legitimises wanton destruction of
tie environment arid unequal distribution with the help of epithets like
’necessary sacrifice for Public Furpose' on part of the tribals and other
deprived sections of our people deemed as fait acccmpli.
However, people in every part of the nation are up in arms against this
dubious version of development, be it in Tehri, Subamarekha, Kaiga or
Narmada.
The people’s struggles are being actively supported by ’organic
intellectuals', the academicians, jurists, scientists, economists and
environmentalists.
You, my dear friends,'too have been inalienable pjart of
the Narmada Pndolan, in your own way.
You all know that civilisation is
social order promoting cultural creation.
I am sure that your unflinching
honesty, your clear stream of reason and conscience will not allow you to
be a spectator, or a mute admirer for the great struggle at this juncture.
The time has arrived to stand out openly against the hordes of looters of
cur beloved country, its people, its bountiful Nature, its economy,
mortgaging the future of the country to the foreign moneylenders.
I
implore ycu to find political courage to stop the disastrous and cynical
way that those in the garb of power holders are leading the nation. As for
the people in the Narmada valley, let me assure you that the silent
sufferers will no longer remain suppressed, depressed.
For them, the
Motherland is not like a portable suitcase.
Narmada, as you knew, has been
created, according to mythology, from the sweat of Lord Shiva.
For the
peasants and tribals, it is the river of tears and sweat and any
callousness on the part of the government will turn these tears in the
volcano of unrest, I warn from my sick bed here at Kasaravad.
I appeal you to join in the Sangharsh Yatra, towards the direction of the
Destruction Incarnate - the SSP.
The people, resolved to fight out the
issue in the Valley, will come out with a demand to resolve the issues in
the larger frame of Development which we all cherish. Hundreds of
organisations all over India will be participating in this March, making
the Narmada issue a key issue in our Development Policy.
I often remember
the words:
First, it was a voice.
Then it became a chorus of voices;
Now, it is a stollen river of voices ...
So, in your tongue, let me see the Law of Kindness; in your brain,
distributive justice; and in your heart, affectionate care. May I expect
from you the duty of the intellectual and philosophers - To Preach and
Practice tie Truth.
With v;arm regards and good wishes,
(Baba Amte)
NARMADA BACHAO ANDOLAN
PRESS RELEASE
December
r 1990
EMINENT PEOPLE SUPPORT NARMADA SANGHARSH YATRA
The Sangharsh Yatra against the Sardar Sarovar (Narmada) Project,
to start on Dec. 25, 1990, has received support from several eminent
citizens of India. These people have signed an Appeal to the Nation,
asking all those who are concerned with issues of ecological
sustainability and human rights, to join in this march. The signatories
are from diverse fields, including science, arts, academics, and social
service. A full list of these people is given below, and a copy of their
statement, with signatures, is attached.
This Appeal comes in the wake of the announcement, by the Narmada
Bachao Andolan and several other support groups, that they have been
forced to take up this direct action due to a number of factors;
(a)
Work on the dam is continuing, despite the fact that the Union
Ministry of Environment has categorically stated that environmental
clearance has lapsed, and the Government of Gujarat needs to apply
afresh for clearance. This has been reported in the Narmada Control
Authority Environment Sub-group Agenda for the 9th Meeting. In
effect, work on the dam is at present illegal, but since the
government seems unwilling to stay the construction, the people of
the Narmada Valley have decided to attempt stopping it themselves.
(b)
Repeated attempts by the Andolan, to engage the Central and State
governments in a serious and comprehensive dialogue on the issue,
have met with a cold response. Even the former Prime Minister,
Shri V.P. Singh's promise to have a dialogue (given in May 1990)
has not been fulfilled. On the other hand, the M.P. State
government has cracked down heavily on the Andolan activists and
affected villagers, using repressive measures to try to break the
movement. The people feel that they now have no option but to take
direct action.
AX
/^(ASHISH KOTHARI)
on behalf of Narmada Bachao Andolan
C-17/A Munirka
New Delhi - 110 067
(For more information on the Sangharsh Yatra, please contact the above
mentioned at 3318554 (office) or 386010 (Res.)
AN APPEAL TO THE NATION
SUPPORT THE STRUGGLE OF THE FEOFLE OF NARMADA VALLEY;
JOIN THE SANGHARSH YATRA STARTING DECEMBER 25, 1990.
Friends,
A growing number of groups arid individuals in India are engaged in efforts
at achieving just, humane, and sustainable development. The struggle in
the Narmada Valley exemplifies this trend.
It was this movement which
catalysed the National Rally against Destructive Development, at Harsud, on
September 28, 1989.
The tens of thousands of people who participated cn
that day characterised the Narmada Project as a typical example of the
short-sighted, exploitative development process adopted so far in India.
They were asking: Is it justified to displace and dispossess millions of
people in the name of a vague 'national interest'? Can a project be
planned properly without consulting the people to be affected? Have the
millions already displaced ever been rehabilitated properly? Is the loot
of tribal lands in the name of development justified? Who really benefits,
and who loses out, in massive 'development' projects like large dams?
If the Narmada Project is any indication, then activists and researchers
have shown beyond doubt that most such projects are largely approved on the
basis of a non-participative decision-making process, grossly distorted
cost-benefit analysis, and inadequate environmental impact assessments.
These facts remain so even today.
Even the World Bank has had to
repeatedly postpone its decision regarding further financial disbursements
for Sardar Sarovar, and has even struck Narmada Sagar Dam off its list of
potential credit-worthy projects.
The Planning Commission Member in charge
of Environment, as well as the Ministry of Environment and Forests, has
warned Gujarat that their clearance for SSP has lapsed, since the
conditions imposed at the time of clearance have not been met.
The struggle in the Narmada Valley has reached a decisive stage.
On the
one hand all the major doubts raised by the Narmada Bachao Andolan
regarding the SSP, have of late been voiced secretly or openly by
government agencies themselves.
On the other hand, the project authorities
are sparing no effort at discrediting the Andolan by levelling all kinds of
false charges, and continuously misleading the public with large
advertisements containing distorted data.
Simultaneously the Madhya
Pradesh Government has gone all-out to break the Andolan by repressive
measures, including lathicharging of peaceful demonstrations, arrest of
activists cn false charges, and daily harassment of villagers and activists
in the area.
Yet in all this, the local movement has become stronger.
They have now
announced the final phase of their movement — a Sangharsh Yatra, starting
December 25.
Tlie plan is to have several thousand tribals and peasants,
along with representatives of struggles all over India, take a pledge at
Badwani, and then walk towards the dam site.
There they will try to stop
the work by offering Satyagraha, and will sit on dhama till the government
gives in.
This is a most serious action, and is bound to invite strong
State reprisal.
For this and other reasons, it is important for people
from all over India to support it.
We appeal to you, as responsible citizens of India, to lend your active
support to this action in December.
The country must rally around this'
event, for from the Narmada struggle will emerge a lot of the lessons we
can apply to otter 'development' projects. From it also can emerge a truly
all-India effort at achieving ecological security and social justice.
WTFM : LIST OF SIGNATORIES TO 'APPEAL TO 7FE NATION'
V.R. Krishna Iyer, former Chief Justice of India
Upendra Baxi, Professor of Law, University of Delhi
Sushila Bhan, Acting Member—secretary, ICSSR
Kishore Saint, Ubeshwar Vikas Mandal, Udaipur, Rajasthan
Rajni Kothari, Convenor, Independent Initiative, New Delhi
L.C Jain,
ex—member, Planning Commission, New Delhi
Hiranmay Karlekar, Indian Express
J.P.S. Oberoi, Professor of Sociology, Delhi University
H.Y Mohan Ram, Dept, of Botany, University of Delhi
Ramachandra Guha, Lecturer, Institute of Economic Growth
Chhatrapati Singh, Indian Law Institute
S. Anandalakshay, Director, Lady Irwin College
Devaki Jain, Director, Institute for Social Studies Trust
Mansi Ram, lecturer, Miranda House
B.S. Baviskar, Professor of Sociology, University of Delhi
Imrana Qadeer, Centre for Social Medicine & Community Health (CSMCH), JNU
K.R. Nayar, CSMCH, JNU
Mohan Rao, CS-CH, JNU
Kamal Mitra Chenoy, School of International Studies, JNU
C.P. Chandrashekhar, Centre for Economic and Social Policy (CESP), JNU
Jayati Ghosh, CESP, JNU
Satish Jain, CESP', JNU
Amal Sanya1, CESP, JNU
Sunanda Sen, CESP, J NJ
Krishna Bhardwaj, CESP', JMJ
Sudipto Kaviraj, Centre for Political Studies (CFS), JNU
Rajeev Bhargava, CFS, JUN
Zoya Hassan, CFS, JNU
Kunal Chakrabarti, Centre for Historical Studies, JNU
Patricia Oberoi, Professor of Sociology, JNU
Mir Javed Hussain, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Kashmir
Abha Bhaiya, Jagori
Bhaskar Laxshaman Bhole, Professor, Nagpur University, Nagpur, Maharashtra
Pnant Kashinath Bhale Rao, Journalist, Aurangabad, Maharashtra
Thakur Das Bang, Sarvodaya Leader, Wardha, Maharashtra
B.D. Sharma, Commissioner, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
Pnand Swarup, Chairman, National Book Trust, New Delhi
S.C. Dube, Sociologist, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
Bagaram Tulpule, Trade Unionist, Eicmbay, Maharashtra
Vijay Tendulkar, Playwright, Bombay, Maharashtra
A.R. Desai, Sociologist, Baroda, Gujarat
Vasant Palshikar, Educationist, Pune, Maharashtra
Shankar Guha Niyogi, Chhatisgarh Mukti Morcha, Raipur. Madhya Pradesh
Purushottam Sharma, State-Secretary, Indian People's Front, New Delhi
Swami Agnivesh, Bandhua Mukti Morcha, New Delhi
Abdul Jabbar, Bhopal Gas Pidit Mahila Sanghatan, Bhopal
Samsher Bisht, Uttarkhand Sangharsh Vahini, U.P.
B.P. Sinh Bagi, Shoshit Samaj Dal, Bihar.
l^fsMADA BACHAO ANDCLPN at Badwani, Madhya Pradesh
FRESS RELEASE
December 17, 1990.
A unique struggle will take place in the Narmada Valley -from 25th December
onwards, when thousands of men and women will start on a Long March - Jan
Vikas Sangharsh Yatra - towards the site of the ’Destructive' Sardar
Sarovar Dam, alongwith thousands of their supporters and like-minded
movements and organizations, on a peaceful satyagrah to stop the work on
the dam and a demand for their Right to Live.
Starting off from Raj-Ghat
near Badwani (M.P) after taking an oath on the banks of Narmada, they will
be moving in the direction of the dam, and will not budge from their
struggle until they make the State to respond.
The struggle in Narmada valley has reached a delicate and decisive
juncture, braving the police brutalities, false propaganda, expensive media
blitzes and questioning the prevalent anti-people model of development.
People's organizations all over India as a token of solidarity with the
struggle will be joining the Yatra, to project the Narmada issue as the
vital national issue about cur choices of development policy.
The Yatra will pass the roadside villages and major towns in Dhar, Jhabua
districts in Madhya Pradesh, progressing towards the dam after crossing the
Gujarat boundary after Alirajpur. The March will proceed with public
meetings, street plays, intensive campaigning en route with dignitaries
like Baba Ante, Swami Agnivesh, walking with tribals and peasants.
Intellectuals, journalists, social workers, economists, environmentalists
and artists all over India have appealed to the people and people oriented
organizations to express solidarity with the cause of the Narmada Bachao
Andolan.
Baba Amte too has appealed to the intellectuals to stand by and
stand openly with the people and against the impending destruction to save
our country.
An open letter was also sent to the Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar by the
Narmada Bachao Andolan on 27th November, urging him to have a fresh
thinking and immediate positive response to the issues raised by the
Andolan since last five years.
It clearly told him that the people in the
Narmada Valley are fast losing faith in the government disappointed as they
are with its record of broken promises, opportunistic politicking and
complete disregard for non-violent people's movement.
Unless fresh
thinking and positive response from the government is there, the people
will be compelled to direct action, the letter apprehended.
Social, political, environmental organizations, trade unions, student
unions, tribal organizations all over India have expressed solidarity with
the Yatra and resolved to participate in it.
Among them are Shoshit Jan Andolan (Maharashtra), Chhattisgarh Shramik
Sangharsh Samiti, (M.P), Ganga Mukti Andolan (Bihar), Lok Adhikar Sangh and
Parivartan (Gujarat).
They further include from M.P. Prayog, Ekalavya,
Chhattisgarh Mahila M. Mukti Morcha, Madhya Pradesh Swaichhik Sanstha
Sangh, Sambhav, Kisan-Adivasi Sangh, Samata Sangathan, from Maharashtra
Chhatra Bharti, YUWA, Nari Samata Manch, Samata Andolan, Bombay Natural
History Society, while from Delhi Lokayan, Sahyog, Intach, National
Campaign for Housing Rights, Kalpavriksh. Various organizations in Kerala,
movements on Common Lands, and Samagra Vikas in Karnataka too expressed
solidarity.
hLimbers of meetings, seminars are being organised to discuss the issue of
Narmada in the frame of alternative model of development.
Resolutions in
support of the Yatra are to be placed in the plenaries of Adivasi Sahitya
Sammelan, Chhatra Bharati etc.
Nearly at the same time, number of tribal organizations all over India will
be holding dhama' at Rashtrapati Bhavan from 27th December, to press for
their right to live and the right against being deprived of their resource
base.
The organizations will raise the issue of Narmada as one of the
onslaughts on the rights of the tribals and will be participating in the
Yatra.
The peasants and tribals in the valley are in a defiant mood, ready to
fight it out, as the village to village campaigning hots up.
Despite
ccntinuous police harassment and repression, the mood is vibrant. With a
series of rallies at Badwani, Kukshi, cycle march by the youths in the
valley, and complete non-cooperation with the dam builders, the people are
preparing for the Sangharsh Yatra.
In the ranges of Satpuda, in
Maharashtra, the tribal villagers of Danel bundled off the Special Officer
for Resettlement.
These villages have already declared their self
government. Recently, a team of the World Bank had to face the wrath of
the valley people.
Alongwith SSP area, the Narmada Sagar or Harsud area
too is gearing itself to participate in the March to save the valley.
.7
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NAFtADA EACHAO ANDOLAN
FPtSS STATEMENT
19.12.1990.
The Truth about the Meeting between Narmada Bachao Andolan and Mr. Babubhai
F'atel
It was at the initiative of the Kisan Sangathan of Gujarat that Swami
Agnivesh accepted a mediator's role and a meeting was planned between Mr.
Babubhai Jasbhai Patel, the Minister for Narmada Development, Government of
Gujarat, and Smt. Medha Patkar accompanied by Advocate Girish Patel and
Ashish Kothari on behalf of Narmada Bachao Andolan on 13th December, 1990.
Initially, the meeting was supposed to be an exploratory political dialogue
but the Minister, to the surprise of the Andolan leaders, was accompanied
by not less than ten senior most officials of the Sardar Sarovar (Narmada)
Nigam, the Project authority.
Accepting the offer for such a dialogue, the Andolan once again expressed
its willingness to have free and frank discussions.
A brief exchange of
the issues that have led them to oppose the project took place. The issues
still stand unresolved.
The government representatives like Mr. C.C.
Patel, Chairman of the Nigam, wanted to convey the likelihood of discussing
the rehabilitational and environmental protection policies and plans, but
without going beyond that to the basic framework and questioning the
Tribunal's decision or even the sanctions arid conclusions since then.
Andolan representatives, on the other hand, restated their proposal for the
review of the Sardar Sarovar, with detailed issues, conceptual framework
and the modus operandi.
The proposal included the following:
1.
The government should be willing to discuss all the aspects — social
and environmental impact, right to life and livelihood, economic and
financial viability as also the decision making process.
2.
The process should be final and decisive.
3.
Although with a time bound plan for such appraisal, the same should be
undertaken after suspending the irreversible works at the Project like
displacement and the related, clear felling of forests that is in
submergence zone of Gujarat and is likely to begin in other states; and the
construction that directly blocks the riverflow.
The Minister's statements in the press conference in Ahmedabad saying "the
talks failed" or "the government would proceed with the work expeditiously,
without any new look at the project" are either distorted or indicative of
the decision on our proposal.
We, however, hope that while on one hand the
Minister conveys openness, serious proposals resulting out of dialogue will
not be responded to only through public announcements and media, but in
writing and with utmost seriousness.
The recent most press statement also
has two other major distortions:
1. The cost of the project announced to be Rs. 6406 crores in the press
conference at Delhi on the 13th is reported to have escalated to Rs.9,000
crores as per the statement made on the very next day, in Ahmedabad.
Not
only is this symbolic of the government's propaganda being based upon wrong
and outdated facts which keep changing, but they are yet not ready to give
out the truth on the economic and financial aspects of the Project. The
truth is that the cost escalation has nothing to do with the Gulf Crisis,
since C.C. Patel's own report of August, 1983, has shown the cost to be Rs.
11, 154 crores and the Benefit-Cost ratio to be less than one, the minimum
expected.
.. «■,
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AN0
oCUM£t4lAll°'
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t.
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2.
The announcement that the project would completed by 1998/2000 also is
a political statement and neither an administratively approved nor a
rational decision.
Again, it was Mr. Patel's report (A Review of
Implementation Schedule) in August, 1988, that recommended reducing the
schedule to ten years in order to make the presently non-viable project
viable.
But, neither the Madhya Pradesh nor Maharashtra, and hence the
Narmada Control Authority, as per our information, has as yet approved it.
M.P., on the other hand, has objected to the loss in power generation (and
in turn its share in power benefits) that would result from any such
change.
This and all such other happenings are and will slowly but steadily prove
that the issues we have been raising are true and basic.
The project
authorities and the people of Gujarat will have to concede the fact of this
Project not being in their benefit nor for the benefit of the four states parties to and beneficiaries of the Project - and the country as a whole.
Ttie strong and determined mass movement, therefore, continues with the
knowledge and analysis of reality and confidence in the people's power and
right to live.
NARMADA BACHAD ANDGLAiM at Badwani, Madhya Pradesh.
Press Release
24.12.1990.
Babubhai Patel Failed to meet the Deadline.
Despite the assurance at the meeting with the representatives of Narmada
Bachao Andolan on 13th December, Mr. Babubhai Jasubhai Patel the Minister
for Narmada Developnent in Gujarat, has failed to give any response to the
proposal put forward by the representatives or present any otter proposal
till this date.
Medina Patkar, Girishbhai Patel and Ashish Kothari met Mr.
Babubhai Patel in Delhi, where Mr. Patel had agreed to respond to the
proposals within a week. However, the Gujarat Minister did not keep the
deadline.
Both the sides had agreed that the next step of the Andolan will
be decided on the basis of tine response that the government will give.
Mr.
Patel concealed the fact as 'natural' if the Andolan starts its agitaticnist
programme during the period of negotiations.
Now tine representatives of Government, of Gujarat, without answering to the
Pndolan's proposal and by-passing it, have started to meet Baba Arnte in
’personal capacity' which exposes their hypocrisy. The veterans like
Chunibhai Vaid, who were on probing mission on behalf of the government, in
the Badwani area, seem to be awefully ignorant about the facts regarding
the Sardar Sarovar Project as lias been clear from his interactions with
scoe activists.
Nevertheless, the Gujarat representatives had to face the questions of the
people in the Narmada Valley.
Babubhai Patel was stopped near Rajghat and
was grilled by the informed representatives of the valley. Unable to
answer the queries, the Minister had to declare that if the resettlement is
found impossible, lie will be the first to join the anti—dam agitation.
Chunibhai Vaid had to accept that he dees not know as to who would be the
participants in the proposed 'anti-rally' in Gujarat, nor does be know
whether they are from drought prone areas of Kutch and Saurashtra and North
Gujarat with any concrete information about the Project. He differed with
the plan of some organizations in the state to encircle the dam site with a
human chain.
All the recent happenings are but a vindication of the stand taken by the
Andolan and the issues raised by it. The people in the valley are
determined not to be entangled in the deceptive forays on part of the
Gujarat government, and are all prepared for the proposed Jan Vikas
Sangharsh Yatra for their right to live.
SAHAYOG
SAHAYOG
SAHAYOG
SAHAYOG
SAHAYOG
Press Note
President suggest reduction in the height of Sardar Sarovar on
Narmada and a dialogue with the affected People
a
Today
from
all
the
the
over
problems
delegation
and
of
a
large
number
country
met
the President
of
the
tribal, people all
plight
of
tribal
organisations
appraised
and
the
over
him
about
country
and
their struggle for right to life. The basic issues raised by the delegation
before
President
the
were
the
right
to
life,
their
command
over
and
continued use of natural resources such as land, water, forest and minerals
and the distress caused due to massive displacement by the developmental
projects.. The delegation in particular invited his attention to the confron
tational
of
attitude
Gjaf-at
the
the.
towards
Government
people staging
a long-march for establishing their right not to' move ot.t of their homes
and defy the States dictat.
The President 'was convinced that a dialogue should be established
with
the
affected
people
and
he
generally
agreed
with
the.
delegation
about the various issues which were raised before him in the memorandum.
He said he was all for protection of their rights. He in particular mention
ed
that one
possible way
to lessen impact
of displacement
in the case
height
displacement
of Sardar Sarovar
wouldt be
is greatly reduced.
He assured that he• will’spea.t to the Prime Minister
about
the
this
and
delegation
the
to
other, issues
should
also
meet
reduce
the
raised
the
before
Prime
so
him
that
and
Minister
suggested
that
appraise
the
and
problems.
The delegation represented about
the
country
Dr.B.D.Sharma,
and
was
accompanied
Commissioner
by
100 organisations from all 'over
Shri
Puish
lirky,
M.P.
for Scheduled Castes anti Scheduled
and
Irlbjs.
The Prime Minister will be meeting the entire group of about 500 tribal
representatives on Sunday the 30th at 9.15 A.M.
/..was with the. delegation
queries on many issues. He
for more than half an hour and made pointed
’
TRIBaLS' padyatra
G \ . rat
set fo® ©©fofontatfoa.
From Orar Special R-eprecsntative
AHMEDABAD. Dec 24. — The Mr Girish Patel have indicated the human chain being or the Gujarat Government guilty
stage is set for a headlong con that about 10;000 representatives ; ganized at Far a Kuva village on of ignoring the environmental
frontation on Narmada Dam of voluntary organizations, errvi-. December 29, informed sources and rehabilitation aspects. She
said in Baroda yesterday that the
issue with activists like Bab^i ‘ ronment groups and local tribals said.
The police has prepared a con State Government had yet to
Amte and tribals of Madhya will join the long march from
Pradesh launching a 150-km- Barwani in Kharg®an district of tingency plan to deal with sur supply her Ministry the basic.
long padyatra to the project site Madhya Pradesh to Kevadia prises like change in the time of data and plans to counter the en
vironmental fallout of the pro
colony, the dam site m Gujarat. arrival of marchers.
in Gujarat tomorrow.
Observation posts and horse ject. She described herself as
The possibility of violence can1 9 But the State Government
hardly be ruled out as a human •fears that a lot more people, in mounted police force are also “neutral” and unable to take
chain organized at the behest of cluding the would-be oustees in likely to be used. Another possi sides on the controversy in the
the Chief Minister, Mr Chiman- M.P. will help swell the ranks of bility is the use of policemen in absence of basic data on a variety
bhai Patel, is scheduled to resist padyatris along the way. The civil dress in the human chain at of issues including cost-benefit
ratio.
the entry of marchers on the Chief Minister hr.d been busy the border village.
On his part, Baba Amte has de
The Chief Minister who was
Madhya Pradesh-Gujarat border last forth-night meeting repclared
that
the
padyatris
will.
expected
to personally oversee
• reoentatives of different cham
four days later.
The atmosphere has become a bers of commerce and voluntary offer peaceful satyagraha at any the organization of human chain
little more changed as Mrs organizations, and has worked spot they are stopped. The Baba and attempts to resist the mar
out an elebes-ate plan to counter has expressed fears about the chers is somewhat hamstrung at
Maneka
possibility of Madhya Pradesh the sudden challenge posed to
Gandhi. Union Minister for Envi the marchers.
A meeting of senior police Government opting for an “oper his position by the BJP The
ronment, refused to support the
Rs 6,400-crore Government pro officers was held recently and a ation crush” even before the political circles are agog with the
ject besides criticizing big dams. counter-action plan drawn up. padyatris arrive at the Gujarat talk of the BJP attempting to
topple his Ministry by luring
at a public meeting in Baroda The plan includes physical re border.
Mrs Maneka Gandhi’s state away a section of the Janata Dal.
yesterday.
sistance in case the marchers
'tko aott.nrniect activists like take a different route to dodge ment in which she had cautioned , For Mr Patel, the campaign for
the Gpjarat Government that the the Narmada project is a device
clearance given by the Planning to revamp his image which is
Commission to the Sardar under severe strain following the
Sarovar project and Narmada’communal riots in different parts
Dam project expires next April of the State. But if the BJP
hes come as a shot in the arm succeeds in giving his political
with the activist demanding a re- jolts, the Chief Minister will have
view of the project.
to divert his attention to the imMrs Gandhi who participated' mediate task of fire-fighting
in the anti-project agitation and That will definitely weaken the
joined Baba Amte in addressing human chain and enable the
rallies a year back has now held marchers to pass thraueh .
' GW
:■©©
‘NARMADA klghatlmein ab ladal/ari /ts/”(battle Is now on In the Narmada Valley). This Is the themesong of the7,oax>ddantl-dam marches
__ _______ )
Z6 ci)U 3o
The sis ■;... ■ ■; lasnach Narmada march
wiitrnie
—
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SCORES OF lamps were immer
sed in the Narmada on a blazing
Tuesday afternoon at Rajghat
near Barwani to mark the start
of the sangharsh yatra organis
ed by the Narmada Bachao
Andoian.
Over 2,500 men, women and
children from Barwani and its
neighbouring villages are parti
cipating in the yatra led by Baba
Amte, Medha Patkar and Swami
Agnivesh.
Addressing the gathering,
Amte said: “This is a fight of the
poor and tire tribals who have
declared that they.will no longer
remain
depressed
or be
exploited. This is a fight for the
truth which is no longer Ute
monopoly of the rich and the
powerful,” he declared to thun
derous applause.
Themarch,hesaid,wouldinspire the labourers, Ute farmers
and the poor. “From now on it is
not ‘do and die’ just for me, hut
also for every old and young per
son of the Narinada valley,” he
said.
Medha Patkar, leader of the
Narmada Bachao Andoian,
declared that the Sardar Sardvar project represented an eco
nomy which had consumerism
as its base. The tribals and the
dispossessed had'-tb challenge
that system, she said.
During the past five years of
her work in the valley she had
come across many Mahatma
RanvirNayar
in Barwani
Gandhis and Karl Marxes who
were working fortlie upliftmenl
of the poor in thier own dedicat
ed manner, she said.
Amidst loud cheering she
said: “Not even god has the right
to grab land from the tiller with
out making a study ofthe project
to be launched.”
The Narmada project was
being launched without any
prior surveys or study of the
impact it may have, she said.
Patkar denied that the move
ment had veered off its original
course- The main aim of the
movement had always beeri the
humanitarian aspect, she said.
“We are not some ‘Jangal
bachao activists. We are fight
ing on a humanatarian basis.”
Patkar declared her readi
ness to meet the government
any time to discuss the issue.
However, she said, the govern
ment should be honest. In the
past the government had, by
spreading falsehood and creat
ing wrortg impressions, tried to
undo all her work in the valley,
she said.
Patkar and Amte are part of a
select group called the Saniarpit
Dal which will march to the site
of the Sardar Sarovar project at
Rajpipla in Gujarat.
The marchers will cover a dis
tance of over 20 km in the next
10 days. They will pass through
most of the v.__ „1U ue
affected by the project.
Patkar said the yellow and
black headbands worn by the
Samarpit Dal stood for the boy
cott of the ‘black’ project which
would destroy the Narmada
(denoted byyellow).
Narsapur, about seven km
from Barwani town, was closed
yesterday in a gesture of sympa
thy with the march. Heavy poli
ce bandobust was made at the
site though trouble was not anti
cipated, a senior, police officer
said.
The entire to tvn, he said, agre
ed that the movement should be
totally peaceful. He felt the
movement was justified as it
was not fair to dishouse so many
people.
A villager said: “They can
expect some support from us
only if they rehabilitate at least
50 per cent of the families
displaced.”
Noted lawyer from Ahemdabad Girish Patel said the Gujarat
government had been constant
ly shifting its stance oh the issue.
The government, he said, had
not even made up its mind about
the cost of the project.
PT1 reports: The anti-Nannada
march was joined by leaders of
the internationally acclaimed ,
Chikyu On Tomo (Friends of the
Earth), Japan, the organisation
responsible for scuttling Japa
nese aid of billions of rupees to
the Sardar Sarovar project.
Narmada body protests
against DD 6bias5
pressure from the Gujarat
THE NARMADA Bachao AndoRanvir Mayor
government He alleged that the
Ian has, in a telegram to union
inNisarpur .'.
government had hired some
ministcrofstate for information
the,
and broadcasting Sanjay Singh,
He said the advertisment clai . igoondas to threaten
{villagers.
protested against Dooradarmed that 78 families had been
Referring to an advertise
shan’s “biased” coverage of the
resettled in Gujarat. However,
ongoing struggle in the Nar
he claimed, ail of them had ment issued by the some private
mada valley.
returned to their village as they party in Indore, the spokesman
The Andolan has said that
had found the land in Gujarat said it had been issued by one,
Doordarshan
had
always
too barienfor agriculture and ■ Sakargai, a contractor working
sought to blank out any news
the,. village ladling in basic on the project, who pb»pualyL,
had vested interests in if.,• ,t. •
regardtag the five-year .strug^ .amenities...
gle. Doordarshan, it alleged,
The spokesman asked the i Meanwhile, Yukio Tanaka, a
had always sought to support
government to issue details of representative of the.Japanese
the “continued exploitation of
organisation Chlkyti on Torao
the 2000 families it claimed
the people in the valley by giv would be resettled.
(Friends of the Earth), has refut
ing a one-sided picture of the
He said that 50 persons from ed the, suggestions ofNGA chair}
Sardar Sarovar project.”
the village had stated that they marn'C 'C Patel'that Japan is
The teiegram said Doordar would not go to Gujarat, while reconsidering its decision of
shan was once again indulging
just a handful of families from withdrawing aid tp theproject.' '■
in biased reporting as was ren the Charanfalia area of KatarkAddressing newsmen at Bardered obvious by the coverage
heda village were ready io go as wanl on Tuesday, T-anaka-saht'
of the Jan Vikas Sangharsh
they had migrated from Gujarat some members of the Japanese
■Tatra-launched near Barwani
in the recent past and were keen ‘PariiapagirtlAvere^eyen thinkingon Tuesday.
on returning if they weriegiven
ofUmingahappeal.to the World,
The Andolan spokesman alle free land and other facilities.
Bank, asking it to withdraw its .
ged that advertisements on the
He also refuted NCA claims assistance to theproject,. .,
that
76
families
from
Jalsindhi
Sardar Sarovar project issued
, Tanaka, along with four other
by the Narmada Control Autho and Ankadla had gone to Guja memberS'ljof the Chikyu on
rity in some English dailies in rat for resettlement. He said ’■rbfnojs here to express solida
Indore were “unethical” as they though these families had given rity with 'the' Narmada: valley'
gaye a wrong impression about- their consent for resettlement struggle. He said the Friends of
the Gujarat government’s reset 'in Gujarat a long time ago, none
(he Earth" would1 suppprt fariy
tlement programmes for the of them had gone so far. He clai struggle*1'that 'wai' 'likely'1 to1
Madhya Pradesh and Maha med thatthese families had giv- destroy the environment’ andrashtra puslees. ■
<31
Vo
6W"o
dk ft
yair 1'darm.adia
their supper and have warmed them meet to discuss and review the day’s destination — the Sardar Sarovar
selves around bonfires.
happenings as well as the media dam site.
By LESTER COUTINHO
Just a 100 kilometres away on the
The beating of drums begins and coverage. They also discuss plans for
The Times of India News Service
soon groups gather around the drum the next day and tasks and assigned. Gujarat-MP border another camp
SILKUA (Madhya Pradesh),
News about preparations by the comes to life at Frekuva village, but
beaters and start singing and dancing.
December 27.
A variety of tunes are played over the Gujarat government to prevent the that is of another kind. A whistle is
rally
from entering the stale is the blown and hundreds of police person
public
address
system
and
soon,
S the sun sets on the
Narmada valley, the 2,500 things get going. The enterprising main topic of discussion. But even nel in khaki shorts and banians start
rallyists of the Narmada Ja« marchers, sing songs about their details of massive police security do lining up for the morning drill. The
struggle against tile construction of not waver them. On the contrary, camp is lined with scores of govemVikas Sangarsh Yatra get rcr'T ■ the dam on the Narmada river, filled, they feel all the more determined and mentand police vehicles.
to spend another night in the col j with sentiments and emotions about raise the slogan, "koi nahi hatega,
The fields around the area have
open fields on the outskirts of their love for the valley '‘Narmada bandh nahi banega no one will leave, been readied for setting up of a huge
maya
ke
godh
me
pale
hum,
aab
pandal
and cleafed for a helipad. The
the dam will not be built.”
this little village.
As the rallyists move back to their Gujarat
chief
minister, • Mr
After the villagers have completed maya ko chodke nahi jayange (we
the formalities of welcoming the tired have been brought up in the womb of ■ respective groups and the entire Chimanbhai Patel, is expected to
participants, the latter start settling mother Narmada, now we cannot camp falls into a lumber, the only land there.
A massive police force has been
sounds a listener could hear are that
down in little groups around the desert our mother."
Some talk about the destruction of an old man coughing or a child- deployed all along the inter-state
tractors that accompanied them from
boundary, especially at Frekuva Pan",
their respective villages. The locals that will come about because of the crying.
Al the crack of dawn, the camp vad and Kavart.
have put up a lighted podium which Sardar Sarovar project. There is also
light entertainment which the au starts corning to life again, with the
Various voluntary...
organisations,
illuminates the dark landscape.
beating of drums and singing of assisted by the Gujarat government,
Silence reigns after the initial bus dience enjoys the most.
tle of activity but slowly the c„.np
Then their leaders and the activists songs. The rallyisl start preparing for havg been preparing to hold a prorally there. The otherwise
comes to life after the rallyists1,’; ".ye of the Narmada Bachao Andolan another day of march towards their
A
sleepy Chhots Udaipur and'Frekuva
iusve suddenly' coste to life with
i ygliiclec transporting materials. for
‘ the rally.
• ’
. though the Gujarat government
I liSii preferred to identify the march
tyjjh' Baba Ante, this does not appear
■ to: be true, going by the sentiments
eitpressed by the marchers. “I am
ifely to'die” says Janki, a tribal
wfeman.She had already told the
people in her village that she may
nearer come back home.
ic Radeshyam another marcher, says.
ttwe are going to die'a'nyway when the'
skater submerges our villages. So we
(night as.well die novsdighting for our
•-? '&''
■
aa ■•:. iw
r$A notable feature is the partici
pants have sunk al! their caste and
Class’differences because of the cause.
Sjo while the poorer participants have
just brought a few belongings the
Balter-off have brought food stocks
fur all. The 30-odd tractors moving
with 'the march are packed with
firewood and food stocks to last at
least a month. They have also man
aged to bring enough diesel and are
prepared to camp outside the Gujarat
boundary till such time as they are
allowed entry. '
VA special cell called “Samarpan
Dal" a group of committed people, is
leading the yatra and they have sworn
Uy the holy Narmada that they will
rjot return till they are successful.
Ms Mcdha Patkar, of the Narmada
Andolan, said that the fact that the
Jiijaraf government was gearing up
n a massive way to face what was
ssentiaUy a people’s rally was
Jready a moral victory for the
narchers. vThe government cannot
urn a deaf ear to the people now.”
g She said the agitation was neither
S gainst the Gujarat government or
he people of the state, but was meant
o pressure the Central government
o stop all the irreversible
--- ---------------- work of the
.S lam until the entire projectt was
S eviewed.
NARI-YADA EACHAO ANDOLAN: ACTION ALERT
December 28, 1990
Tlie Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra, in which thousands of tribals and peasants of the
Narmada Valley and representatives of support groups and movements from all over
the country are participating, enters its fourth day today. As more and more
people join the Yatra along the way, there is news that the Government of
Gujarat (GOG) is preparing to counter it with full state power. GGG is also
attempting to create a situation of confrontation between the people of Gujarat
and the people of the valley.
The atmosphere is getting increasingly tense,-and
there is urgent need for groups, movements, and individuals across the country
to take some action.
The Government of Gujarat has so far responded to the Yatra, and the demand of
the Narmada Bachao Andolan to halt construction on the Sardar Sarovar Project
pending a comprehensive review, in two ways. One, the Chief Minister of
Gujarat, Shri Chimanbhai Patel, has communicated his desire to meet Baba Amte to
avoid a situation of confrontation. Yet simultaneously, he has been issuing
press statements which distort the situation, e.g. saying that Baba Amte's
friends have informed him that Baba is not interested in stopping the dam.
Second, the Madhya Pradesh - Gujarat border is being sealed, with an estimated
30,000 strong police force (according to senior police officials), and a socalled "human wall" of 1 lakh people who are being bused and trucked to the
spot.
The Andolan, end Baba Amte, have responded to Shri Chimanbhai Patel's letter to
Baba by reminding him that a detailed proposal for a dialogue has been given to
Shri Bababhai Patel, Minister for Narmada in Gujarat, by the Andolan.
There has
been no response to it, on the contrary, the Gujarat Government is repeatedly
stating that on no condition will work on the dam be suspended.
In this
situation, Chimanbahi's offer for a dialogue with Baba Amte is an obvious
attempt at public relations, to make it appear that he (Chimanbhai) is ready for
talks while this Andolan is not.
Also, both the Gujarat and M.P. Governments are
singling out Baba Amte, completely ignoring the people's representatives from
every village who are leading the Andolan.
Tliere is an obvious attempt to
create a rift between Baba and the Andolan.
Simultaneously, the M.P. Government's Minister of Water Resources, Shitlabhai
Sahay, has publicly raised suspicions about the role of agencies/groups from
outside the valley in the Yatra, asking what their motivations are for joining
the Yatra. The Narmada Valley Development Authority Chairman Sharad Jain has
put a wild figure of 36 lakh rupees as the cost of the Yatra, and wcndered where
this money has come from!
The credentials of the representatives of Friends of
the Earth, Japan, who are in the Yatra have been questioned.
It is clear that neither the M.P. nor the Gujarat Government is willing to
seriously consider the Yatra's demands.
As the Yatra moves towards the Gujarat
border, it is imperative that all groups and individuals concerned with human
rights and environmental issues respond, by sending urgent letters to:
a)
b)
c)
d)
The Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Sunderlal Patwa
The Chief Minister of Gujarat, Chimanbhai Patel
The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Sharad Pawar
The Prime Minister of India, Chandra Shekhar.
The letters should contain a demand to :
a) Respond positively to the legitimate demands of the Yatra, regarding the
right to life and lifestyle of the people of Narmada Valley.
b) Stop immediately the intensive misinformation campaign being spread by the
State.
o'
Halt the massive build-up of police at the border, and the despicable
attempt to create a confrontation between the people of Gujarat and the people
of Narmada Valley.
FFESS STATEMENT issued from Alirajpur, M.F.
29.12.1990.
Organisations Supporting Narmada Bachao Andolan Condemn Minister's
Statemente
Several organisations participating in the Jan Vikas Sangharsh
Yatra by the Narmada Bachao Andolan have strongly criticised the
recent statement by the Minister of Irrigation of Madhya Pradesh,
Mr. Shitla Sahay, as ’irresponsible and undemocratic' in which he
doubted the sincerity of these organisations in supporting the
anti-Sardar Sarovar movement in the state.
In a statement issued at the Phata (Alirajpur), where the Yatra
ted its third camp yesterday, these organisations took strong
exception to the Minister's description of them as 'outsiders' and
cautioned him not to further divide our society on the basis of
such parochial considerations.
They asserted their right to
participate in any movement and struggle anywhere in India
striving for justice and equality.
How come the Minister dare to
object to their participation in the Narmada struggle when our
country has been supporting the human rights movement in South
Africa and elsewhere all over the world? they asked. Maintaining
that the Narmada Bachao Andolan is an important landmark in the
long struggle for true development, these organisations have
asserted that they have been a part of the Narmada Andolan and
will continue to participate in future too.
The organisations made it clear that there is nothing wrong if any
people's organisation from abroad participates in or supports the
cause in India, as the problems of the day transcend national
barriers and have become a part of the larger global polity. When
the decision makers in the country themselves take decisions in
the context of the international forces, it is perfectly
legitimate to counter these anti-people decisions frcm that
level, they suggested.
Describing the Narmada struggle as a 'valiant fight' by the
tribals, peasants and labourers in the Narmada Valley the
organisations brushed off criticism by the Minister on the
integrity of the Andolan.
The supporting organisations include Chhattisgadh Mukti Morcha,
Ekta Parishad, Prayog, Ekalavya from M.P., Shoshit Jan Andolan,
YLWA, Jan Vikas Andolan from Maharashtra, Chhatrabharti from
Maharashtra, Bhopal Gas Pidit Mahila Udyog Sangathan, Vedchhi
Pradesh Seva Samiti (Guj), Sahyadri (Kerala), Save Western Ghat
Movement.
5oi.ce set to prevent
dsm row
€N® pre-ceffldBiofis for
Narmada talfe5
by the Gujarat government.
fERKUVA (Baroda), Dec. 29
About 3,003 policemen and
(PTI).
hundreds of plainclothesmen
HE chief minister c'Gujarat,
were positioned on the Madhya
Mr Chimanbhai Patel, today
categorically refused to meet and Pradesh-Gujarat border near the
Ferkuva
village in Baroda district.
hold dialogue with the social ac
The yatra, joined by 3,000
tivist Baba Amte “on pre-con
ditions of reviewing and re-ex tribal men and women rep
resenting 20 social organisations
amining the project."
Talking to reporters here, Mr all over the country, reached here,
Patel said, in reply to his letter, after a night’s halt at Lasrnant
dated December 25, to Baba village.
Meanwhile, addressing a press
Amte, expressing Iris desire to
have a dialogue with him to avoid conference, Baba Amte an
nounced
tliat the yatra. would
any kind of confrontation. Baba
Amtp had ■ replied that the continue its journey to the dam
dialogue could be held on the site, despite counter rally by pro
condition of reviewing and re Narmada activists and deploy
ment of police.
examining the project.
Baba Arnte said, “If I can’t
Baba Amte is now leading the
anti-Narmada peace march to the solve a problem of Narmada
oustees,
then I am probably dead
site of the inter-state Sardar
vrood.” I am pained and shocked
Sarovar Project (SSP).
The chief minister said the to know about massive deploy
condition was not acceptable to ment of police by the Gujarat
the state government and people government on the border areas.”
address a rally in support of the
He deplored the attitude of the
of Gujarat as the Narmada tri
project.
government,
which,
bunal award was declared in 1974 Gujarat
Top police officials are camping at
after a long process of review and Arnte said, was inciting the people
the Kewadiya colony, near the dam
examination of all the aspects, of the state against the yatra.
site in Broach district to supervise
/Another activist, Ms Medha
including those of environment
security arrangements. The police
Patkar said displacement of pro
and rehabilitation of oustees.
have been deployed at eight points,
ject-affected
people was detestable
The
World
Ban!:
also
had
sanc
including some hilly areas from
and their rehabilitation was im
where the anti-Narmada marchers
tioned the loan for the project
may try to sneak into the site.
possible.
after considering all these aspects,
According to reports here, they
he pointed out, and added that the
Our staff reporter adds: The
were planning to divide themselves
project was accepted by all the
Narmada Bachao Andolan has
into three groups and enter Gujarat
concerned and beneficiary states
accused the Gujarat government
from three different places, including'
of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Ra
oZ-9
j 3o
and its police of attempting to
Ferkuva.
jasthan and Maharashtra.
unleash violence on the marchers
The ranks of Baba Amte are swell
Mr Patel reiterated that lite
ing as they traverse through the
of the Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra
government
would
not
cow
down
villages and their ‘Narmada jan vias
and spreading the canard that
to
any
threat
or
pressure
to
stop
sangarsh yatra", now in Jhabua dis
Baba Amte is “a foreign agent".
the works or to reduce the height
trict, is being led by a band of the
The andolan, in a press release
of the dam.
“samarpam dal” which has taken a
issued here today, said govern
The tribunal had fixed the
pledge on the banks of the Narrnada
ment agencies were taking draco
height of the dam at 470 ft inspitc
not to return till they achieve their merit project in the'country.
Over Rs l,0W crore had already of the state government’s demand nian measures to prevent the
objective.
people from Maharahstra and Gu
been sunk-; oh the project, called
Meanwhile, various farmers* - or-. Sardar. Sarovar. in Gujarat and for 515 ft, and the government jarat from joining the Sangharsh
ganisations in Broach district have Narmada Sagar in Madhya Pradesh. had accepted it, he said.
Yatra.
The construction works of the.
announced their plans to : take a
Meanwhile, the chief minister, Mr project, which was a life-line to
march to the site to join the pro
“The Gujarat government has
Narmada march spearheaded by the . Chimanbhai Patel, has said there was
Gujarat, had started at the dam unofficially sealed its borders and
Narmada foundation trust -and no Question of meeting Baba Amte as
site at Navagam in Broach dis imposed prohibitory orders under
“Narmada abhiyan“-(Narmada cam- he had taken’ a rigid stand on his
trict, he added.
Section 144 to prevent inter-state
paign) and various other voluntary demand for reviewing . the whple.
AU RAJGHAT (Jliambua, movement. Bus services between
organisations.
' .'
Narmada project arid therefore, the j MP): The Jan Vikas Sangrash Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat are
The Gujarat government and some meeting with him had been post- ■ Yatra, led by Baba Amte, arrived
being suspended and police are
;
veteran Gandhians made efforts to poned.
here today on its last half in patrolling the length of th'
Mr Patel said in a statement 'in
dissuade Baba Amte from continuing ■
Madhya Pradesh, even as the Narmada to prevent the yatra
Gandhinagar, that he had expressed
the march but in vain. '
Gujarat-M.P. border was scaled from moving downstream bo
Mr Patel has also sent a message to his willingness to see the social
off
with the deployment .of police bcat," the andolan said.
the social worker on December 25 in .worker before his rally .entered the
this regard. Responding to the state to prevent a. confrontation, but
message, Baba Amte said yesterday . Baba Amte had changed his attitude
that he was prepared for a dialogue. towards the project
The chief minister, who will' be
provided it was held with an “open
mind”.
addressmg.the pro-Nsrmgda rally at
Ferkuwa.tomorrow,' said theThe Rs 10,000-crore multi
purpose Nhrmadc project is an inter ■ Narmada development minister, Mi
state venture of Gujarat, Madhya , Babubhai . Patel, had met erf:
Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, . vironmentalists in New Delhi reccntwith a terminal major dam. on the .ly and had clarified' three points,.
Narmada in Gujarat, and is raid to be including the question of reducing
the largest water, resource develop- the dam's height and stoppage of the
dam works.
z
''
FERKUVA (Gujarat), Dec. 28 from Badwani in Madhya Pradesh on
(PTI). December 25, while the pro
EAVY police “bandobust" Narmada lobbyists who consider the
project a lifeline for Gujarat are
has been made in the pouring into the village in thousands.
Ferkuva village on the GujaratBoth have declared that their agita
Madhya Pradesh border to pre tion would be peaceful.
vent any showdown between the
The authorities are still in the dark
activists of the pro-and anti about the exact date of the arrival of
Baba
Amte and the marchers and the
Narmada project here on Decem
path they would take. However, the
ber 30 or 31.
Over 1,500 policemen, .bolstered pro-Narmada activists arc de
by hundreds of home guards, were termined to stay here until they
deployed in this sleepy village where prevents the entry of the Baba Amteactivists against the Mega Narmada led march.
The district authorities said there
dam led by the renowned social
worker, Baba Amte, who have threat were three routes the anti-Narmada
activists
could take, adding that theyened to stop the construction, will be
challenged -by the project supporters had not, however, taken any decision
by forming a “human wall” to block to seal the entry points to Gujarat.
The Gujarat chief minister, Mr
their entry.
Baba Amte and environmentalists, Chimanbhai Patel, who has declared
who see the dam as a “symbol of his firm resolve to go ahead with the
destruction" set off on their march project, will arrive here tomorrow to
T
NAfT-'IADA BACHAO ANDOLAN at Ferkuwa, M.P.-Gujarat border
Press Statement
29.12.1990.
As thousands of people from the agrarian and tribal belt of the
Narmada valley converge in Alirajpur today on their fifth day of
the Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra, the Long March on foot towards the
Sardar Sarovar Project, they are faced with the massive show of
strength by the commercial, industrial forces in Gujarat along
with the religious .institutions and the State. This sums up the
kind of struggle we have been waging and the future struggle that
may take shape.
Elaborate police arrangements and the sumptuous,
luxury-bus ridden 'counter rally' and the crude initiative of the
state including the Chief Minister of Gujarat, speaks volumes
about the moral victory of the struggle by the people in the
Narmada Valley.
In fact the people will take this occasion as an
opportunity to talk with the people of Gujarat and start a process
of genuine dialogue, albeit the people in Gujarat may arrive there
under the 'protection' of guns and lathis wielded against the
agitaticnists.
The Sangharsh Yatra, at this important stage, again reiterates its
call to stop the construction and other related work about the dam
and to start for a comprehensive review of the Narmada Project in
the light of the issues, facts and principles that have emerged in
the last 5 years of the movement, and that too with the
participation of the people in the valley.
At each leg of the
Yatra we have been reiterating the call.
However, the concerned governments, be it Gujarat or Madhya
Pradesh, show abysmal lack of sensitivity and have resorted to
falsehood, cheap tactics and rhetoric along with the ’E<ig
Brotherly' repressive stance.
The Gujarat Chief Minister and his collegues tried in vain to
employ time-consuming, and of course non-genuine tactics, a mere
show of conducting a dialogue, by-passing the people's
organisations and the issues at stake. The paradox became clear
when the Gujarat government was not at all ready to discuss the
basic issues about the project. On the other hand it created a
show of dialogue through the ’purely' personal visits of its
Minister and conduits with Baba Amte.
Targetting on Baba Amte,
who has staked his life against the destructive dam, the
government tried to isolate the movement and the venerable
individual. However, both the people and Mr. Amte are aware of
this abject effort cn the part of the power holders. Ch the other
hand, the Madhya Pradesh government has repeated its pet and
laughable charges about the Andolan.
The people and organzations
all over the nation have answered these ‘challenges’ by the
minister.
Despite the chilly nights of December and hostile attitude of the
power holders, the people in the Narmada valley are firm in their
resolve.
’The more adamant the goverment becomes, the more
resolute we become.'
That's what they are saying.
If the
government tries to pit the people of Gujarat, our brethren,
against us on the border at Ferkuwa, or elsewhere, we will happily
try to converse and establish a dialogue with them; and if the
power holders - the contractors, industrialists, the commercial
interests and the state - make this impossible, we will tread the
path shown by the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, and extend
cur ncn-violent and peaceful action as the course of events may
require.
FFESS STATEMENT
29.12.90
No Possibility of Japan Giving Aid for the Sardar Sarovar
Leading environmentalist from Japan, Mr. Yukio Tanaka, today ruled
out any possibility of reconsideration of the decision by the
Japanese government to suspend the 25 billion yen loan for the
controversial Sardar Sarovar project. Mr. Tanaka who is
representing the Japanese environmental group 'Friends of the
Earth' said that the Foreign Ministry of Japan remains unconvinced
by the representations of Mr.C.C. Patel, Chairman Narmada Nigam
Ltd. The Japanese team which will be visiting India next year is
in no way related to SSP and is a regular annual general review
mission for considerations of total fiscal demands of the year, he
informed.
According to his information, barely 3 weeks ago the loan
agreements amounting to 110 billion Yen were concluded wherein
there is no mention of SSP. The Indian delegation reportedly met
very few and mostly unimportant officials, members of Parliament
(Diet) and members of the press, who were quite unimpressed by the
presentations of Mr. C.C. Patel.
The decision to suspend the aid to power component of the SSP was
taken after the Japanese government came to the conclusion that no
proper studies and plans had been made for social and
environmental effects.
The strong movement in the valley has made
it amply clear to the Japanese government that ths project was
undertaken without consulting the people or by their consent. Mr.
Tanaka and his organisation 'Friends of this Earth' were
instrumental in creating awareness in Japan about SSP, which led
to the suspension of Japanese aid eventually.
The members of the Japanese Diet will soon petition the World Bank
to withdraw from the projects, he said. Japan incidentally is the
second largest contributor to the World Bank after the USA.
Aintos 5a. ■5 to talks NARMADA DAM ISSUE
uales® govt acts Setoai©fc to Giajarat
was part of government strate
gy to defame the movement and
also to break the NBA. She said
From SAIB AL DASGUPTA
BRAVING COLD weather, the that the govt had always tried to
NANGAO (M.P.), Dec 2B. — Chief Minister's prestige was in-.
Narmada Bachao activists, led dosobymaking Amte tite centre The padyatris opposing the Nar- volved.
■
by Amte and Megha Patkar, of its overtures and completely mada project seem set to frusWhat happens, for instance, if
entered Jhabua district last eve blanking out the NBA from the irate tire Gujarat Chief Minister, the marchers opt for a sit-in for
Mr Chimanbhai Patel’s elaborate five days on the border on the
ning even as the Guj arat govern scene.
.
plans to stonewall their entry Madhya Pradesh side? Or, if a,
“The. NBA has its base from
ment began preparations for a
massive pro-Narmada rally the Satpuras to Nimad, and we from Madhya Pradesh with the section of the agitationists have'.
help of a human chain and exact already infilterated into Gujaratdraw
strength
from
the
farmers
near Farekuva on the MPGujarat border, and chief mini and tribals ofthe region. By igno political mileage out of the con- and ready to storm the heavily
frontation.
(barricaded Kevadia Colorfy, the.
ster Chimanbhai Patel asked ring us the government is trying
' For one thing, 10,000 agitation- dam site?
Amte to meet him before enter to ignore the masses of the
ists
led
by
Baba
Amte
and
These are some of the quesarea,” she said.
ing Guj arat as part of the yatra.
Swami Agnivesh are not likely to tions dogging the Gujarat Gqv-'
Patkar said the situation had
.Amte, however, has turned
enter -Gujarat at the appointed emment which has made a pre
down Patel’s offer of talks, say remained unchanged ■ since
time tomorrow when Mr Patel stige issue and involved various
ing until the government took March 1990 when an NBA reso
will be addressing .a Govern- chambers of commerce and volsome steps as decided during lution, stipulating conditions
taent-spohSored rally at Ferkuva untary organizations besides the
had been passed.
past meetings, there could be no
village on the bordertribals on the Gujarat side of the
“We had made Ulis clear to 1
furthertalks on the SardarSaroThe marchers, whose, strength border in the fight against the
Babubhai Patel in our talks' with e haS been steadily increasing anti-project activists. ,
var Project.
.
him on December 15, and he
Amte was reacting to the let
from the initial 2,500 at the startThese are some of the cautious
had assured us of a response
ter Patel sent him at Rajghat on
ing point, Barwani, in Madhya questions that the Gujarat police .
from the government within a
Tuesday after the Narmada
Pradesh since December 25, will has not been able to answer. The
week. We had told them that the
Sangharsh Yatra began.
also be joined by project-affected Gujarat Government will have to.
talks had to start before the
Amte said that during the
tribals from Maharashtra before depend on the police machinery
launch of the March. The fact
talks of the Narmada Bachao
stepping into Gujarat on Sun which has sealed the through
Andolan with farmers’ leaders
that they waited till March indi
day. By then, the human chain passes and even the jungle
would, have dissolved and pro routes along the 40 km border,
cates that the government is not
from . Gujarat and Babubhai
Narmada dam people dispersed. What is more, some ugly situa
.
serious,
”
she
alleged.
Jashubhai Patel on December
“Our plans have misfired. We tion is likely to take place, parti
Patkar added that Babubhai
15, 1990, B J Patel had assured
had met Amte once again on | have been misled by incorrect in cularly in view of the Inspectorthe NBA that the Gujarat govern
December 20, knowing full well I telligence from . the police,” General of Police, Mr P . K. Datta,.
ment would convey its reaction
that the talks vvould not yield i moaned Mr Narpatsinh Chavda, stating that the whole lot or mar
to the NBA’s conditions for nego
-iiC13, including Bab_ AmteTwill
any result as no individual had I president of the Gujarat unit of vchers,
tiations within a week. “We are
still awaiting the reaction of the
been authorised to take deci- I the Janata Dal and a protege of be arrested if they dare to set foot
Chief Minister today. He in- on Gujarat soft. •
:. •
government before we start any
sions for the valley. “Not Amte, |i tire
dicated that the Government
On. the Gujarat side, social'
fresh negotiations.” Amte told . not I; the decision making com- | I was engaged in formulating a workers and several Janata Dal.
The Independent.
mittee of the NBA is the only I I cpish alternate strategy as the leaders had organized a human
authorised body to decide.”
wall with tribals carrying bowM
Amte has also decried the
The Narmada Sangharsh
and arrows while several, volungovernment’s attempts to igno
Yatra,
which
received
tremend
;
teer and religious organizations
re the NBA, and instead call him
ous response on its launch from
have extended financial support..
as an individual toholding nego
Rajghat on December 25, conti
For instance, the Swaminarayantiations. He said this was' an
Religious Culljaday despatched
nued to make waves in the villa
attempt to create divisions
25,000 food packets-fob the. pro
ges
it
passed
through
on
its
way
within the movement and also
project tribals in seven trucks.
to the site: of the Sardar Srovar I
to defame the yatra by portray
Despite all arrangements, the
Dam in Gujarat.
ing it as stubborn.
Chief Minister’s plan to involve
The yatra which started with
He said that had already tried
the
people directly against the
2,500 persons has over 3,500
anti-project activists and whin
to initiate a dialogue will} the
persons, about half of them
up passions with the aim of dh
govt for a comprehensive
women. A large number of
verting public attention from ha
reviewoftheproject. He deman
people keep joining it as it pass
sown
political instability is libels
ded that pending the-talks and
ed through their villages. The
rg prove ftitile.
'
„
the review the govt should stop
yatra covers about 20 kilo
construction work, and the
metres everyday, after which
destruction offorests.
the participants stage cultural
Amte said there was not much
programmes sendingthe NBA’s
point in holding talks if the
message in the villages they halt
government was unwilling to
in A large numberoftribals from
fulfill the conditions.
Maharashtra are expected to
Leaderofthe NBA, Megha Pat
join the yatra at Alfrajpur on,
kar alleged that Patel’s letter.
December29.
RanvirNayar
in Kukshi
^O.
-So-
He however clarified that this,
THE , NARMADA .‘sangharsh.,
RanvirNayar 1
, did not mean that he would cafl
yatra’. reaches the mostly tribal
in Alirajpur
:
offtheyatraduelofearofviolentown of Alirajpur in Jhabua dis
tire march and it is likely to ' , ,ce. “Wlien I left Rajghat on Tues
trict ofMadhya Pradesh today. It
remain so. Yet a constant moni
day it was with a determination
will mark the halfway point in
toring of the pulse of the partici t. to carry on the struggle regard
the 250-km march to protest
pants is necessary,” Patkar said.
less of the harmful effects it
against the Sardar Sarovar Pro-.
She claijned that as a result of
might have on me,” he said.
ject across the riverNarmada.
extensive media coverage, the
“I will plead with tears to the
Alirajpur might well turn put
march
and
the
issues
behind
it
people
of Gujarat and to chief
to be the turning point in the.
had
.featured
in
the
1
public
’
s,:
minister
Chimanbhai Patel and
yatra. For it is there that the tri-.
mind like never before. Public '
ask them to listen to the voice of
bals of Maharashtra, and Guja. opinion is increasingly turning
the people of the valley,” he
ratwill join the yatra along with
: against big dams, she said, and
said. He alleged that Patel was
the representatives of various
this has put the government
trying to balkanise the country
support groups and ether non
under tremendous pressure to
on the issue. “One can have dif
governmental
organisations.
respond
to
the
situation
ferences of opinion but why
from all over the country.
immediately.
make them differences of
Meanwhile,
the' Gujarat
“
However,
a
statement
by
government, has unofficially
hearts,” he said,.adding that he
Madhya Pradesh irrigation
sealed itsbordersandprohibitowould pray that god gives the
minister. Sheetla Sahay indicachief minister sad buddhi.
ry orders under section 144
tes, Ute tough job we . have in
Amte reiterated that there
have been promulgated to prev
front of us,” Patkar said. Sahay
ent inter-state movement.
was no question of holding talks
with. Patel until he fulfilled the
However, 3,000’ tribals from : had in a press conference on
Wednesday raised questions
Maharashtra entered Madhya
three conditions set by the ando
about
the
the
presence
of
“
outsi
Pradesh through Gujarat. Bus,
lan and conveyed to the govern
ders
”
in
the
march.
services
between
Madhya
ment on December 13. He said it
Baba Amte, who has been one
Pradesh and Gujarat are being
was clear that the government
of tire moving forces behind the
suspended.
was not keen or. serious about I
Four journalists, including j march, said the media’s covera
negotiations. The three condi
•this correspondent,1 were ' ge of the yatra had been dis
tions were aimed at ensuring
detained by the iGujarat.. torted. Amte, who turned!?? on
that no irreversible changes
authorities for 90 minutes-^md i Wednesday, said, “The- best j occur in the valley while the
birthday gift I can receive is per- _ talks are going on, he said. The
questioned.
'' . '-'™
conditions are the stoppage of
According to the leader of Hie ; haps fair coverage from the
media.
' all construction in Lite valley,
Narmada Bachao Andolan, • Amte,. a Magsaysay award . the suspension of acquisition of
Medha Patkar, over 1,000 per
winner, celebrated his birthday
land and a halt to deforestation
sons are expected, to join the
along with 3,300 yatris at a. small
march at Alirajpur. These inclu
for either rehabilitation or as a .
village called Kukshi in Dhar
result ofsubmergence.
de tribals from 33 villages of
district. He told The Independent
Dhulia district in Maharashtra
The struggle is an expression
that
he
had
been
accused
by
the
who will be displaced as a result
of the anger of the people of the
press of being an “agent of fore
of
submergence.
Besides,
valley hut the Gujarat govern
ign agencies bent upon destroy
people affected by canal pro
ment has opted to behave like
ing the country” and even hav
jects in Gujarat will also be join
an ostrich and ignore the move
ing accepted money from these
ment. Amte said that henceforth
ingin.
;
agencies. In reality, he said, he
The Shoshit Jan Andolan
development should be based
hat) refused to accept various
representing the tribals and the
on the theme of “sufficiency for
international avyards presented
dalits of Maharashtra, the Graall before there is superfluity for
moday Chetana Mandal of
to him. “The fact that 1 did not go . some.” The andolan is a symboBastair . district of Madhya
abroad to, accept these awards . lie struggle in that direction and
Pradesh, Sahyog, a platform of
should be enough to silence my ’ questions development models
various tribal movements all
critics., However, the press
where the right to life and the
over the country, and some
refuses,to see these things and . basic peedsofpcqple is denied.
organisations, froth Gujarat,
instead toes the line propagated
On the peppular support for
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and
by some politicians,” he saidthe dam in Gujarat, Amte said it
Rajasthan will take part in the.
Amteruled outthe chance ofa , was very easy to “hypnotise the
confrontation between antirf pqblic.’l He referred to.the Babri j
protest.
The agenda at Alirajpur will
and pro-dam activists when the, Masjid-Ram
......
... ......
Janmabhoomi
include a press conference and' yatra enters Gujarat. “I. woulcT issue and said,, “Weren’t the
a general meeting in the even
rather die than see a confronta- people hypnotised by the rath
ing followed by-a night-long
tion between people,?,,he said
yatra? In its greed for the giant
appraisal of the march by the
adding, “after Hying to, Knit the size, [he government has creatvarious participating organisa icountry by my Bharat jodo yatra . ed a monster that is threatening
tions. “The morale of the people
I would rather n.oi s^e,,people to get out of tbeir own hands,”
has been quite high throughout
fightjngqverthisissuq<?|
,. * hesaid; ,,
,
,
NPRMADA BAQ-iAO ANDOLAN at Chandpur, M.P.
PRESS FELEASE
30-12-1990
Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra Reaches Gujarat Boundary:.
Qaiarat Government Demonstrates Maneypcwer.
The Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra reached Chandpur near the Gujarat
border co New Year's Eve on the seventh day since the start of ttie
Yatra. The Yatra started from Rajghat near Badwani in Khargone
District of Madhya Pradesh on December 25.
Yesterday the tribals from Akrani and Akkalkuva tehsils of Dh.de
District of Maharashtra joined the rally here'by the thousands,
braving a 200-km walk over the hilly tracts of the Satpudas,
following Gujarat police's atrocious attempts to prevent them from
crossing Gujarat to Alirajpur which would have been a shorter way.
The people of Alirajpur gave a rousing reception to the Jan Vikas
Sangharsh Yatra as it entered here in the morning yesterday.
Local tribals and others danced and beat drums and cymbols on the
occasion and threw gulal in a tumultuous welcome.
Later in the afternoon, the tribals from Dhule, Dhar and Jhabua
arrived in the town from another end, dancing, singing and
shouting slogans.
In the evening addressing the meeting at the Club Ground, the
leader of Narmiada Bachao Andolan, Ms. Medha Patkar said, "It
appears that the Gujarat Govemment is bent on not allowing the
Yatra to ledge even a democratic protest.
But despite all
provocation, the protest will be peaceful."
Meanwhile, the ranks of the Narmada Samarpit Dal swelled to over
60, with the induction of more persons cn the way.
In another event, representatives of tribals from all over India,
braving a cold wave in Northern India, began a dhama near
Rashtrapati Bhavan (in New Delhi).
Yesterday, they submitted a
memorandum to President R. Venkataraman.
During the discussions
with the President, it is learnt that the President has desired
lowering of the height of the dam.
The former Union Minister for
Social Welfare, Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan urged the government to
reconsider and review Sardar Sarovar Project.
On the Gujarat side, the State Government and the Chamber of
Commerce deployed thousands of police and more than 500 luxury
buses were mobilised to bring in about 30,000 people to attend the
Narmada Samarthan Rally.
The speeches made including that of the
Chief Minister, Mr. Chimanbhai Patel, were vengeful and abusive on
the Sangharsh Yatra leaders.
Rumours were being spread that Swami '
Agnivesh had gone underground, while it was a fact that he is in
Delhi for the tribal rally there. Gujarat State Cooperative
Federation has openly advertised misinformation against the anti
dam struggle in the print media in Gujarat.
However, it has been reported that people who participated in the
sponsored rally at Ferkuwa in Bajarat yesterday, which was
addressed by the Gujarat Chief Minister, have left for their tomes
despite promises that they would stay behind.
UNDETTERED by the rumbl
. RanvirNayar in Alirajpur (MP) and
ings of the juggernaut that was
Nachiketa Desai in Ferkuva (Gujarat)
set rolling by the Gujarat
An estimated 50,000 people
thundered at the Frekuva rally,
government on Saturday, over
calling names to eminent sopidj
7,000 anti-Narmada dam mar • were brought for tire rally from
chers inched their way towards different parts of the state in
worker Baba Amte and Nar
the Gujarat border in a determi government vehicles, luxury mada activist Medha PatkatVmAlirajpur, about 50 km aWJfc
ned attempt to halt the work on buses and trucks of private con
the mulli-crore-rupee Sardar tractors. Special pandals and
over 7,000villagers, mostly halftents were set up by charitable
clad tribals, moved through tine
Sarovar Project.
Gun-totting policemen took organisations where free food
main streets chanting slogans
positions along the 40-km-!ong was provided to the pro-dam and anti-dam songs.
border as Gujarat chief minister rallyists.
The contrast between the pro
The rally, which was later to dam rallyists at Ferkuva and the
Chimanbhai Patel, the selfstyled general of the Sardar be converted into a chain to pre anti-dam marchers collected at
Sarovar Sena, cried halt to the vent the anti-Narmada dam Alirajpur was striking. While
marchers from the pulpit of a marchers from entering Guja the pro-dam rallyists displayed
massive rally held at Ferkuva, rat, dispersed by 5 prn, though colourful linens, wore shoes
the organisers wanted the parti and other footwears, the anti
barely a kilometre away from
cipants to stay on for the next dam marchers were mostly tri
the Madhya Pradesh border.
couple of days. The task of pro bals who had walked bare-fee!
The rally, organised jointly by
tecting the border was left solely for 200 km in a hostile terrain,
the Gujarat government and
to the police who stopped even sleeping in the open, braving
various voluntary, social and
the regular commuters from the cold.
religious organisations, was
coming into Gujarat from the
intended to sound a warning to
There was lots of merrymak
other side, causing total disrup ing among the pro-dam rallyists
the marchers of the dire con
sequence they would faceifthey
tion of the traffic between the but no enthusiasm. The antidared.‘cross over the Gujarat
two states.
da'm villagers, on the other
Even as speaker after speaker hand, were greeted with gulal
border.
$tLtA.cJj.AAl' - $0 cfyte
J
oy the people of Alirajpur when
they entered the township on
Saturday morning.
Street plays, corner-meetings
and posters had already set the
mood at Alirajpur where anti
dam activists addressed a
public meeting in thejtvening.
Narration of woeful lares by the
tribals who had refused to aban
don their homes to make way
for the gigantic reservoir of the
Sardar Sarovar Project alonf
with a sprinkling of folk song:
and dances touched the heart:
of the peopie of Alirajpur.
Reports of massive mobilisalionof forces—policeand other
wise — have caused concern tc
the anti-dam activists who have
pledged to abide by non
violence. “We don't want a con
fronlatlon with the people o
Gujarat. Al the same time, w<
want to make them realise th<
plight of the tribals who wouli
be uprooted by the Sardar- Saro
var Project," said Medha
____________________
i
The Times of India News Service could prove dangerous. Dr Sharma
*-35-
also wrote to the Prime Minister, Mr
Chandra Shekhar, yesterday and bad
/[EMBERS of .the Narmada- talked to the president.
‘‘We plan to remain peaccftii," the
'IvJlBachao Andoian’ have cxrepresentatives in the Capi
presqed serious concern over the andoian
tal. reiterated today. Those who have,
recent developments reported returned from the yatra to the Capital
■ from the borders of Gujarilt At a .include Mr Dashiath Patil jtnd
.news conference here today, Mr Swami Agnivesb.
A PTS report from Chandpur in
Ssnitu Kothari,, an activist who
• jhae . returned
from
the. Jhabua district says that tribals from
,j4iSahgiarsh..-yaim”-»io Saijdar-' Maltamslliira.iVT- mainly...from tho
rfSariyvar, said the andoian mem- Sardar Sarovar'project — affected
■-.i5ere were'wondering' why the areas of Dhule district, today joined’
the anti-Narmada Yatra as it reached
> Gujarat
government
was Chandpur, close to the M.P.-Gujarat
i mobilising a force to confront the’ . border,' during the course of its
1'j>eac«?il “yatris” when they at- . journey to the Narmada dam site.
t£n)pt .to enter the state tomor- i
Hundreds of tribals from Akrani
i and. Akkalkuva villages walked over
TOW,
!
200
kms in the hilly tracts of Satpuda.
■ > Dr B.' D. Sharma, the com, missioncr for scheduled castes and I The tribals changed their routes ecv' scheduled tribes, who is also as j eral times to escape the police posts
sociated with the anti-Sardar Sarovar ; set up by the Gqjarat police on the
darn movement, raid he had talked to | M.P.-Gujarat border.
the Gujarat chiefminister, Mr Ciiim- , Addressing a rally of tribals at
banbhai Patel, this morning' to Alirajpur last night, the andoian
presuade him to listen to the people. leader Medha Patkar, said the Gu
. Mr Patel reportedly told Dr jarat government was bent upon not
Sharua that he was willing to talk to allowing the tribals to lodge a demo
the people, but the work on the dam cratic protest
wpuld go on. The “Saughsreha
; Yatra,” undertaken by those who
oppose tlie Sardar Sarovar project I
(SSP) and all mega dams, is sched
uled to reach the SSP site tomorrow
evening to attempt to stop all con
struction work and demand a com
mi ©J cJrtr/uitplete and comprehensive review of
the'project by the government.
Dr Sharma had also wrote a letter
to Mr Patel today in which he said
c&ec
entire families were marchng to the
dam aqd any conflict with the police
NEW DELHI,.Dec. 30.
l.
> 3$
SHAILF.NDRA YASHWANT
DINKAR PANDYA
AHMEDABAD, DEC 30
THE will of the people of Gujarat
to go ahead with the Narmada
project
was
forcefully
demonstrated at a massive rally,
attended by over a lakh people,
at the border village of Ferkuva
yesterday,- even as Baba amte
threatened , to form “dive and
die” squads to stop the project.
Baba Amte gave this call at
Alirajpur, a town in Madhya
Pradesh about 30 km away from
Gujarat border while leading
the "sanghursh yatra”, against
the Sardar Sarover project, to
the dam site.
The massive rally, organised
jointly by the state government
and various voluntary, social
and religious organisations, re
solved to form a human chain
at the border to prevent the
marchers from entering tjie
state. The rally was addressed
by chief minister Chiinanbhai
Patel, former chief minister and
Cong
leader
Amarsinh
Chaudhary, BJP leader and
leader of the opposition in the
state Keshubhai Patel, Adivasi
leader Harivallabh Parikh, for
mer ministers Sanat Mehta, state
Janata Dal president Narpatsinh
Chavda and religious leader
Swami Sachhidanand .•
The speakers at the rally
lashed out at the anti-Narmada. were for the stoppage of the
activists, charging that they were work on the dam and. the review
thwarting the. progress of of the entire project'.;
Gujarat and also of the country.
Talking
to , newsmen
at
In the name of environment, Alirtypur, where ,, the antisome of the elements who had Narmada marchers were halting,
financial backing from foreign they declared that the Sardar
countries, were playing the game Sarovar project had become a
of these nations to keep India symbol of the lopsided develop
in a slate of backwardness.
ment policies • adopted . in . the
Expressing the. state govern country.
. .
ment’s resolve, chief minister
Baba Amte declared that he
Chimanbhai Patel declared that would continue his journey to
there would be no compromise wards the dam site in Gujarat
on construction of the dam or despite all- the hurdles' put up
on the question of lowering its by the Gujarat government.
height or even reviewing the
The
“Narmada
bachao
entire project in any way.
However, Mr Patel offered to . andolan”- rally led by these two
talk with anyone on the issues leaders is likely to reach Gujarat
of rehabilitation, afforestation border either by Sunday night
or environmental protection, or by Monday morning. For
despite the fact that “ no where obvious ' reasons, the antiin the world has such detailed Narmada leaders have continu
and liberal envirnmental and ously 'changed their schedule
rehabilitation programmes been on their entry into Gujarat.
First it had been declared that
worked out”.
Mounting frontal attack on they would cross the border on
the anti-Narmada lobbyist, par December 31, which was later
ticularly against Baba Amte, he changed to December 29, and
said that it would sin to call now it is again on Monday,
him either a baba or a saint. December 31, they are likely to
The chief minister asked, “why cross the border.
had he kept quiet when hunderds
Though people of Gujarat are
of dams, large and small, were preparing to form a human
being built throughout the .coun chain to prevent the Baba and
try? Is it because Baba'Amte his supporters, police has vir
cannot see Gujarat making prog- tually sealed the state border
with Madhya Pradesh to avoid
Meanwhile, Baba Amte - and any unwanted incident between
Medha Patkar declared that they the two hostile camps.□/
A 2,000-strong contingent of
me obvious when over4,000 tri
Nachiketa Desai in Ferkuva and
arined policemen took charge
bals joined the marchers from
RanvirNayarin Alirajpur
of the Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh
Alirajpur, a day before the
border outpost yesterday even
On the other side, the Gujarat
Hasmukh Amin who identified D-day.
as the anli-Narmada dam mar government was flexing its
himself as the brother of Guja
The
20,000-strong
chers were all set to enter Guja muscles. However, there was a
rat urban development mini government-sponsored rally,
rat today.
visible softening of attitude by
ster Narhari Amin, a close confi addressed by the chief minister
dant ofChimanbhai Patel.
Unprovoked by the sabre- tiie chief minister who asked
on Saturday, having dispersed
Intelligence and civil officials the venue, seemed like a wai*
rattling exercise enacted here the people to stay calm.
The
panic
was
visible
on
the
were
sent
to
the
satyagrahis
’
by Gujarat chief minister Chifront on Sunday with scores of
camps disguised as journalists tents pitched up for about 2,000
manbhai Patel on Saturday, Gujarat side as the marchers,
to find out tire marchers’ plans armed policemen.
over 1,000 anti-dam satyagrahis accompanied by eminent social
even as the Gujarat government
set up camps on the banks of a worker Baba Anile and activist
The slate authorities said the
rivulet at Chandpur village, Medha Patkar, set offfrom Alira
contemplated police action.
pro-dam activists would not be
about 2 km from the border jpur on the last leg of their trek.
The chief minister's call to the placed at least within 1.5 km
checkpost.
Gujarat director-general of people of Gujarat to organise a from the border to stop the mar
As the yatxa entered its sixth police BSN'arula himself under
human chain to halt the mar chers as prohibitory orders
day, hectic activity was seen on took a reconnaissance mission chers found no buyers. Even were in force in that area. A
both sides with Gujarat police even asmountedpolicemen gal months of efforts by a dozen senior police officer however
sealing off the border. The yatra loped around the main road and
odd voluntary organisations said, “We will bash them up pro
continued from Alirajpur and in fields sending villagers and several chambers of com perly if they enter our state.”
covered 14 km by afternoon and helter-skelter.
merce wltich raised Rs 3 crore
Meanwhile, the state govern
stopped at Chandpur.
A mob of about 300 youths for the counter-satyagraha ment turned down a request
The marchers were enthusi roughed up people who had came a cropper.
from the police to declare Baba
astic-about the likely scenario come from the Madhya Pradesh
The anti-dam activists, on the Amte, Medha Patkar and eight
on Monday. “We are willing to
side and hurled vulgar epithets. other hand, won the first round others of the Narmada Bachao
brave both lathis and bullets, They did not even spare newsm by evoking mass sympathy for Aqdolan as persona non grata.
but we will enter Gujarat at any en who ventured to enter their cause among the tribals
Patkar said the- Andolan
cost,” said a Viiali tribal from Gujarat.
hailing from the border villages would finalise its strategy this
The youths were led by one of Madhya Pradesh. This beca morning.
Maharastra.
C/Vvckw-ly
ai tW,' do
io protect Narmada at any cost. They
Express News Service
have themself become barricades on
KEVADIA (Bharuch), Dec. 30.
all roads leadingto Narmada dam.
/ Sardar Sarovar dam project area
Broach district Kisan Sangathan
has turned into an impregnable leaders Mangalbhai Patel, Labhcitadel for any outside element to shankar Upadhyay and Bhailal Patel
* encroach inside the dam area, said told newspersons earlier at Rajpipla
Mr. Prem Kumar Taneja, Broach that if needed over one lakh more
district collector, at Kevadia on farmers were ready on their iocs to
Saturday night.
start towards Kevadia in their respec
Talking to a team of newsmen
from Broach city, Mr. Taneja said tive villages.
More and more people arc des
that all the strategic loop-pointe have
cending in the area as if it was a
fbccn plugged with a strong security
major pilgrimage place.
points. Besides the people from all
Women’s organisations from dis
comers of the State have thronged
round the dam site making a human trict have come to prepare food
packets for the volunteers. Mr.
chain.
A strong bandobast to prevent any Chandrakant Amin, eminent worker
attempt to stop the continuous work of GNFC, was also at the site.
Meanwhile, resident deputy col
ring of the construction of dam is
assured. Law and order machinery is . lector has declared ban on holding or
,on a stand to in all directions sealing moving wit’n lethal weapons, explo
sive missiles' etc. till Tuesday.
the total area.
CHANDPUR, (Jtobua) (PTI):
Though there was no announceTribals from Maharashtra, mainly
.ment of any anti-dam programme
from Baba Amte and his associates, from the Sardar Sarovar project
. no chance is taken in view of his loud affected areas of Dhule district, to
proclamation to stake his life to stop day joined the anti-Narmada yatra as
•dam work to save and preserve what it reached Chandpur, close to (he
M.P.-Gujarat border, during’ the
he considered the environment.
Moreover, Mr. Taneja said people course of its journey to the Narmada
have come in a big number to fortify Dam site.
Hundreds of tribals from Akrani
total dam area to resist whatever
attempt by Baba Amte, peacefully and Akkalkuva villages walked over
yet firmly, their resistance will re 200 km in the hilly tracts of Satpuda.
main non-violent through, the admi The tribals changed their routes
nistration is prepared to meet any several times to escape police posts
eventuality in case ‘intruders’ take ; set up by the Gujarat police on the
recourse to violence.
i MP-Gujarat border.
Addressing a rally of tribals at
The district police superintendent j
Anup Kumar Singh told newspersons , Alirajpur last night, andolan leader
that possible entry points at Vagadia, > Medha Patkar said the Gujarat Gov
Thavadia, Bhomalia and Mokhadii ernment has bent upon not allowing
villages, the camps are set up by the the tribals even to lodge a democratic
people who have become an invinci projects.
Andolan leaders from various
ble wall round the dam site. People'
■ of Wadgam have also joined the parts of the country also addressed
the
tribals.
crusade, Mr. Singh said, .
Meanwhile, an andolan spokeA
Newspersons watched the youths
men, women and aged villagers rais- man said in a statement, that Swan))
I ing pro-Narmada slogans. They exhi- Agnivesh was .in Delhi.
I bited the spirit of sacrificing their life
hWPDA BACHAO ANDOLAN AND SAHAYGG
C/o B-5 M.S. Flats,
Baba Kharag Singh Marg,
New Delhi.
31 December 1990.
FF£SS RF1 FOSE
400 representatives of tribal organisations from all over the
country met the Prime Minister, Shri Chandra Shekhar, at his
residence this morning.
They collectively raised the concern
regarding the impending confrontation in the Narmada Valley caused
by the Gujarat Chief Minister, Shri Chimanbhai Patel, who has
attempted to create a human wall comprising of police barricades
arid thousands of mobilised people. Attention was also drawn to
the demands of the Sangharsh Yatra in which affected people of the
three States of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and
representatives of organisations from all over the country are
participating.
This Yatra is currently at the Madhya PradeshGujarat border where it has been stopped by the police barricades.
The Prime Minister was also appraised of the fact that for almost
a year all the efforts by the Narmada Bachao Andolan to secure a
dialogue with the Gujarat and the Central Government have yielded
no response.
It may be recalled that the ex-Prime Minister, Shri
V.P. Smgh had in May assured the Andolan that a dialogue would
he initiated as soon as possible.
Detailed letters outlining the
impending negative social, economic and environmental consequences
of the Sardar Sarovar Project have also been presented to the
Prime Minister, the Chief Minister of Gujarat and the President of
India.
The basic issues which have been raised in these representations
relate to the right to life of the people particularly of the
members of Scheduled Tribes who comprise the most vulnerable
sections of cur community.
The responsibility for protecting
their interests and advancing their welfare has been cast on the
Union Government and the Governors as its representatives.
It is
in this context that the attention of the President was drawn to
the unfortunate situation where a reign of terror has been created
by the Gujarat administration and the people have been denied
their rightful protection.
The powers of the Central Government
under Article 339 of the Constitution should be invoked in this
situation because the ultimate responsibility for the protection
of the tribal people under the Constitution rests with the
Government of India.
The President expressed his sympathy for the
cause and suggested that the matter should be taken up with the
Prime Minister.
He also had promised to speak to him.
The Prime Minister appreciated the problems faced by the people.
Oh the Narmada issue he assured them that he would speak to the
Chief Minister regarding the need to avoid a confrontation. He
also stated that he would speak to the Chief Minister regarding
the modalities of initiating a dialogue with representatives of
the affected people.
In view of the emerging situation of tension involving basic human
concerns on the Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh border, an observer team on
behalf of members of Parliament and the tribal organisations left
for Gujarat this evening for an on-the-spot enquiry.
NAFMADA BACHACJ ANDULAN at Ferkuwa, M.P.-Gujarat border.
FFESS NOTE
January 1, 1991.
The new year dawned on the over six thousand adivasis, farmers and
activists after one of the coldest nights of the year. As people
must Feve revelled in five star hotels to bring in the new year,
the Sangharsh Yatris, undeterred, spent their seventh night at the
border in open fields with a renewed resolve to fulfill their
objective of reaching the da<m site.
Today, people are continuing their 40-hour dhama anncunced
yesterday to seek a dialogue with the? people of Gujarat and the
government.
However, the nature of reporting by the Gujarat press
on yesterday's events has dismayed tine *andolankartas' by its
distortion and falsehood, raising doubts about yesterday's promise
by the Gujarat people to engage in a dialogue at the end of the
dhama at 10 a.m. tomorrow (2nd Jan.)
The nature of activities across the border also seem to suggest
that the Gujarat government is keen on instigating a clash between
the people of the two states.
Whereas the andolankartas are
prepared to face the consequences of breaking section 144
restrictions and the massive police force, they are still
restrained and seeking a way cut from a direct clash with the
people.
The Gujarat police also seem to te getting frustrated, and,
without anyone to beat, they looted the fields of a farmer on the
M.P. border of his standing crop of chana.
The farmer came to
complain to us and we have reported the matter to the Chandrapur
police.
It is a portent of the itch of the Gujarat police perhaps
for getting their guns, lathis and hands working co the poor
adivasis and farmers of the Yatra.
An observers' delegation of six persons, headed by the Member of
Parliament P.S. Turkey, visited the site today to assess the
situation.
They found the Gujarat side teeming with thousands of
policemen and heavy governmental bandobast that included five
shamianas filled with comfortable ’gaddis', pillows, however
totally empty. On being queried by the delegation, the Baroda
Collcector reportedly accepted that all such arrangements,
including the transport of people from and to the site was being
arranged by the government and also funded by it.
On the seventh day of the Yatra, the people are steadfast and
continue to be resolved to fulfill their objective of expressing
their anger on the anti-people developmental policies in the
country through the symbolic action of reaching the dam site.
Unlike the government sponsored ’commuting' group on the other
side, the andolankartas are prepared to fight on throughout the
entire cold winter, if required.
vTiV
•'iR-;,;-.
’
ANO
OOCU NOTATION
'V/'v
"\ (A
> f/ r y
Go back, Amte told
However, the pro-Narmada ac
Tension prevailed with the Baba
entering the Gujarat border from tivists greeted the arrival of Baba
Chandpur in Madhya Pradesh this Amte and his group with shouts and
FERKUVA (Baroda District),
morning. He wanted to address the slogans telling him to go back. They
December 31.
pro-Narmada rallyists on the other sang bhtyans and songs conveying to
the Baba and his group that they
HOUSANDS
of
pro side of the bridge.
When he reached the barricade would not allow the stoppage of the
Narmada activists continued
Narmada dam construction.
to range against Baba Amte’s after a short walk, the district
Mrs Urmilaben Patel, the wife of
group across the Ferkuva bridge
the chief minister, Mr Chimanbhai
> See Edit: Lift Ban
here today, though he was allow
Patel, the Gujarat Panchayat and
On Protest, Page 12
forest minister, Mr Naransinh
ed to address them at this border
village, about 150 kms from authorities allegedly prevented him Rathwa, several other VIPs and
and his supporters from proceeding thousands of pro-Narmada rallyists'
Baroda.
In the meantime, Baba Amte’s although he said he wanted to present squatted on either side of the bridgei
with a firm resolve to prevent the
group continued to stage a sit-in here his case before them.
However, he was told that it was entry of Baba Amte and his group.
and is yet to finalise its programme.
The huge pro-Narmada crowd, not advisable to address them as the
The large number of women sang
hardly 200 feet away from Baba Amte mood of the pro-Narmada rallyists bhajans and songs criticising Baba
and his group, have resolved to offer might create a law and order prob Amte for his role on this issue and
a peaceful satyagraha till Baba Amte lem.
urging him to concentrate on the
The Babs continued to plead his more burning problems of the conn-,
returned to camp.
both the groups are ready for a case, saying he has “affection and try.
When the collector refused to allow^
showdown and the authorities have love for the people of Gujarat and he
managed to avoid a confrontation would plead his case before them
I3al^£-?.ddTtr^HrpTZFNarmada
with tears in his eyes”.
'rally, he went back to his ambulance,
between them.
insisting that he would sit there till he
was allowed to address them.
The Baba said he would die for the
cause and would not budge on the
issue. The pro-Narmada activists
continued to raise their voices telling
the Baba to go back.
■ The Gajaratpolice fiad creatThey said the Narmada was their
ed a no-man’s Sand extending
lifeline and they would not allow
upto .1,5
Kms irojn
Ironi'tiie
.
• •';ic :• 6 >> .. •■ upiu
i.□ iuds
ipe border
aoraer
anybody to interfere with it. The
A TYliTP*
keeping at bay a 2,COO-strong
Baba then consulted his aides about
J.iv_OXXjypX lJ crowd brought :by. the.govenk
how to cope with the unexpected
. ment, religious and.coxnraercisituation.
a al organisations.-'
v
The Baba said he had not brought
« PTI reports: Baba Amte, who
a microphone with him, or he would
arrived from"•• Chandpur in
have addressed them. The tension
RanvirNayar
escalated with both sides remaining
MadhyaJ^radesh on the last lap
■ 'in Ferkuva
adamant. This situation continued
\ of the . anU^^amada '-paarch,
for several hours.
THE ANTI-NARMADA -' dani stayed ' here/persistirig he
TO1NS reports from New Delhi
marchers postponed their entry- would not leave the place until
that the Prime Minister Mr Chandra
into Gujarat" and began a he met the pro-Narmada activ
Shekhar,
today assured some rep
40-hour dharna here yeste/dayy ists directly. ,
resentatives of the anti-Sardar
The pro-Narihada activists;
preparings 'for - 'a""tmajor
Sarovar dam project that he would
who greeted Baba Amte with
confrontation;- ’
-r
pursuade the Gujarat chief minister,
and raised slogans against
—*'A^'pro-dani;,-demoiistration- jeers
,
Mr Chimanbhai Patel, to initiate a
‘
....... on&he
wasavei^edfollowinginterven- him/yyeresquatting
dialogue with the people affected by
tlonsfrom ;the primeTinnister*s Bhqrdhpriverbridge.
the project. He, however, refused to
office (PMO), The' Gujarat
review the project al this stage.
government softened its stand,
This was disclosed at a press con
apparently'.afie/;di^pphbhe:
ference today by Dr B. D. Sharma,
call from the PMO fo phief mini
the commissioner for scheduled
ster Chimanbhai Patef'.to 'Allow
castes and scheduled tribes and Mr
Smitu
Kothari, an activist of the.
eminent , 'social., worker- Baba
Narmada Bachao Andolan.
Amte to enter - Gujaratz and
They said Mr Shekhar also assured
address supporters of the Sar
the representatives that he would
dar SarvodarprojectfSSP).- ,
persuade
Mr Patel not to take re
Amte appealed for a’fp'bople;
course to any sort of confrontation
to people” dialogueph^tfieiSause
with the anti-Sarovar project ac
and benefit oftheSSEyjjhlch was
tivists.
turned down" by the' pro-dam
Mr Patel had announced last week
demonstrators on the groinid
that he would build a human wall by
that the atmosphere was hot
oa
mobilising over 100,000 people along j
conducive for such aii exercise.
the Gujarat-MP border so that the
Narmada Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yalra
' Tension, had started building
activists
were unable to reach the
up since early Monday morning
dam,
they alleged.
when over 1O,Q0O anti?daminar
They said the Sangharash Yatra,
chers left .Chahdpprr.thejr last
which started on December 25 from
stop in Madhya/.Pradesh,; to,
Vidvani in MP, had been stopped at
reach the heavily-Tjarricadeil
the MP-Gujarat border by a large
Gujarat border barely 4 Kms
police force posted by the chief minis
away.
OLST
ter. The latter, they said, had spread
the rumour that the Sangharsh Yatra
activists would destroy the dam.
By ^HAILESH PANDYA
The Times of India News Service
T
. Tensioji as
1 J
' Il
4
Tivncs
4
d. Tom . A I
-40-
Antjjtaffl activists’ 40“fiwiii!r satyagraha
-4iv-
FERKVjA (Baroda), Deo. 31:
A day oB high! drama on the
Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh border
ended with anti-Narmada activists
announcing a 40-hour satyagraha
to give time to the Gujarat au
thorities to initiate dialogue on
the Sardar Saros ar issue and tho
social worker. Baba Amte. who
was taunted when he crossed the
border to address the supporters
of the dam. issuing an emotional
address to the people of Gujarat
to realise the plight of people
living in the valley.
About five thousand tribals and
ant' "’armada activists, who had
sta
their march from Barwani
in Madhya Pradesh on Christmas.
arrived at the border this morning
but refrained from crossing over
to Gujarat. Instead, they sent
Baba Amte and a 10-man delega
tion across the border to initiate
dialogue with representatives of
rhe pro-dam supporters who had
formed a "human chain” about
500 metres inside the border to
prevent the entry of marchers.
Tension mounted on either side
as Baba Amte. who remained in
his specially designed bus. was
greeted with slogans like “Amte.
go back" by the pro-Narmada
supporters who turned out in
large numbers. After Amte ar
rived inside the border, where
prohibitory orders had been im
posed by the Gujarat govern
ment. the issue seemed deadlock
ed as he was not allowed by the
authorities to reach near the hu
man chain’. But after almost five
hours wait, he prevailed on the
administration to allow' him to
greet the people of Gujarat a
happy new year and not to be
apprehensive about the intentions
of oustees from the valley.
The stalemate, however, re
mained even at the end of the day
as the Sardar Sarov ar supporters
could not give a fixed time-frame
within which the dialogue would
be held on the Narmada issue.
The anti-Naymada activists, at a
core group meeting held after
Baba Amte addressed the 'human
chain' decided to launch a 40-hour
satyagraha from 4.30 p.m. and
wait till 8.30 a.m. on Wednesday
for a response from the govern
ment and pro-Narmada groups.
Collector of Baroda district
Tapan Ray conducted hectic par
leys with Amte and the supporters
of the dam managed to defuse the
tension by letting the tempers.
which were quite frayed in the
morning, to cool down by even
ing. Things reached quite a flash
point when Baba Amte refused to
accept food sent to him and his
delegation'by the dam supporters.
He insisted that he would have
food only if he was allowed to sit
with the people of Gujarat rather
than being given food in his bus.
‘‘This is not the hospitality that 1
expected from the people of Gu
jarat" he said.
Later in a brief seven-minute
speech to the dam supporters, he
said: ”1 am hungry and thirsty not
for food and water but for the
love and affection of the people of
Gujarat". He said when he first
visited Kutch and Saurashtra
several years ago. he had strongly
supported the plan for bringing
the Narmada water to these re
gions. But it is the brute hunger
for size that is reflected in the
Sardar Sarovar dam that I am
opposed to There are other ways
of taking Narmada water to the
thirst
lands of Kutch
and
Saurashtra".
He said the dam idea should be
reviewed because it was also a
case of a "fight between greed
and need". He said even Mahat
ma Gandhi would have agreed
with the point of view of the
people living in the valley whose
lands were to be submerged. "1
have come here to you to show
my plight and not to fight with
you", he said in an emotion
choked voice.
There was. however, no re
sponse from the dam supporters
when Amte put forth a proposal
stating Tfiat the people for and
against the Sardar Sarovar project
could start a dialogue to thrash
out the issues. No minister or
important politician was present
at the spot to represent on behalf
of the government or the dam
supporters. Suren Chokse. the
president of Central Gujarat
Chamber 'of Commerce, told
Baba Amte: "We have listened to
your proposal and accepted your
New Year greetings, now I feel
you should go back and let the
right kind of atmosphere to be
created for talks".
When Baba Amte insisted that
a time-frame and the modalities
for the proposed talks be decided
on rhe spot. Chokse told him:
"Our people are in a very nasty
mood today. You must go back
and w ait for our response to your
proposal".
A meeting of the anti-Narmada
activ ists was held immediately af
ter Baba Amte's address to the
dam supporters. The meeting
attended, among others, by Ms
Medha Patkar and Mr. Ashtsh
Kothari observed that there had
1
9/
not been any positive response
from the other side. "We have
still decided to give them the
benefit of doubt and wait for -lU
hours before taking any action".
Ms. Patkar said.
While the dam supporters and
the Gujarat government were
seemingly willing to hold talks
with Baba Amte. they were not
reorganising the Narmada Bachao
Andolan which was spearheading
the agitation. She said. "This is
gross insult to a people’s move
ment".
The anti-Narmada activists said
they would announce their future
course of action at 10 a m. on
Wednesday, before commencing
the march from Chandpur to the
Gujarat border this morning.
Baba Amte clarified to newsmen
that the marchers had no inten
tion to damage the Sardar Sarovar
dam. While the Gujarat govern
ment had agreed only to discuss
the implementation of the rehabi
litation scheme and afforestation
plans, the Andolan wanted a com
plete review of the project
The marchers arrived at the
Gujarat border covering the three
kilometre distance in about 45
minutes.
Ms. Patkar told the marchers it
was unfortunate that the people of
Gujarat had been led to believe
that the movement was directed
against the state. "How can we be
against Gujarat when the project
itself is sponsored by four states".
she said. The government had
tried to avoid a dialogue on the
subject all these years and this
was the reason why the people
from the valley had to march to
Gujarat to put across their point
of view, she said. /
From Yuba raj Ghimire
said, “I will not go ba^Junt11fjp
meet the people of Gujarat to
present my case,”reports PTi]
All-party rally: The first all-arty
rally to involve the people
against the anti-darn move was
organised at Ferukva, 160 km
from here, on Saturday. It ended
with the crowd yelling that no
matter whatever step Baba
Amte took," we will ensure that
the dam is constructed". About
200 buses of the state transport
corporation were used by the
administration to take people to
the Ferukva rally in order to
show that they were totally in
volved in the movement for the
project.
The chief minister announced
on the occasion that-he had a
detailed discussion with the
Prime Minister, Mr Chandra Gujarat chief minister Chimanbhai IPzitel addressing a pro__
Shekhar, who had assured him
that there was no move io recon Narmada rally at Ferkuva in Gujarat ma Sunday. PTE
if the Gujarat government went sider or review the project.
dam and its hydel power and
The project is to be completed canal network.
ahead with rhe Narmada Sagar
project, came out with a mod by 2,000 AD if everything goes
Gujarat appears so committed
ified threat that he would form right. The Planning Commission
to the project that even the
“suicide squads” which will had cleared the projec' last
noted Gandhian, Chunni Bhai,
“dive (into the river) and die” to year.
The project envisatges harnes said at the December 29 rally
lodge their protest against con
struction of the dam. The threat sing the Narmada for providing that the state should go ahead
came after the chief minister’s drinking and irrigation water to with the dam even if Baba Amte
call to stall Baba Arnie’s prop Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Ra took an extreme step.
jasthan and Maharashtra in
osed march.
But the chief minister was
[But a small band of environ addition to power generation.
The scheme will also substan more sober in his reaction and
mentalists, led by Baba Amte,
hoped
that Baba Amte would
staged a sitin here after crossing tially lower the flood damage ev give up the protest.
ery
year.
Mr
Patel
announced
the Gujarat border. Baba Amte
“As a friend, he has suggested
insisted that he would not leave that the project would be com that the project .be shelved but
the place until he met the pro pleted on schedule.
The multipurpose joint ven his suggestions are not binding
Narmada activists directly.
on us. I am even prepared to
(The thousands of pro ture of 'these states also envis rehabilitate all the displaced
Narmada activists, who greeted ages construction of a major from Madhya Pradesh giving
Baba Amte with jeers and raised dam on the Narmada in Gujarat them much more than what they
slogans against him, were squat which Baba Amte has been are going to lose,” Mr Patel said.
ting on the Bhordha river bridge, opposing.
The World Bank has extended The crowd roared, “Baba Amte
only a few feet away, asking him
paclihe jao, pachhe jao” (Baba'
to “go back.” But Baba Amte a credit of S450 millions for the Amte go back, go back."
Baroda, Dec. 31: “Chahe duba
Suraj, Chand, bund banke rahega (The Sun and Moon may set
but the dam will be constructed
at any cost)’’, has now become
the slogan of almost entire Gu
jarat even as a few committed
anti-Narmada propagandists led
by the Magsaysay award winner,
Baba Amte, are planning a stiff
resistance.
The Gujarat government of Mr
Chimanbhai Patel, which is
solidly backed by all the Opposi
tion parties in the state, has
already given a call to the peo
ple to stop Baba Amte and his
followers from entering Gujarat
to stall the dam construction.
A determined Baba Amte, who
had last week retracted his re
ported threat of taking “jal
samadhi” (drowning himmself)
1 Iclvi/ 9/
PRIME MINISTER Chrmdrashekhar yesterday assured
representatives of tribal organi
sations that he would speak to
Gujarat chief minister Chimanbhai Pate! to avoid a confronta
tion with anti-Narmada dam
marchers.
He said he would ask Patel to
open a dialogue with represen
tatives of the people to be dis
placed by the project.
The prime minister said he
appreciated the distress that
would be caused to those who
would be dispalced, mostly tri
bals, according to Dr B D Shar
ma, commissioner for schedul
ed castes and tribes and Smita
Kothari of the Naramada
Bachao Andolan, who were
among those of the delegation
that met him.
The prime minister’s assur
ance comes in the light of the
remark made by president R
Venkataraman that a dialogue
should be established with the
effected people and the height
of the Sardar Sarovar dam redu
ced, if necessary, to lessen its
impact on the life of the tribals:
Tension has been building up
on the Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh
border with marchers deciding
to.offer satyagraha against lite
construction of the dam and the
Gujarat chief minister ordering'
police not to let any of them into
the state.
The Gujarat government has
OurSpecial Correspondent
in New Delhi
refused to hold any discussions
with the anti-dam activists, dis
missing their concern for tribals
and the environment.
Four hundred representa
tives of tribal organisations
from all over the country met
the prime minister at his resid
ence and collectively voiced
their concern over the atmos
phere of confrontation in the
Narmada valley caused by the
Gujarat chief minister who has
attempted to create a human
wall comprising of police barri
cades and thousands of mobilis
ed people.
Attention was also drawn to
the demands of the Sangharsh
Yatra in which affected people
of the three states of Gujarat,
Maharasthra
and
Madhya
Pradesh and representatives of
orgnaisations from all over Ute
country are participating.
The yatra is currently at the
Madhya Pradesh-Gujarat bor
der where the marchers have
been
stopped
by
police
barricades.
Dr Sharma said the prime
minister was also apprised of
the fact that for almost a year all
the efforts by the Narmada
Bachao Andolan to secure a dia
logue with the Gujarat and the
central governments had not
yielded any response.
It may be recalled that former
prime minister V P Singh had, in
May lastyear, assured the Ando
lan that a dialogue v.'op.d be initi
aled as soon as possible. Detail
ed letter s outlining the impend
ing negative social, economic
and environmental consequen
ces ofthe Sardar Sarovar Project
were presented to the prime
minisi er, dr e Gujarat chiefmini-.
sterane! the president.
The basic issues which have
been raised in these representa
tions relate to Hie right to life of
the people, particularly of' the
members of scheduled tribes
who comprise the most vulnera
ble sections of our society.
The responsi bility for protect
ing their interests and advanc
ing their welfare lias been cast
on the union government and
the
governors
as
its
representatives.
it is in this context that the
attention of the president was
drawn to the situation where a
reign of terror has been created
by the Gujarat administration
and the people have been deni
ed their rightful protection, Dr
Shanna said.
■ •
The powers of the central
government under article 339
of the constitution should be
invoked in this situation
because the ultimate responsiblity for the protection ofthe tri
bal people under the consititu- •
ion re$ts with the government.
•'V5\
Muktanand, [r Lalshanker Pargbi,. songs,'-demanding Gieir right to life.
A field on the MP side of the
Baba Pansare and Mr Satya, had been
deputed by the schedule castes and border was virtually converted into a
SIX-MEMBER
observers’ tribes commission chairman, Mr B. tribal village, where groups from
team of the Central govern D. Shanna and the Prime Minister, different areas cooked their own
ment’s schedule castes and tribes Mr Chandra Shekhar, to prevent food.
The Swaminarayan sect volunteers
commission arrived at lite site of confrontation between the pro and
activists.
served food to the pro-dam agitators.
the dhama by the anti-narmada anti-Narmada
The team would alio meet tlie pro
Police forces from both the states
activists, about three km from dam agitators on the other side of the
here, in Madhya Pradesh, to border. It will submit a report to the kept strict vigil in their areas.
defuse the situation in the wake chairman of the commission and the
The anti-dam tribals collected fire
of the threat of confrontation Prime Minister in Delhi tomorrow. wood from the nearby forest and
cooked their, traditional ‘dal bati’
with the pro-dam agitators.
Tension continued to prevail on
from the rations they were carrying
The team, led by Mr Piyush Tirld, the inter-state border with pro-dam
along.
MP, from West Bengal met the anti agitators on the Gujarat side raising
dam marchers led by the social ac slogans against the march of the
With the mercury dropping below
tivists, Baba Amte and Ms Medha Narmada Bachao Andolan and the three degrees last night, some volun
Patkar, who arc staging a dhama on anti-dant activists. •
tary organisations from Alirajpur
the inter-state border to protest
The crowd on the Gujarat side rushed blankets for the tribals, who
against the Gujarat government re squatted on the Bhradi river bridge, have beer, sleeping in the open fields.
fusing to allow them to continue their blocking traffic from Gujarat and
But the tribals refused them saying.
march to the site of the Sardar used microphones to ask the tribal
“we are used to the mist and fog".
Sarovar project
followers of Baba Amte and Ms They were seen “comfortably”
The team, comprising Dr Vinayan, Medha Patkar, to go back.
stretched in an open field and fighting.
social activist from Bihar, Swami
The anti-dam marchers sang tribal the cold wave by burning firewood/
CHANDPUR (Jhabua District),
Jan. 1 (PTI).
A
-^4
Chimanwoos
plan panel •
on Narmada
MK.Vbriuo-''
■
' -
in New Delhi...
FACED WITH the prospect of a
confrontation with Baba Amte
over the Sardar Sarovar project,
Gujrat chief minister Chimanbhai Patel has begun lobbying
with the new planning cbmmis-.
sion deputy chairman Mohan.
Dharia to press for the “speedy
execution of the project.
■(,,
Interestingly, -Patel is going
ahead with his efforts to thwart
Baba Amte' despite prime mini
ster Chandrashekhar’s call for a
peaceful dialogue between the
Gujarat government and those
who are opposingthe project
Patel, at his meeting with Dha
ria, stressed that .“apart from
irrigation facilities to 18 lakh
hectares, the project is to be
depended on for providing drin
king water facilities to seven
thousand villages which have
no assured’source of drinking
water.”
Patel’s case for. drinking
water ' becomes 'particularly
strong in the context ofthe assu
rance given by the prime mini
ster to the: Rajasthan govern
ment that “drinking water was a
priority problem and will be
speedily Implemented.”
.. The Gujarat chief minister
also urged the speedy clearance
of tlie gas-based power projects
in the state which “are crucial to
the state which Is far away from
tlie coalfields.”'
The planning commission
has meanwhile fixed Gujarat’s
annual plan outlay for 1991-92
at Rs 1750 crore.
Dharia is believed to have
concurred with the chief mini
ster on his priorities in the con
text of the probelms faced by
Gujarat.
J
AntLdam activists
stage sit-in
Sarovar work
By SHAILESH PANDYA
The Times of India News Service
FERKUVA (Baroda), Jan. 2.
BOUT 15 anti-Narmada ac
tivists tied their hands and
staged a sit-in after pro-Narmada
rallyists refused to allow them to
cross the Gujarat border and go
to the Sardar Sarovar project site
at Kevadia to halt construction
work on the multi-purpose dam.
A
GANDHINAGAR. Jun 2
UJARAT
Chief
Minister
Chimunbhai Paid today said
work on the Sardar Sarovar dam pro
ject near Baroda would not be slop
meted out to the participants of the
anti-Nannada project march and cal
led for immediate dialogue with them.
The society is sending a- two-
ped even for a single day.
Talking to reporters here. Patel
said the Rs.6.000-crore project was
undertaken after a lot of scrutiny.
"But some environmentalists are op
posing it in the name of tribals’ wel
fare'. he said adding they should con
sider the drinking water problem
faced by the people before opposing
the project.
Patel said there was no confronta
tion betv en the pro and anti-Narmada groups on the Gujaral-MP bor
der near Baroda.
The government had not arrested
supporters of Baba Amte and did not
intend to arrest them, he added.
INDORE; About 20 volunteers of
the Jan Vikas Sangharsha Yatra, now
staging dhama at the Madhya
Pradesh-Gujarat
boarder
near
Chandpur village jn Jhabua district,
tried to enter Gujarat today but were
sent back by the pro-Narmada project
activists demonstrating near Farekuva
village in Gujarat.
According to police control here.
(he situation was peaceful and anti
Narmada project activists numbering
around 5.000 were continuing their ef
forts to enter Gujarat to reach the site
of the Sardar Sarovar project near
Kevadia.
Meanwhile, the Bombay Naturalist
Society, in a telegram to Chimanbhai
Patel, protested against the treatment
dharna to express solidarity with the
anti-Narmada project activists,
G
member delegation to the site for the
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister
Chandra Shekhar has assured rep
resentatives of tribal organisations
that the response of state govern
ments regarding the rehabilitation
schemes connected with the Sardar
Sarovar project will be made known
within a month.
A 10-member delegation of the tri
bal representatives apprised the
prime minister last evening of various
social, ecological, economic and re
habilitation problems arising out-of
the megaproject.
Representatives and six members
of an “observer team" which visited
the Narmada Valley described the
situation as “tense”. The observers in
cluded Piyush Tikri, MP.
Piyush Tikri said some 5,000 people
had gathered on the border and plan
ned to march to the site of the dam
in Gujarat in a peaceful manner. “But
the Gujarat government has issued
prohibitory orders. Obviously this
will lead to escalation of tension, mis
understanding and confrontation”, he
said.
Meanwhile, inhabitants and tribals
of the Narmada Valley have also
sought the personal intervention of
the president to stop construction on
the project and direct state govern-.
ments to initiate a dialogue with the7
people. — PTI
/ ,
The anti-Narmada activists have
been prevented from crossing the
Gujarat border and the pro-Narmada
rallyists who have been squatting
there said they (anti-Narmada ac
tivists) could do so only at the cost of
their lives.
With the expiry of the 40-hour
deadline, the anti-Narmada activists
decided to make an atempt to cross
the Gujarat border in batches.
They suggested that the proNarmada activists allow the women
to cross the border in batches and
offer satyagraha whch was refused by
pro-Narmada rallyists.
Ms Urmilaben Patel, president of
the women action's group and wife oi
the Gujarat chief minister, Mr
Chimanbitai Patel, said that under tw
circumstances would they be allowed
to enter as the women of Gujarat are
convinced about the utility of the
project and “even if god opposed the
project, he would not be allowed to
enter”, she said.
PTI adds: The Prime Minister, Mr
Chandra Shekhar, has assured rep
resentatives of tribal organisations
that the response of state govern
ments regarding the rehabilitation
schemes connected with the Sardar
Sarovar project in the Narmada val
ley will be made known within a
month.
Meanwhile, the Bombay naturalist
society, in a telegram to the Gujarat
chief minister, Mr Chimanbhai Paid,
protested against the treatment
meted out to th? participants of the.
anti-Narmada project march and’
called for immediate dialogue with.
them.
The society is sending a twomember delegation to the site for the
dhama to express solidarity with the
anti-Narmada project activists.
Chandigarh: Mr Patel 'today said
work on the Sardar Sarovar dam
project near Baroda would not be
stopped even for a single day.
Talking to reporters here, Mr Patel
said the Rs 6,000-crorc project wan.
undertaken after a lot of -scrutiny.
‘But some eovifonmentalists are op
posing it in the name of tribals*
welfare,” he said, adding that they
should consider the drinking* water
problem faced by the people of Gu
jarat before nnnr»«in&
’
OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SCHEDULED CASTES & SCHEDULED TRIBES
PRESS HOVE
Ths cmtfoulng confrontation on tha border of
Madhy» Pradash
and
Gujarat on ma fesu® of Sarcar Sarovar Project has baen a matter of deep
concern
to Btfi- Commissioner
for protecting ths
for SC -S
safe juards,
constitutional
concerning
interests of
ST since
tribal people.'
Uta
it
Involves basic
righto end GovU’e
human
issues
responsibility
The Observe? Team - sent
by ths Commission under the leadership of Shri Piyush Tirky, MP has revealed
that tha real confrontation. ia between the Jana Vikas Sanghareh Vatrls. and
This Ip a regrettable situation.
the Stats authorities.
in the press
reports
Ths
groups of Sanghareft Vatris
the
that
show
who have been trying to enter Gujarat to assart their rights In a peaceful
way with their mouths and hands tied, as a token of their peaceful intentions,
have not only been slopped but even manhandled.
The continued confrontation
bstwoan the Yatrls, meet of whom are tribals, and the state authorities and,
the
use
of
force
against
The appeal
safeguards.
them
by
is .a
violation of
clear
the Commissioner
to the
the Constitutional
state authorities, the
Governors end even the Prime Minister and ths President has not made any
material change in this oituatior..
It is regretted that such violation should
continue even as Parliament Is In session.
In view of vhs grave situation, ths Commissioner thought It necessary
attention
the
that
off
must be
the Parliament
invited
to the
vital
issues
concerning the law, the Constitution, the human rights and also the responsibility
Of the State particularly in respect of a voicolnss people whoso Interest Is
a trust with the nation.
rule of
In tha
law
nation,
General with a request
Attorney
The
Since tha matter concerning the promotion of tha
General
the. Commissioner
has written
to tha Attorney
that he may invite the attention of the Parliament.
may
address
the
people's
representatives
In ■ favour
bl tha rule of law since he has been entrusted a privileged status and position
Under
the
Parliament
Bf
law
Is
Constitution
to draw
the
attention of
the
Government and the
In matters of public Importance in which the promotion of rule
the
major corcern.
The Commissioner
has urged
the
Attorney
General not to fall the pec pie In thia-hour of their need.
'
' ^^==71^----- for
Commissioner
for
SCs&STs
ffffiDAR SAROVAR PROJECT
vState mnisimformimg people
By a Staff Reporter
If there‘was a confrontation on Baroda was asked about the
the Sardar Sarovar Project at the whereabouts
____________ of _people
__ r._ „
of __
GuGujarat border it would be bet- jarat who had been opposing
ween the State police force of agitationists, he said that •they
Gujarat and the tribal agitators, had gone into hiding in the forest
and not between the people of as was a normal practice for
Gujarat and the agitationists as them in the daytime. Dr Vinayan
had been made out, asserted a asserted, however, that none
team of observers on Wednesday could be seen in two-km area
in New Delhi.
into Gujarat.
The six-member team her1
FERKUVA (GUJARAT) (PTI)
He further noted that on Tues
gone on Monday to the bordc. day, about 50 hooligans were
Two more attempts by anti
areas where the agitationists are allowed to cross through the pro Narmada agitators to march to
staying put at the moment, to hibited area and allowed to ab-i the dam site to stop construction
assess the situation on behalf of use the agitationists and obser work were thwarted by police
the Commissioner for Scheduled vers in the presence of the Col- ' after they crossed into'Gujarat
Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Dr lector and the SP of Baroda. •hereyesterday, tv’t hml .
B. D. Sharma. The team included They had been brought by the
•Defying prohibitory- orders,
Mr Piyush Tirki, MP from West Gujarat State Transport Service ■'
Bengal, Dr Vinayan, a social ac and were suspected to be police ■ their hands tied as a symbol of
tivist from Bihar, and four tribal personnel. This was to provoke ■their belief in “non-violence,”
representatives. On coming back the peaceful agitationists, he ■ the marchers came in two
batches of27 each but were stop
to Delhi on Wednesday, they ob-' stated.
ped by police.
■
served that the people-to-people
He expressed his fears that in b t-The agitators,seen off by soci
Tight was a misinformation cam-- case of a confrontation, the
al
activist
■■
Baba
Amte
near
paign by the Gujarat Govern police in the garb of civilians
ment. People on the other side of would kill them. He reiterated . Chandpur iff-Madhya Pradesh,’
the border (Gujarat) were no that the agitationists wanted to
made repeated pleas to police to
where in picture. Some villagers stop the work non-violently and
permit them to proceed to the
noted that they were not against were without arpis. Women and
damsite.
! u...
the anti-dam agitationists but, children were also present with
However, when the police
confused with all the police. them, he added.
refused permission, they squatt . The agitation for the “right to
arrangements and imposition of
ed along with the batch of anti life” of the project-affected
Section 144 on the border.
narmada activists who also had people has been wrongly made
Meanwhile, Dr Sharma along
Mr Tirki said when after a long
made a futile attempt to reach out as an agitation against the
discussion and persuasion the with some of the tribal represen
the dam site on Wednesday.-■
state, he said.
team was allowed into the Gu- ]tatives and social workers who
•Two members of parliament
Meanwhile,
commissioner
been trying hard to convince
jarat area, and looked for the loc-‘ had
'
and Plains Jribal Council of for Scheduled Castes and Sche
al people, it was found that up to 1the Prime Minister to review the
India president Samar Chou- duled Tribes, Dr B D Sharma,
'two km of area all that they met 1project came disappointed. In
were some police personnel ]their last meeting with the Prime idhary appealed to the president, who was a member bf a team
Minister
on
Tuesday,
Mr
Chand
prime minister and the chief which visited the dam area, was
(Home Guards) masquerading as 1
ministers -of Gujarat, Maha of the view that the agitation
villagers with dhotis and blank- ra
1 Shekhar refused to listen to
rashtra and Madhya Pradesh to waspcaceful and non-violent.
ets on their person. The bulging' ■any of their demands saying that
initiate a dialogue with the Nar
Dr Sharma said there was no
revolvers
could
be
easily jas the construction of the dam
been started, he*
hi
mada / Bachao
Aadolan’s opposition from the side of the
noticed. But more importantlyhad
‘— already
------when asked about the identity,1 would notI discuss ;anything
SangharshYatra (copabat mar Gujaratfarmers.
the police personnel agreed that out
ch) to avoid confrontation'.
Ruling out the possibility of a
they were from the Home
In a statement here on Wed clash between agitators and the
Guards. Mr Tirki said, even the
nesday, the MPs—Piyush.Tirke fanners, he said it was the Guja
women they met found out to be
(RSP) of West Bengal and Bagun rat police and administration
women police personnel in
Sumrai (Cong-I) — and Chou- which wanted to repress the
mufti.
dhary said that if a confronta agitation. ;
It was found those who had
tion occurred, it would not
He accused the administra
been brought to oppose theremain confined to people effec tion of fabricating a story about
agitationists had all gone and,
ted by Sardar Sarovar Project' in the possibility of confrontation
only the empty camps could be
the Narmada valley, but would between the agitators and the
seen, he added.
spread to the entire adivasi fanners.
Dr Vinayan observer} that ■
heartland.
hen the District Magistrate of,
Activists’bid
to reach dam
■ site foiled
- 're
\
1111
|\IAFjMADA BAC-i-D
January 3, 1991
at Ferkuwa, N.P.-Gujarat border
Thousands Brave Chilly Nights to Stop the Dam_._
Thousands of tribals and peasants from the Narmada Valley, along
with their supporters all over India, are still undeterred and
defiant despite the coldest nights of the year and equally
arrogant response from the other side of the fence - that is, the
dam builders.
They spent their tenth night in the open fields,
with the resolve to reach the damsite for a peaceful satyagraha to
stop the work on the dam. They have been demanding a
comprehensive review of the entire Narmada Project in view of the
new facts, approaches and issues that have arisen due to the
Narmada Bachao Andolan since last five years.
The review too
should be done with the participation of the anti-project
agitation in the valley, the demand stands.
In view of the recent happenings at various levels proving the
unjustifiability and unviability of the dam, the Narmada Bachao.
Andolan had decided to launch the Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra from
Dec. 25, 1990 to demand the right to life and the immediate review
of the project.
As the agitators reacted the Gujarat boundary on December 31,
after 7 days of tiresome Long March they were confronted with the
government sponsored rally of pro-dam Gujaratis.
The Sangharsh
Yatra has seized the opportunity to start a dialogue with the
people of Gujarat.
Therefore they invited the representatives and
organisers of the this 'anti-rally' for talks. However, the other
side was not prepared for this peace initiative. They had
ostensibly gathered for confrontation and violent action, the
preparation for which has been dene for days through government
machinery, the police arid the Gujarati press.
The Sangharsh
Yatris had sent a delegation including Baba Amte, representing the
Valley to persuade the pro-dam agitators.
Despite their best
efforts no response cculd be elicited.
The Andolan then announced a 40 hour deadline for a response
failing which the next course of action could be decided.
Interestingly enough Mr. Chunnibhai Vaidya, a veteran Gandhian
from Gujarat, and Mr. Krishna Prasad Patel of the Narmada
Samarthan Abhiyan, who had talks with the Andolan in the late
lours of the first day of the English New Year, clearly refused to
take any responsibility of the pro-dam agitators who were not at
all an organised force according to their own admission.
Finally the Andolan decided to send a jatha of 25 representatives
into Gujarat on the expiry of the deadline.
They crossed the
border with their hands tied with black ribbons, chanting slogans,
led by Bhagwan Bhai Barda.
The Gujarat police stopped them at the
barricade while the pro-dam agitators were allowed unhindered.
The double standards adopted by Gujarat police were deprecated by
even the journalists there.
The so-called confrontation between
the two peoples aptly reflects the basic difference of values,
concepts of development, the mode of agitation and sccio-econcmic
bases between the two sides, says Smt. Medha Patkar, the moving
force behind the agitation.
It is interesting to note that the
Long March on foot by the tribals and peasants for over seven days
is sought to be responded to by an alliance of commercial
industrial and religious interests backed by the politicians and
the state machinery.
The Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and
Industries, the Association of Travel arid Tour Agencies, the
powerful Khedut Sangha (organisation of big peasants), the Swami
Narayan Trust - all were eager to practically crush even the voice
of protest in the Narmada Valley.
It was a sequel to the pro--dam
rally in Bombay on June 7, with the same composition.
Political Moorings:
As the Sangharsh Yatra began, over five hundred representatives of
tribal organisations from all parts of India launched a dharna in
front of Rashtrapati Bhavan from December 27.
Their demands
included the tribals' right to life and right over their
resources. As a symbol of their struggle they had taken up the
issue of Narmada Bachao Andolan.
They raised the issue when their
delegation net the President, Mr. R. Venkataraman. The President
expressed sympathy with the cause and is reportedly in favour of
changes in the Sardar Sarovar plan.
They also met the Prime
Minister, Mr. Chandra Shekhar, and insisted on review of the
Narmada Project.
In another development the Commissioner for Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes, Mr. B.D. Sharma, met the President and handed
him a letter calling for initiating "such measures .... under
Article 339(2) of the Constitution" to provide protection to the
tribal people under President's special powers. Dr. Sharma had
also written to the Prime Minister to start the process of
negotiations with the tribals and their representatives. The
Commissioner also sent a fact finding mission to Ferkuwa (Gujarat
- hF border) in view of the escalating tension and the adamant
attitude of the Gujarat government.
Moreover six members of Parliament issued a statement condemning
the atmosphere of confrontation being created by Gujarat
government and called for a dialogue on the issues of the (Yidolan.
They expressed full support to the struggle of adivasis and
opposed any move to oust them without their consent.
The
signatories include Mr. Piyush Tirkey (RSP).
The issue of SSP and
Sangharsh Yatra was raised in the current winter session of
Parliament.
As the present deadlock continues, over six thousand people from
the Narmada Valley continue defiantly to brave the cold wave
sweeping the state in the open fields.
With them are various
representatives of mass movements elsewhere including the
Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha, Sosht Jan Andolan, tribal organisations
from Bastar and Gadchiroli, the groups from Kerala, Samaj
F’arivartan Samudaya from Karnataka, peasant organisations from
Rajasthan, Lok Adhikar Sangh and Adivasi Samata Ekta, other groups
from Bombay, New Delhi, Pune, Dhulia, Baroda, Surat, Bhavanagar,
Ahmedabad, Indore, Bhopal, Raipur, Bangalore.
Mr. Yukio Tanaka of
Friends of Earth, a Japanese environmental action group is also
with the Yatra.
SHAILENDIU YASHWANT
Baba Amte being stopped by senior Gujarat government officials at the border with Madhya Pradesh near Ferkuva on Monday
the talks failed because the
government was not prepared
to accept the basic demand of
the marchers. Addressing a
crowded press conference on
the Madhya Pradesh-Gujarat
border, Patkar said the anti
dam marchers wanted all work
of the project to be hailed before
the talks began.
She said the Narmada Bachao
Andolan was prepared to meet
the pro-dam demonstrators.
Nachiketa Desai and
However, the pro-dam activists
RanvirNayar
were not willing to accept the
in Ferkuva
technical objections raised by
THIKT’’ FlViiousteesoftheSar- the anti-dam marchers saying
that the Andolan was not com
ilar Sarovar Project entered
petent or authorised to discuss
Gujarat j esterday afleroon with
Ihi ir bands tied and singing, technical matters, she said.
“The NBA is willing to discuss
' A'ot nahin hatega, bandh nahin
the mode of carrying tile strug
banega."
They were stopped 50 metres gle on within the framework of
from Bhoder bridge where. Indian democracy. Even on that
govemmentTsponsored
pro issue, they are not prepared to
dam demonstrators were stag have a discussion,” she said.
Morever, the 40-hour deadli
ing a counter-dhama. The entry
of the marchers into Gujarat ne given to the government had
seemed imminent late on Tues expired by 10 am. The mtpr-.
day night when last ditch efforts chers, including four , women
■ by the government to convince1 hailingfromthevillagesofGujathem to cal) off the march failed j ■rat, Maharashtra and Madhya
Noted Gandhian Chinnibhai Pradesh crossed, the Gujarat?
Vaidya had been sent to the mar border and had covered about
chers’ camp by the Gujarat chief 1,500 metres ‘ when they were
stopped by four policemeh and
minister for negotiations.
According to Medha Patkar, an executive magistrate^ ,; •< ’
Narmada
oustees
enter
Gujarat
doLn & >
9/
the inter-state borJerffhc math body
Pradesh border), ^lan. 4 (UNI): In a
swift, development tonight, the Gu
jarat police arrested about 140
. Narmada bachao andolan activists
and pushed several hundred others
back into Madhya Pradesh.
Andolan volunteers participating
in the indefinite sit-in just beyond the
inter-state border here, said the police
asked them to move back into
Madhya Pradesh or face arrest while
they were having their meal
A few minutes later, the police
descended on the volunteers and beat
up some of them while other were
arrested, they said.
In the melee, most of those partici
pating in the sit-in moved back into
Madhya Pradesh.
The Baroda district collector
Japan Ray said 140 people were
rounded up for violation
of
prohibitory orders.
The indefinite sit-in was being
staged at two police barricades inside
s,Gujarat, a little distance away from
Anti-dam
of the andolan sangharsh yatra, con
sisting of several thousand people,
had been camping at the border here
since December 31.
TOINS adds:
Though the demonstrators, like in
the last two days, came with their
hands tied in a symbolic gesture of
total non-violence, they jostled with
the police and home guards person
nel posted at the point and attempted
to break the cordon by pushing with
their shoulders.
What seems to have incensed the
otherwise peaceful volunteers of the
Narmada bachao andolan, which is
spearheading the anti-dam agitation,
is the change in the stand of the
district authorities apparently to
isolate each group of protestors.
While for the last four days since anti
dam marchers reached the border
point on December
31,
the
authorities were allowing the demon
strators to enter about half-a-kilometre into the state before being
fe., 3/
the second barrier about 50
meters away from the bridge
where
the
governmenti . sponsored pro-dam dbarna was
i beingheld.thenexttvvobatches
were stopped immediately after
they entered Gujarat.
When repeated requests to
allow them to proceed further
Nachiketa Desai
were turned down by the cops,inFerkuva
the marchers bred to break the
SCORES OF anti-dam marchers
cordon. A scuffle followed.
including women were rough
Earlier, eminent social wor
ed up by Ute police and seven
ker Baba Amte was prevented
social activists arrested when . from crossing over to Gujarat
.more than 200 satyagrahis tried
and joining other anti-dam mar
to push their way into Gujarat chers who have been camping
from Madhya Pradesh on Friday. near tire bridge for the last two
One hundred and seventeen days.
anti-dam marchers were detai
Even as the anti-dam mar
ned as a preventive measure chers were stopped by cops
late last night.
near the Madhya Pradesh bor
Policemen manhandled soci der, a batch of over 50 pro-dam
al activist Chitrarupa Dewan activists arrived and were made
whose sari and blouse were to sit face-to-face with the anti
tom, forcing her to change in dam marchers.
the presence of all. Undetler“This is a blatant misuse of
red, she attempted once again to jpowers by the Gujarat police
break the police cordon but was and a devious attempt by the
lifted by six women home guar government to instigate people
ds and dragged across the fields against the peacefid satyagra-'
to a police tent.
.ha,”saidAmte.
The police then swooped on
Anti-dam marchers are think
individual activists and whisk ing of challenging this action of
ed them away to waiting buses. the Gujarat police in the high
Otlter anti-dam marchers who court under Section .144 of the
had crossedoverto Gujarat stag ■CrPC, according to Girish Patel,
ed a sit-in on the road to protest a leading lawyer.
against the police action.
In a move to cover Friday’s
The police action commenc police excesses on vvpmen acti
ed immediately after 200 of the vists, a case has been registered
6,000 oustees camping at the against the anti-dam marchers
Gujarat border in Madhya wherein they have been charg
Pradesh for the last five days ed with roughing up the women
crossed the border with their home
_____ me
BUne The
imoistate inforguards.
hands tied, symbolicoftheirs l o- mation department has issued t
gan “Hamla cliahe jaisa hog.a, press release from Vadodra givi
hsiathhamaranahintuhega." ■ ing details ■ of the allege®
While the police allowed a assault.
J
batch of 2 4 women to proceed t o
^OBgljiedup
stopped, despite tWimposition of the
prohibitory orders, today's batches
were prevented from proceeding
further within 50 metres inside the
state.
The action-packed day began with
the entry of Baba Amtc himself in the
morning followed by the ambulance
which always stays with him in case
of any emergency. But at the border
itself, the Baba was told politely by
the district collector, Mr Tapan Roy,
that the authorities would have no ■
objection to his marching in but it
would not allow the ambulance to
follow.
The shocked Baba Amtc question
ed the decision to prevent his am
bulance van to follow particularly
because on December 31, under simi
lar circumstances, the van was allow
ed to be taken till the point where he
himself was also stopped within 50
metres from the Bhorda river bridge
where the pro-dam demonstrators anr
squatting to block the entry of the
rival camp followers.
Baba Amte insisted on going ahead
for another “dialogue" with the
“people of Gujarat" but the counter
slogans from the pro-dam demon
strators indicating their refusal to
hear him out forced him to walk back
beyond the border point in Madhya
Pradesh after waiting for about halfan-hour.
The Baba's return was followed by
the entry of 34 women volunteered of
.the anti-dam camp who were allowed
to go up to the 50-metre barrier and
after some initial arguments, sat
down joining in a sit-in dhama with
70 others who had crossed the border
during tlie last two days.
The quietness of the afternoon was
shattered sometime later when
another batch of 50 andolan volun
teers tried to cross the border with'
their hands tied. They were
. prevented at the newly-created bar
ricade within 100 metres from the
border point with police and thy
home guards cordoning off the entirZ
<area.
//
STATEMENT BY WtW<L MPs TO BREAK
THE DEADLOCK IN THE NARMADA VALLEY
representatives of
various
of
are
the
who
undersigned,
the
We,
country
tribal
situation
concerned
extremely
and
children
particularly
-
most
of
since
whom
from
organisations
confrontation in the Narmada Valley.
this
dialogue
a
had
the
different
part's
the
continuing
There is urgent need to diffuse
6,000
over
are
about
with
tribals,
people
-
women
men,
have been
walking
for
the past ten days in very cold weather.
We therefore demand -
I.
that
the
Govi.-ii:rnt;ni
immediately
announce
a
with representatives of the Sangharsh Yatra.
-
between
tire
Governments
and
the
Andrrlan
be
for
reaching
dialogue
initiated
Central
dialogue
A tripartite
Government,
State
should
representatives
-
an
understanding
with
Government
immediately
the
people.
2.
that
tire
the
police
Gujarat
massed
cn
tire
border
and
withdraw
permit
tire
NWIADA BACHAO ANBCLAN
FREES STATEMENT by Advocate Girish Patel
January 5, i991.
Gujarat Police Let Loose Terror and Repression on Activists
The Gujarat police exposed their repressive and arbitrary nature when they
assaulted activists yesterday, particularly the tribal women arid treated
the women activists indecently, flouting all norms of justice, law and
civil rights.
The police and the administration have made a mockery of the
legal provisions, particularly s.144 IFC adopting double standards.
Ch Friday, 4th January, continuing the programme of peaceful entry in
Gujarat for last two days, three groups of the Sangharsh Yatris, the anti
Sardar Sarovar activists, crossed the Gujarat border.
The first group,
consisting of 25 women with a 6 year old girl, entered at .11 a.m. and
joined the earlier 'jatha' of activists.
Another group of 2tZ0 Sangharsh
Yatris was stopped by the police.
There were seme women police with male
police in civilian dress behind.
The women police started pushing back the
Yatris with fists. The manhandling and the scuffle made Mrs. Rupabai
Sitaram Yadav of Chhota Badada unconscious.
Two female activists,
Chittaroopa and Jayashree were caught by the male police in civilian dress
and were dragged mercilessly to the police van, deliberately tearing some
of their clothes. The shameless indecency by Gujarat Police was
accompanied by continuous abuses and assaults. The police also broke the
spectacles of Brian Lobo, another activist.
The activists, braving the
atrocity, sat down there itself.
The police brought some adivasis in front
of them and made them sit opposite the Yatris.
Interestingly enough, while s.144 of IFC was in operation, disallowing the
Yatris from entering the prohibited area, the homeguards or people from
Gujarat side were moving unhindered in that area.
It is clear that the
Police are using s.144 in an absolutely arbitrary, discriminatory and
partisan manner in clear violation of Article 14 of the Constitution.
In the evening after dusk, the police acted in a conspiratorial manner.
While the jathas of Sangharsh Yatris were there for two days, the police
had also allowed the Yatris to remain there in the prohibitory area, at the
same time allowing the Gujarat side people to move freely.
But on Friday
evening, without any prior intimation, the police started beating the
pickets and throwing out their beddings and eatables.
(The pickets, most
of them tribal activists, i-sre having their food in the evening).
The
police first switched lights off.
They turned on blaring music on the
Gujarat side and then started taking 'action', which was violative of all
the legal and constitutional norms arid arbitrary in nature.
They arrested
most of the activists and carried them to far off places like Rajasthan
border. When those who were brought to Rajasthan border- refused to get off
there, the police forcibly made them get off at Bated.
The behaviour of police in Gujarat on Friday now fully brings out the
repressive designs of the Government of Gujarat and the vested interests
therein.
Since the Sangharsh Yatris are continuing with their protests
braving the chilly winter and all sorts of inconveniences, and when the
state sponsored 'anti-rally' seems to be waning off, the power holders in
Gujarat, as a mark of their frustration, have resorted to their only weapon
against the struggling 'have nots' - repressive and arbitrary use of the
law.
It is the government fighting against the Sangharsh Yatra which is
new fully exposed and about which we had no doubts although the government
tried to pit the 'people of Gujarat' against the struggling Adivasis and
peasants in the Narmada valley. However, the State forgets that the more
repressive it becomes, the more resolute people will be.
NARMADA BAGHAO ANGOLAN at Ferkuwa, M.P.-Gujarat border
LETTER TO THE FRITH MINISTER
January 6, 1991.
SHREE CHANDRA SHEKHARJI,
’[Tie Prime Minister of India.
We were happy to meet you on December 17, '90 and vie take this
opportunity to express our thanks for having a free and frank
eKbhange of views co the Sardar Sarovar Project - the symbol of
destruction of right to life, equality and sustainable development
of laklis of common people, mostly poor, tribals and others
backwards in the Narmada Valley.
<•
We explained to you in detail about the various destructive
aspects of the project; the irrational, distorted and faulty
decisicn-making processes right from the beginning, unlawful and
unjustifiable conditional environmental and forest clearance
granted in 1987 and Planning Commission's sanction in 1988, with
the non-fulfillment of the conditions therein till today.
We also
referred to the consequent deemed lapse of these clearances.
The resulting increase in foreign debts and entanglement of
multinationals which generally follow such mega-projects and the
massive dis-information campaign launched by the Gujarat
government at huge public costs Were other factors which were
either ignored or inadequately considered in the Narmada
Tribunal's proceedings.
The absence of basic .^studies before, during arid af ter these
proceedings, many new factors emerged after the Award, the
establishment of the new Department of Environment and Forests in
T<T (which is perhaps the only department having concern and
UxJ.ing after socio-economic, human and environmental consequences
of development projects), the conditional extension of credit by
the World Bank, the impossibility of rehabilitation arid
resettlement of all affected people and the people's challenge to
the very ’public purpose' or ’national interest' behind SSP must
neqgssarily lead to the inevitable conclusion, viz. the entire
project must be reviewed from a human, environmental, socio
economic, financial and sustainable developmental aspects and till
then such construction work on the SSP must be stopped as it would
make the project irreversible.
You were frank and said that ycu would definitely look into wliat
we pointed cut.
Ycu specifically referred to the seriousness of
our objection regarding the non-fulfillment of the basic
conditions subject to which the clearances were given.
However
ycu pointed cut that the project is the decision of previous
governments and it would be difficult to reverse the decision. We
in turn pointed cut that Shri V.P. Singh, your predecessor,
clearly admitted that our struggle raised certain fundamental
issues and deserved an immediate dialogue.
The very next day (May
18, '90) cur representatives had a 2-hour discussion with the top
officials of all important departments and we submitted to the
P.M. cur demand for (1) the review of the project (2) the nature
of the authorised committee, and (3) its modus operandi.
But
thereafter no further development could take place because of the
political development.
We were happy that ycu never flatly refused to accede to our
demand for total review.
You naturally referred to your
difficulties.
In spite of this, it is unfortunate that leaders of
Gujarat, both governmental and non-governmental have indulged in a
—sA
T
*
Amte ©ini Mefimte dhama
today. The seven activists ar
rested yesterday afternoon fol
The Times of India News Service
lowing a tussle with die police
CHHQTA UDEPUR ,
and home guards were also re
(Baroda District), Jan. 5.
leased on bail. The charges
TJABA AMTE, the leader of
framed against them are also
Otjje Anti-Sardar Sarovar
likely to be dropped.
The
andolan’s
firebrand
darn movement of the Narmada
■bacha'o andolan, has launched a
leader, Ms Medha Patkar, and
_dharna-unto-death inside Guadvocate activist, Mr Girish
jaraf at the inter-state border at
Patel, along with 58 other vol
Ferkuva unless he is allowed to
unteers, have also launched a
march forward or a settlement
24-hour fast since this afternoon
The situation at the Ferkuva to protest against police excesses
reached
to
the
present
front
has
returned
to
that
exist
stalemate.
on unarmed and peaceful satyaTalking to reporters from ing on December-31, when the. ? grahis last night , at The border
enti-rjani
rallyists
reached
the:
what he called his "death-bid”,
point
ivl.P. where t^e main
the.baba said he had not yet ''State’border, with-the baba and- bunch of therallyists are staging
his
26
followers
holding
adecided whether-to convert his
a dhama.
dharna into a fast-unto^death.” dharna and a day’s token fast
The day began with’the baba
almost
face-to-face
with
the
pro
But nothing is certain, I am not
making yet another bid to reach
dam
rallyists
squatting
on
the
going back to the Madhya
Kevadia colony, followed by his
Pradesh border anymore ano . Bhorda River bridge. .
ambulance van and 26 of his
only my dead body will either ba
the anti-dam rajlyists ar- followers.
___
Unlike yesterday,
eaten, by vultures right:onJhi? Testedycsjerday. v.cqj Released
when the district authorities dis
allowed permission for his am
bulance van to follow him right
at the border point, the
authorities today did not pre’ vent its entry.
But at the 100-metre barrier’
from the border, the baba and
his men were stopped by the
women home guards. In view of
the
scuffle yesterday,
the
authorities today had kept only
Swaminarayan sanyasins are pro Then an activist from Delhi, Ashviding them with food packets ish Kothari began to talk in
women home guards at-the first
everyday. The whole show is Gujarati, but he was curtly stopped.
barrier with the male home
managed by an umbrella body of
Meanwhile on the Madhya
guards falling behind to form a
Gujarati business firms, the Nar Pradesh side of the border Mccdha
reck under a cold wave, with the
protective cordon. The senior
mada
Foundation
Trust
and
a
net
Patkar
and
other
young
activists,
mercury dipping below two de
civil and police officials had
work of voluntary bodies called many of them working in Nar
grees Celsius, a battle of nerves
preferred to ; stay behind the
Narmada Abhiyan. Gujarat Chief mada valley for three years for
continues in this neighbouring
curtain;
Minister Chimanbhai Patel landed more, were giving fiery spccchcs:Gujarati border village.
The baba first pleaded with
up in his helicopter to address the But urging for non-violence,
The 5.000-sirong anli-Sardar
the home guards to let him go
crowd twice .before New Year.
“Manila chahe kaisa hoga haalh
Sarovar Project Sangharsh Yatra
but when he failed to get any
Il was New Year’s eve and the hamat e nahi ulhega."
readied the border on the eve of
response or an answer to his
There were hopes of defusing
the New Year after a week’s march
crowd was singing: “Raghuptiii
queries as to why he should not
from Barwnni of Khargonc dis Raghav Raja Ram Baba ko san- tension as a six-member Central
mail de bhagwan“_ when Amtc, observers team led by Piyush Tirke be allowed to go ahead, the baba
trict. The battle lines arc drawn
much-maligned and haled person M.P. of the RSP from West Ben supported by his followers gave
with 1,500 personnel of lhe Gujarat
pushes every
few
in Gujarat after the abuses hurled gal, reached the spot. The team several
police, rural police and Home
Guards lined along the steel-pipe
on him in lhe local press linked was sent by the commissioner for minutes,.but failed to break the
barricades 100 metres from the
with allegations that his movement SC/ST affairs, B.D. Sharrna. After • cordon of women home guards.
border. The 100m stretch is a “no
is foreign-funded, made an appear talks in Gujarat Tirke addressed By then lhe’.entire group was
man’s land.” With prohibitory
ance on the scene. He just wanted the Yairiks: “More and more cordoned off from all sides and
orders in effect for another 100m
to greet the people of Gujarat on an tribals arc being uprooted for de the baba’s repeated pleas to let
beyond that, the district collector,
auspicious occasion.
velopment,”
prim, go at least to the people of
local SDM and top police officers
After his and other anti-dam
Ironically, they arc not benefitGujarat fell bn-deaf ears.
arc campaigning here for the past
By Manas Das Gupta
five days. The slate public rela
tions department has opened a
temporary office at nearby Chhota
Udeypur town with hot lines.
Fifty Sangharsh Yatra volun
teers, with their hands tied crossed
the border on Friday morning and
sat on dhama as they we.” -revented by the police from pro
ceeding to the dame site in Kcbadia Navgon.
About 3JXX) people are brought
ever}- day from different parts of
tire state in public transport buses.
road or be sent back to M.P.,"
he said.
The announcement of his in
definite dhama came after his
third attempt to march to
Kcvadia Colony, the. Sardar
Sarovar dam site, to stage a sitin protest in a'bid to stop the
construction work, was foiled
again today, first by the women
home guards and later by, local
people.
leaders’ repeated pleas to have a
dialogue with them failed, he had
to wait for three hours or so in his.
ambulance hearing the abuses
hurled on him.
Collector Tapan Ray managed
io persuade the crowd to listen to
Amtc, “lam hungry for your love”
started he, calling the gigantic dam
project a symbol of mere greed for
size. He was referring' to the proj
ect that would displace about
200.000 people, mostly tribals, to
make Gujarat more prosperous.
There was pindrop silence.
led by the projects cither, he said
while drawing parallels with the
agitations in Jharkhand and Bastar. The team left for Delhi, the
samc-day... -.
' None other 'than lhe Prime1'
Minister expressed similar semi-.
inents as he addressed the Indian
Science Congress in Indore on.
Thursday. Tribals from Tamil
Nadu to Tripura arc troubled. He
called for an alternative lo the
present wrong development which
was harming tlic/lntcrests of lhe
rural poor.
z
6 Jclh/9/
-<5^
Clumsy handling of
si hotter scmfswtatiw
Sardar Sarovar
controversy
I)
^>e ^wo Cx3n'KS (0 this river. Narmada.
Consequently, in this event, with its epicentre
fe=ithere are two sides to the issue. One is the tension around Ferkuwa. a tiny place which did around Ferkuwa. the larger issue of destructive
Gujarat Government which is committed to ex not have an identity of its own on the Gujarat — development route taken by the State, which is
ploiting the water resources that can be harness MP border and has come into prominence being also very expensive and not very people-friendly
ed from the river valley for the State's agrarian the theatre of the pro-and anti-dam exhortations. in the long run, has not surfaced in Gujarat, mak
development. It is not only unwavering in its These attempts to bring "peace between the _ ing it easier for the establishment to gather sup
commitment to this gigantic jaroject tut also is people of Gujarat" and the opponents of the ' port for the building of the dam. describing it as
quite aggressive in its efforts to reinforce its dam are only cosmetic. What is needed is a re a lifeline of the State. Mr. Babubhai Patel, al
claims on the river, ignoring the impact it might solution of the ideological confrontation.
That, perhaps is extremely unlikely. To build though not well disposed towards Mr. Cnimanhave on the valley's eco-system The other side,
bhai Patel and belonging to a different and even
resolute in its commitment to save the valley, has, the dam and inundate large tracts of lands to principled political clan, chose to join the Gov
been opposing the project for a time long form the Sardar Sarovar is now an issue of such ernment "just to build the dam."
political mileage for tire various political parties
enough to call the movement "sustained."
However, the two sides have not been able to that no quarter is likely to be given to the anti World Bank aid
sit together and discuss the issues and persuade dam movement. The police force deployed on
The popular feeling fuelled by Government in
each other. The strong stand taken by the articu- ; the border by the Guja-at Government has given
puts is so strong that at one point of time. Mr.
late among the 'green' precludes such a possibil- I a feeling that the State is fighting an enemy-in Chimanbhai Patel said that the Government
ity even though the Gujarat Government would vader.
Not only that, several of the policemen de could build tine dam without the World Bank aid
like to "discuss the issue" provided that halting |
and that the people "can titemselves pay for it if
the project or i .viewing its impact is not also de- . ployed have come in civvies to shout slogans
it comes to the crunch." Mr. Babubhai Patel says
. manded. The stipulation that the Gujarat Govern along with the mass of people congregating on
ment has been laying for any talks prejudges the the border to form a human chain to prevent the that if it can be built on schedule — a day saved
Narmada Andolan activists and the tribals of the is Rs. 400 crores saved — then "we can do it
issue and directs the outcome.
valley, indicating a high level of State with no external aid." And Mr. Amte and Ms.
Surface of flashpoint
sponsorship of the pro-dam rally, addressed by Patkar have been battling this sentiment with
spirit.
No wonder then, that even tine one round of politicians of all hues, including the Chief Minis
One weakness in this movement is that it has
■ talks — and significantly. Ute one and only of its ter. Mr. Chimanbhai Patel. Political enemies
came together on one platform to proclaim to somehow failed to capitalise on the sympathy
kind so far — held in New Delhi between the
the world that the wide spectrum of interests in generated initially when the cause was equity to
Gujarat Minister for Narmada Development. Mr.
be secured by the provisions of land for the land
Gujarat is together on this issue.
Babubhai Patel, and the anti-dam groups, failed
Reports indicate that passions are high on the lost. The Gujarat Government fashioned perhaps
. to produce any result and as the icy winds took
hold of the tribal region around Chota Udepur Gujarat side of the border, where people have the best rehabilitation package possible but the
on tire Madhya Pradesh-Gujarat border towards been camping in the open and sitting across a movement failed to zero in or. the lapses and
narrow bridge on a small river as a human barri show up *he Government as incapable of han
the lest few days of 1990, the flashpoint surfaced
cade to foil attempts of the anti-dam volunteers dling such a delicate and sensitive task. There
when the pro-and anti-dam sides confronted
each other. The Narmada Bachao Andolan want to reach Kevadia. However, what was for the are instances of people being uprooted from the
tribal ethos and transplanted on a 'land for land'
ed to reach the dam site in Kevadia and Kalt all- goose, was not for the gander, since the Gujarat
Government officialdom ensured that the prohibi principle bin tfere was nc pasture available for
the irreversible works
tory order was enforced strictly only to keep the their cattle transported at Government expense!
Given the past such a confrontation was inevi activists out. even as State patronage turned a Glossed over
table. It was building up for at least three years. blind eye to the hordes it brought to the border
With regard to Gujarat its former Chairman of point to demonstrate a unity of purpose behind
These facts were glossed over and only cited
the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam. Mr Sanat building the dam
in passing and then when land was sought to be
Mehta had once described the movement's
secured tor rehabilitation from forest tracts, then
initiator. Ms. Medha Patkar. as "unreasonable" No place in Gujarat
only ■principles' came to the fore converting the
and once had even questioned her pat-iotism in
Was this bitterness avoidable? It would appear entire exercise into one of confrontation at every
the presence of a World Bank team. Baba Amte that the Narmada Bachao Andolan. in spite of its phase. In its inability to stage a sit in anywhere in
was characterised as "an outsider" by others. building a plank indicating support from other Gujarat the activists had to choose locations
The inclination to talk to these people came, but ecologically conscious groups in the country, re such as Bombay and Delhi, where it received
much too late. By then, the positions had harden flected in for instance, the famous Harsud resolu substantive media attention, it was targeted suc
cessfully for being an "attack on the interests of
ed far beyond the stage where one coJd expect tion of 1989 to "drown than give up the valley" - the State by outsiders." To its misfortune, few of
any flexibility.
I failed to take note of an important fact. It needed the activists were even Gujarati speaking.
j nough the ant.-clam
The anti-dam protagonists too have been shrill ■' a minimum toe-hold at least to have a presen\ Though
anti-dam groups
groups have
have demonstrate
demonstratin their enunciations of disapproval of a project in Gujarat and to identify those who would sup- ed that politically the entire Gujarat
iujarat is
is one
one on
on this
this
which would perhaps help substantia'y to miti - port it in the event of a flashpoint which has now . issu8 and have opposed the possible review of
gate the impact of the frequent droughts. Be I come about. It even chose to ignore those who the project the poor handling of the issues by
sides. the stages through which the arr.-dam sen I agreed to ensure that the Government kept its
anti'^arn activists has managed to help Gujatiments evolved — from doubts about equity for promises on the issue of rehabilitation.
rat
[P1 to
1° convey that it is 'pro-people.'
pro-people,' rather than
the losers of land because of submergence to to I
Its organisation of protests was always outside H?6* . -x™ u P0* " ien^*y,to environment and
tal opposition — scared the people cf Gujarat. j■ Gujarat because it failed to reach out with per- that ,n
in its 9
greed
for
economic
profit, has chosen
reedjor
With sufficient help from the Government and j• suasiveness to the people of Gujarat and instead
a distinct ecosystem of a river valley
the political establishment the people were led I' got into an increasingly abrasive and bitter mode *^‘5 >,s 5°l2s'iefe<^ holy enough to be circumto believe that Gujarat's progress was being i, of posturing. Those who were inclined to be supby the reverential. The very fact that
sought to be halted in its tracks
: portive were turned off by the highly personal- , k°vernment has agreed to compensatory afNow. attempts are being made to cefuse the '1 feed form of leadership. Meanwhile, the vol- ■
in distant Kutch rather than the valley
untary sector is already riven with dissensions in
*s a 0056 ,n P°*nb
Gujarat — and today they are scared of making •
Mahash Viiapurkar
supportive statements.
NAFJ’tADA BACHAO ANIXLAN at Ferkuwa, M.P.-Gujarat border
Ff^HSS STATH’ENT
6th Jan., 1991.
Medha F'atkar and Four Others to Launch Indefinite Hunger Strike
As a sequel to the thirteen days of the Long March against the Sardar
Sarovar, Smt. Medha F'atkar, the moving spirit behind the anti-dam agitation
will be launching an indefinite hunger strike from Monday, 7th January, to
demand a full review of the controversial project with the stoppage of work
on the dam.
Smt. F'atkar made this declaration at Ferkuwa border in the morning session
of the rally held at the Sangharsh Yatra camp, at the end of 24 hours
hunger strike against the repressive measures adopted by the Gujarat
Police.
Along with her, four more representatives from the Narmada valley
are expected to join the indefinite hunger strike. The declaration came on
the heels of thirteen days of the Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra by the tribals
and peasants of the Narmada Valley and the war of nerves between the
Gujarat government and the Movement.
On the other hand, veteran leader Baba Amte, along with 28 representatives
■from the valley are still within the Gujarat border, confrented by about
two hundred prer-dam protesters.
These picketeers were led by Mrs.
Urmilaben Patel, wife of the Gujarat Chief Minister Chimanbhai Patel, Mr.
K.Z. Patel, Harivallabh Parikh and others of Narmada Samarthan Abhiyan.
They hept cn showering abuses on Baba Amite and the Andolan all the night.
In another development, six members of Parliament who had supported the
Sangharsh Yatra in a statement earlier, will be sitting co a dharma in
front of Rashtrapati Bhavan from Sunday. Meanwhile, the fact-finding team
srant by the Commissioner of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, led by
Piyush Tirkey, M.P. has released its report.
Earlier, in a letter to the Prime Minister Mr. Chandra Shekhar Smt. F'atkar
made it clear that the Narmada Bachao Andolan is left with 'no alternative
but to raise the issue cm moral plane arid appeal to the conscience of the
nation by undertaking indefinite fast', as the Prime Minister failed to
bring the three ccricemed governments to agree to the Centre to the demand
of the review of the entire project within a time bound framework and the
stoppage of the irreversible work till then.
Smit. F'atkar has referred to the talks with the Prime Minister, held on
December 17, 1990 in which the representatives of the movement explained
the entire issue painstakingly and put forth a reasonable demand of the
review.
Regretting that the people's movement in Narmada valley is now
facing an unresponsive Centre and absolutely immoral and undemocratic
tactics of the Gujarat Government, the letter declares that 'the issue
before us is no longer in the realm of narrow political calculations
the
question now is that of basic human rights, constitutional principles,
moral and civilizational values.
Neither political considerations, nor the amount of the Project work
already carried out (which, anyway, is barely 6-77. of the total) should be
allowed to come in the way of such review of the project with the
participation of the people's organisation in the Narmada valley, the
letter pointed out. Explaining in detail the basic anomalies in the
conception and decisions about the project, the letter made it clear that
'the entire project must be reviewed from a human, environmental, socioeconomic, financial and developmental aspects'. Till then such
construction work on the project which would make it irreversible must be
stopped, Smit. Patkar said.
—58
The Times of India News Service
FERKUVA, January 6. /,
ABA Amte, the social activist
staging dhama unto death
inside the prohibited area of
Gujarat border since yesterday,
was administered a bottle of
glucose and saline after he fell
down near the toilet.
B
Meanwhile, Ms Mcdha. Patkar,
leader of the Narmada Bachao
Samiti, announced an indefinite
hunger strike from tomorrow.
The Baba could not sleep last night
due to the noise of "bhajans" and
slogans chanted by cite large number
of pro-Narmada rallyists across the
bridge on the Bhorda river and he felt
exhausted.
The Baroda district collector, Mr
.Tapan Ray, camping in litis village,
sjished a team of medical personnel
Bhodra river bridge where the ’’ who were on fast since yesterday
; protesting against the violent tactics
government-sponsored
counter-dharna Is being staged ’ adorned by the supporters of Baba
|
Amte and Ms Patkar.
EMINENT social worker Baba was cleared of all the anti-dam
Addressing a Isrge group of proAmte began a dhama unto marchers who had crossed over ’
death in front of the govern to Gujarat during the last three ' Narmada rallyists across the Bhorda
J river, Mr Mehta criticised the Baba
ment , sponsored pro-Sardar days.
“It is the Stalin era in Gujarat j for launching a dharna unto death
Sarovar project demonstrators
yesterday evening on the Guja under chief minister Chimanb j saying it was not the form of Satyapreached by Mahatma Gandhi. •
hai . Patel,” remarked Baba ti gratia
rat government failed in its bid
According to Mr Mehta, Mahatma
to terrorise the anti-dharna
Amte. “Where are the people? It
! Gandhi had used satyagraha for the
marchers through the police is the govt which fa stopping us," • welfare of the society. The Baba's
. ,
•
who assaulted and molested he said. ’
1 ' agitation could not be described as
women ■ satyagrahis on Friday . -As if on cue, the police I fc-tyavraha because be had launched
night.
brought about 30 pro-dam ( it with the purpose of depriving
Baba Amte too was pushed demonstrators near the barrier ; drinking water to the parched land of
around foroverhalf-an-hour by where Babji .Amte was being.
Saurachtra, north Gujarat and Kutch.
women home guards as he ente restrained by the home guards. t
On the other hand, Baba Amte
He pleaded .with the women j. along with the reprcse-tatives from
red the Guj arat territory at 11.55
ji
the
valley are still within the Gujarat
am along with over a dozen anti guards . to . let him proceed
dam marchers. He was also addressing them as “sisters and i border, confronted by about 200 prodam activists led by Ms Urmila Ben
restrained by the home guards daughters.” But the plea went
Patel, Mr K. Z. Patel, Mr
unheeded.
for over five hours.
Harivnllabha Parikh and of the
Later, Baba .Amte was allow
Meanwhile, 58 anti-dam mar
Narmada Samarthan Abhiyan. In
chers including social activists ed to proceed up to the Bhodra
another
development, six Members
Medha Pathak and eminent river bridge where about 500
of Parliament, who had supported
lawyer Girish. Patel began a youths were lying down to block
the Saujltarsha Yatra in a statement
24-hour fast at the Madhya his way. The chiefminister wife,
earlier, will be sitting on a dharna in
Pradesh-Gujarat border in prot Urmilabpn Patel, sarvodaya -v/^pt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan
est against Friday’s night police worker Hart Vallabh Parikh and
assault on satyagrahis staging a other leaders of the Nagnada.
sit-in dhama inside the Gujarat Adhiyan Samiti had formed a
chain to prevent the anti-dam
territdry.
“The policemen started rain marchers from proceeding
ing blows on us and molested ftirther.
the yvomen satyagrahis tearing
“Baba Amte vapas jaat'i and,
the clothes after switching off Gujarat jhookega nahi, bandh
the floodlights at around 7.30Y roolcega nahi" stated the. pro
pm on Friday,!’ said an angry dam demonstrators who were
Shanti Devi, leader of the Bho promptly silenced by their
’
;•
pal Gas Pidjt Mahila Udyog leaders.
“1 can understand your sup
.Samiti.
She said the police assault porting the dam but your saying
came as a surprise a s the Gujarat rookega nahi pains me
satyagrahis were preparing for more. I am not fighting a battle
their dinner.
against Gujarat. 1 will prefer to
The police bundled them up die here rather than fight you,”
Baba
Amte said.
in buses and released them 50 to
60 km away near Dohad.
He said the people of Gujarat
By Saturday morning, the would realise later how right he
entire 1.5 km stretch from the was about the destructive natu
Madhya Pradesh border to the re of the Sarodar Sarovar,
NachiliQtaDeeai
ihFerkuva,'
51-
Dr Patel said the Baba Had hyper
medical facilities to him.
The Gujarat chief minister, Mr tension and might be hospitalised
Chimanbhai Patel, lias asked the later depending upon his condition.
Ms Patkar, leading the anti
collector to take care of the Baba and
Narmada activists today announced
provide him with all facilities.
Dr G. C. Patel from the communi her decision to launch an indefinite
ty health services at Chhota Udepur hunger strike from tomorrow de
town, about 30 kms away, was sum manding a full review of the Sardar
moned to examine him. After the Sarovar project across the Narmada
examination he said Baba’s health river at Kevadia in Rajpipla sub
was okay and there was no cause for division of Broach district, and call
ing a hall to the construction work of
worry.
Mr Ray said the state government the dam till the review process was
would extend all help to the Baba and over.
Meanwhile, Mr Sanai Mehta, for
see that he got the best treatment. Ms
Mcdha Patkar, camping at Chandpur mer chairman of the Sardar Sarovar
Narmada
Nigam Ltd (SSNL), today
in Madhya Pradesh, near the Gujarat
border, was summoned to meet the offered fruit juice to Ms Urmilabcn
Patel, president of the Gujarat
Baba.
The collector asked the leaders of Women’s Action Group and wife of
pro-Marmada rallyists to stop using the Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr
loudspeakers as Baba required rest. Chimanbhai Patel, Mr Heribhai Panchal of _Sadvichar Panvar, Mr
The pro-Narmada rallyists re- Xamesh Shait'oTNarraada
U1
baoll Resettle
sponded to this demand and stopped mcnt samiti and Mr Jiyanbhai Patel,
lhe> Db’Ser'VeZ
H®
’7
F-K'll
Naffssis^ &/Mg
Madhya Pradesh border), .Jan
5: "Sardar Sarovar dhoka hai, The yatris are looking for a
way "to enter Gujarat.“Is that
dhakka mart), mauka hai”
(Sardar Sarovar is a fraud, side Pakistan that our entry
here is a chance to pull it is prohibited?” asks Bhurabhal
down), is the war cry of tie Patidat who has been with
Jan Vikas Sangarsh Yatra the yatra throughout.
The pro- and anti-dam
which launched its 250 km.long trek to the project site protestors are a study in con
on the Narmada river from trast. On the Madhya Pradesh
Rajghat
(MP)
last side the yatra consists of
tribals and villagers, a deter
Christmas. And while the
yatra is on, the Gujarat gov mined, defiant lot. On the
ernment is hell bent on not Gujarat side.they are mostly
city louts and college students.
allowing it that opportunity.
The anti-dam protestors
This border village has been
the battleground since Decem have made it on foot to the
ber 31. The yatra has pitched border, whereas the pro-dam
camp on the Madhya Pradesh protestors were dumped in
side. The Gujarat government Gujarat in state transport
which
sponsored the pro buses specially requisitioned
dam protests against the yatra by the state government.
-T^e’ 'former are gathered
is trying its manipulative best
to ward off the threat. out in the open in abysmally
low temperatures and the pro on December 29 Chimanbhai
dam fellows are ferried back
Patel, Gujarat chief minister,
daily to the security of their flew into Ferkuva to address
homes.
a pro-dam rally attended by
“We will go to the dam,"says 40,000. He said, “Baba Amte
Medha Patkar, the soul and has threatened jal samadhi if
spirit of the yatra. “Yes ” the work on the dam proceeds,
comes the encore from the Why allow him to die in the
tribals. They and the villagers Narmada and pollute the
sing songs written by them waters?”he asked the pro-dam
for the occasion. Is liye raah rally sponsored by the Gujarat
sangarsh ki hurnne chuni (We government.
choose the path of struggle
Ferkuva has been converted
because...)is a popular num into a cantonment. A nervous
ber.
But
the
pro-dam police force with a strength
protestors keep up a steady of about 3000 is commandeered
chant of “Baba Amte go back”, by lumpens and college stu
“We will make the dam at dents all of them busloaded
any cost".
to the border by the Gujarat
As the loin-cloth clad tribals government. Since December
and
villagers
reached 25 massive police force was
Alirajpur, 24 km from the deployed at the six entry points
border braving frosty weather JromM.P. into Gujarat. Some
efthe policemen even arrested
newsmen covering the yatra.
The day it commenced from
Badwani the town observed a
bandh. On the way whether
it was Kadmaal, Nisarpur,
Q
Chikhalda, Kukshi, Silkuwa,
Phaata, Nanpur, Alirajpur,
Lakshmani or Chandpur the
, ».. .. . '•^staffReporter ’
tors on the Bhodar bridge, fell’ TOEDMIANUT^aEnvfron- yatra was given a warm wel
Nachiketa Desai
come
in shouts of‘‘koi nahin
uneonsicous at around 3 pm
in Ferkuva
while he was in the makeshift) ment Protection' Group' has hatega bandh nahin banega"
EMINENT “SOCLAL ""’worker toilet in a nearby field. He was’ expressed solidarity with the on (none shall be displaced, the
dam wall not be constructed)
Baba Amte, who went on a fast carried to the ambulance in a, going struggle for saving the
Narmada valley.
unto death here on Saturday, stretcher.
Baba Amte is also travelling
In a press statement issued
The pro-dam demonstrators
fell unconscious on Sunday
afternoon following a sleepless clapped and jeered much to the here on Saturday, secretary of .with the yatra. The Gujarat
government
attempts to isolate
night due to constant slogan
embarassment of government the DTEPG Nergis Irani said
shouting through loudspeakers
officers and organisers of the that tile group had despatched him from the yatra.The yatra
by the government-sponsored’. counter-dharna as Amte was letters to prime minister leaders realise this game.
Chandrashekhar asking him to Baba Amte issued a statement
pro-Sardar Sarovar project being carried out.
demonstrators.
f
Even veteran Sarvodaya wor intervene in the matter and get decrying the game of the
Baroda
district collector kers like Harj Vallabh Parikh the governments of G ujarat and Gujarat leaders. In the meanwhile the Gujarat police intel"
Tapan Ray, who rushed a medi
and the NarmadaAbhiyanSami- Maharashtra to interact', with
cal team to attend to Baba Amte, ' ti’s Haribhai Panchai, both of the activists of, the Narmada ligence is doing all it can to
penetrate the yatra and get
ordered the demonstrators to whom were present at the site, Bachao'Andplan-k
The? fetter,.dated January 4, advance information. But the
turn off the loudspeakers.
did not even Inquire after
.says that the treatment meted
‘suraksha dal’ of the yatra is
However, the slogan shouting Amte’shealth.
out to'Magsaysay award winner too smart for them.
continued
without
' the
Baba
Amte
was
shocking
and
Meanwhile,
social
activist
While the city louts continued
loudspeakers.
Septuagenarian social wqr- ’ Medha Patkar aqd fpfjr other. would conyey a poor image to to provoke the yatra protestors
ker Dr G C Patel said Amte anti-dam activists announced tile world about the state of the Gujarat officials, tried hard
.' .J to persuade the leaders to
recovered soon after being • thefrintentiontogqonanindefi-t democracy in Indio.
return. But the anti-dam
administered glucose and rhU- nite’ fast from Monday in sup
rifhe
■
'letter
-has^quested
ne water. “There is no cuase for port of thefr demandsTor a cijin-' Chandrashekhar'.’to. pressure protestors are in no mood to
leave
the border. The deter
plete review Of th'e’multierbre
worry,” he added.
chief minister .of'Gujarat, CHi- mined lot wants to enter
’
He attributed the sudden gid SardarSarovar project. •
Anfi-^am-acUvists, whbifiave ■mahbhai-Patel. to initiate an Gujarat and go to Sardar
diness experienced by Amte to
been advocatingjya , people- ■ uricoriditional dialogue with Sarovar. "We will lose every
exhaustion and sleeplessness.
Amte.
thing. Our houses, our land,
to-people dialogue on the issue,
Ray too admitted that Amte
everything will be submerged
distributed pamphlets oh the
could not sleep throughout
Thegrouphas
also
written
let-.>
.
and still you want us to
Gujarat side explaining thier
Saturday night due to Ute slogan
stand.'
, tecs to chief ministers of Maha- return home. For us this is a
shouting. One of these slogans
rashra,' Gujarat and Madhya last-ditch battle for sur
went: “Babajago, Baba bhago.® ■
Significantly, the Gujaratpolivival,"thunders Bhagwanbhai
Amte’, who entered Gujarat ce appears to have softened its Pradesh on the issue .
of Chota Badada .
.on Saturday along with nearly a stand towards the anti-dam acti
The letters say that the river-1
Medha Patkar specifies the
dozen anti-dam marchers to vists who were allowed free project.is a ‘fioose’around.thf ’
begin a dharna unto death in movement inside the Gujarat necks’ of the three states and not basic ideology of the yatra.
She says that displacement
front of the pro-dam demonstra territory yesterday. ■ - ;
the ‘lifeline of-Gujarat’ as. is by Sardar- Sarovar is unjust
being propagated,by the Guja-A. and rehabilitation impossiblen
_L rirdripcrv-V.t-Tt. ~l
I
rat government- ' '
’
-.£■
smb greens
Safe a Aniiite felfe D- eBgeekPM
’s i J
liiHcoiasciioiui©
iiileweafear
tation of the displaced persons
it is too late in the day to discuss the
need for big dams. There are
already 2,000 big dams in the
world and one more is not going to
create any crisis,” Mr Patel said.
he World Bank is committed
to provide funds for the project and
the work on various sites is in
THE Gujarat chief minister, Mr
progress. We shall not allow Baba
Chimanbhai Patel, today alleged
to take a morcha and demolish the
theijhere was a foreign hand
dam. If a group of persons enter
behifid the_agitation sphereheaded
Maharashtra and try to demolish
He claimed that the rehabili
by Baba Amte against the Narmada
the Mantralaya, would you allow
tation package provided by the
Sagar dam.
it? The people of Gujarat have
Gujarat government was one of the
Talking to newsmen here, he
extended their wholehearted sup
best in that it not only gave land for
charged that the agitation was sus
port to the project and there are no
land but also provided five acres
tained with the money supplied additional land to each of the! differences among the politicians
from foreign countries. He said
in Gujarat over the need for com
landless labourers, who were dis-,
that what Mr Amte was doing was
pletion of the project," the Chief
placed. He said that the con
not ‘satyagraha’ but a ‘hutagraha’
Minister said.
cessions and subsidies given by the
i (an act of obstinacy) by attempting
Gujarat government were more
’ to stop the project on which the
When asked why the Gujarat
liberal than those given by any
! government had already spent
other state government to project- government failed to arrest the BIP
about Rs 1,000 crore. “His attitude
president Mr L. K. Advani, when
affected persons.
is very unGandhian," he said.
he commenced his ‘Rathayatra’
He refuted the reports that the from Sornnath, Mr Patel said that
He made it clear that the govern
Prime Minister, Mr Chandra the then prime minister, Mr V. P.
ment, under, no circumstances,
Shekhar, had given an assurance Singh had assured him that the
would compromise on the height oi
that the government would under Babri Mesjid-Ramajanmabhoomi
the dam, pace of the construction
take a fresh review of the project tangle would be sorted out before
work or review the feasibility and
and added that the Narmada pro the ’Yatra’ would reach Ayodhya,
need of the project.
ject was one of the most thoroughly "but it turned out to be an error of
“We are prepared to negotiate scrutinised projects in the country judgement." He said that what
with the agitators on the ecological since independence. He felt that weighed with the Union govern
%r environmental aspect of the this project would be a true savier ment was that the BJP was also the
alliarfcepartner at the Centre. /
project or the problems of rehabili for the state.
Our Correspondent
BOMBAY 7 JANUARY
61 —
FERKUVA,.
da
Talking to reporters, Ms Pat- Minister for Narmada Project,
Bachao Andol
ay kar said the Government had not Mr Babu Bhai Patel, Mr Dhadd
launched an indefinite fast, sig- taken any initiative for a dialo- ha said the Government should
nalling further intensification of gue and added that they were not make the construction of
their agitation against the multi
Narmada Dam a "prestige
purpose Narmada project, re
”
,
/
See editorial: Not issue.
ports PTI.
He said the bigjjdms created
Seven representatives from
Giving a Dam
several environment and human
the anti-Narmada rally led by Ms
problems instead of solving any
Medha Patkar began the fast at prepared for a public debate on difficulty.' z
their camp on the Gujarat- the issue.
Madhya Pradesh border on the
In a letter to the Prime Minis
14th day of their anti-Dam ter, she said the Andolan was left
march, demanding review of the with no option but to undertake
project.
an indefinite fast as Mr Chandra
Social activist Baba Amte,-who Shekhar had “failed” to per
is steering the march, continued suade the Governments con
his dharna for the third day to- cerned
______ ___
o.„________________
to agree
to a review of the
day near here to pressure the Gu- . project.
jarat Government to allow the
Dwelling
on
the
"basic
march to proceed to the Dam site anomalies" in the conception.
to stag a “satyagraha".
and decisions about the project,
Earlier, Baba Amte fainted due she demanded a complete re
to weakness and hypertension.
view of the project from human,
environmental, economic, finan
cial and developmental aspects.
Till then, irreversible works like
land acquisition should be stop
ped, she said.
•Meanwhile, the veteran Sarvodaya leader, Mr Siddha Raj
Dhaddha, has requested the Gu
jarat Government not to insist on
proceeding with the Narmada.
Sarovar Dam Project and said
“big dams do not solve any
problem.”
In a telegram to the Gujarat
AOiW
Aii
Q
A
o
’ U \\ ' ‘‘ •
•
‘Tii
o aw
0
O
won t save up mission
. /
NEW DELHI
:
Published at
H IN D U STA N TIM ES
:
Nam e of the Paper
v'.r3
,
vailswithneithcr the Narmada Bachao which result in the displacement of
Andolan activists nor the supporters of people. Why should certain things be
the NarmadaDam wanting to budge producedby mega project which could
be used by say five or ten per cent of
FERKUVA. Jan. 8 from their respective stands.
Baba Amte told this correspondent the population? Where was distribu
Ferkuva is a small hamlet on the
border of the west coast States of Gu that "1 am not going back from Gu tive justice in this? The whole theory
jarat and Madhya Pradesh. Till De jarat. It is possible that what I may not of percolation of the benefits has col
cember 31. this place, inhabited by achieve while alive will be achieved lapsed."
1,000 plus people, was unknown like after my death. Then, it is also possible
Asked as to why Baba Amte had
thousands of similar hamlets dotted that what I have not been able to con refused any medical help from the
vey to the people of Gujarat and con Government of Gujarat, one activist
across the country.
However, since Deccmbcr31 things vince them while alive my death will said that this was in protest against the
have dramatically changed for Ferku do.”
manner in which the Government had
va which has come to be known
Baba Amte is hurt by what he de reacted to the hitherto peaceful and
nationally and perhaps international
scribed as "the callousness which the non-violent andolan.
ly. For, on this day Baba Amte, who
It was made clear to this corres|wnpeople have shown to me. I was on my
started his'inarch from Badwani on
way to offer satyagrah and the author dent that Mr Babubhni Patel, Minister
December 25 along with some 1.150
ities just put women homeguards and for Narmada project, at no time dis
volunteers tried to cross over into Gu
police on the way. Then slogans like cussed the agitation with either Baba
jarat on way to Kevadia colony to stop
‘Baba /Amte ko wapas bejo, Gujarat Amte or for that matter with any one
the work on the Sardar Sarovar Nar
bachao (Send baba Amte back and else. He had come to enquire about
mada project.
save Gujarat) have hurl. Have I come the Baba’s health.
Baba Arnie is leading a group of
here to conquer Gujarat?" he asked
Mr Patel, after his meeting with
anti-dam protestors from Madhya
and added that because of this and the Baba Arntc, reiterated the Govern
Pradesh and Maharashtra. They have
fact that there were cheers when he
ment’s stand that there was no ques
been camping opposite this hamlet on
fainted "f have no wish to live. May be
tion whatsoever for reviewing the pro
the Madhya Pradesh side since Mon
1 will move out of this ambulance and
ject which had been investigated and
day last wanting to move to Kevadia.
sit in the open,"
re-investigated thoroughly over the
Police barricade and the prohibitory
Mrs Patkar, who started her indefi
orders apart, there arc hundreds of
last 30 years or so. "I have taken over
nite fast, told this correspondent that
supporters of the Narmada dam who
the Mjrnstry.wrtn the one and only purthey had placed all their proposals be
have created what they described as a
posdof cxfKditing the project an<fre
fore the Central Government and con- sults art coming in from the tim/that I
human wall of the people of Gujarat to corned Slate Governments and ,,|^l>V«com.ngu1 from the trm.
prevent the Narmada Bachao Ando- these arc accepted there was no qmZ have been mad: tncharge,
added.
Ian activists from crossing over into
Gujarat.
withdrawing the Narmada Bach'acr
This correspondent visited Ferkuva Andolan.
on Monday and found the Narmada
Asked as to what were the propos
Bachao Andolan activists squatting on als, she said that there should be an
the Madhya Pradesh side of the border investigation of the entire project by ■
and the supporters of the Narmada the Ministries of Social Welfare, Fi- 1
dam led by Mrs Urmila Patel, wife of nance. Irrigation and Water and Pow
Chief Minister Chimanbhai Patel, and er Resources and Environment who
chairman of Women’s Action Group, should be part of a new committee
a voluntary organisation, squatting which should also include the repre
just about ten metres short of the sentatives of the Governments of
bridge on the Gujarat side.
Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Ra
On both sides tents and shamianas jasthan and Gujarat, their representa
have been erected and chanting of tives and some neutral experts accept
bhajans, speeches and slogans filled able to both sides.
the air along with dust, from dry and
When her attention was drawn to
barren fields.
the fact that this was one of the most
Just about 15 metres inside the Gu investigated projects in the country
jarat territory stands an ambulance and the fact that the World Bank had
which has been turned into Baba given its clearance after going through
Amte’s headquarters and resting all the aspects, Mrs Patkar said that the
place. Part of the ambulance has been investigations were not thorough and
converted into a bed and the rear half the benefit has been highly exagger
; into a sort of officc-cum-mcdical ated. She also dismissed the World
place. Baba Amte lay reclining on a Bank's clearance staling that it was
pillow as the slanting rays of the selling based on the data and details supplied
sun filtered in from the window and by the Indian Central Government
fell on his face.
and State Governments. She added
Baba Amte, who had fainted on that though the World Bank described
. Sunday due to what he and some of his itself as an institution for reconstruc
supporters described as "tension” cre tion and development but (he point
ated by the continuous shouting of slo that it is a money-lending body should
gans and singing of bhajans at a high not be missed. It is lending money and
pitch by the supporters of the Narma taking interest.
da dam, looked cheerful.
Asked whether there could be any
Former Chief Minister and present meeting point which could break this
ly a Cabinet Minister exclusively for impasse like the revision of the num
the Narmada project Babubhai Patel ber of the project affected people and
had met him in the morning to enquire the like Mrs Patkar said "Il is not the
about his health. Mr Patel had met and question of numbers only. It is the
held the first round of talks on Decem question of distributive justice."
ber 31.
When her attention was drawn to
From the conversation that this cor-1 the fact that some fear that stopping of
respondent had with Baba Amte, and the Narmada project now would mean
Mrs Medha Patkar, who embarked on bigger multi purpose projects in the
an indefinite fast from Monday along country, Mrs Patkar said that "we arc
wi’h seven others, including three not only against the huge irrigation
Froi^
jas
w.tmrn a next to total J«-:«!l;i.) pre-
ftafliks
Cs'Uijfflirat CM rales
From Our Special Correspondent
Anti-dam activists
have msiovall. edge
( ''Tines ok JTN-DtAz
W) )
GANDHINAGAR, Jan 8. — A
high-level meeting presided over
by the Chief Minister, Mr
Chimanbhai Patel, today ruled
out any negotiations on the de
mand of anti-dam agitators for
lowering the dam’s height and
stopping construction work for
the time being.
Tire meeting which was also
attended by the Finance Minis
ter, Mr Chhabildas Mehta, the
Minister' for Narmada Develop
ment, Mr Babubhai Patel, and
senior officials opted for a stale
mate at Ferkuva, the GujaratMadhya Pradesh border where
pro-dam and anti-dam demon
strators are fighting a war of
nerves.
Even the illness of Baba Amte
and Ms Medha Patkar, the Nar
mada Bachao Andolan leaders
would not deter the Government
from changing its stance, the
Chief Minister said categorically.
Meanwhile, the Sarvodaya
Mandal comprising Gandhian
social workers like Mr Kantibhai
.Shah and Mr Jagdish Shah yes
Despite the eulogies received at
home, his national reputation stands
,considerably damaged. He appears as
'■a politician no less uncouth than Mr
Om Prakash Chautala.
Baba Amte’s dhama and fast can
now be used as an opportunity by the
chief minister to find an honourable
end to the confrontation that no
longer serves Mr Patel’s interests. It
would be a magnificant gesture on the
chief minister’s part to permit the
anti-Narmada marchers to go ail the
way to Kevadia Colony.
The refusal to let the Amte rallyists
have the satisfaction of their peoplcThe
chief
minister,
Mr lo-people dialogue is at odds with the
terday resolved to support the
Chimanbhai Patel, and his advisers, portrayal of the SSP as the life-line of
anti-dam movement and facili
both official and unofficial, arc enti Gujarat.
tate the entry of Baba and his'
tled to their views that the national
Admittedly, the anti-dam rallyists
followers in Gujarat.
media’s refusal to see the Narmada v/ould want to break the law, if
UNI adds: Five more Narmada
project as a panacea for all the ills of permitted to proceed, albeit nonBachao
Andolan activists joined
Gujarat is an indication of its preju violently, in Kevadia. But then they
the “fast unto death” started yes
dices against the state.
will have to cam the stigma of
terday by seven Andolan volun
But after days of stand-off on the wanting to take liberties with law and
teers, included Ms Medha Pat
Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh border, it is order. As of now, this confrontation
kar, while a two-member com
becoming increasingly clear that the on the Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh
mission representing non-gov
chief minister will have to come up border is taking the look of David
ernmental organizations in Delhi
with imaginative responses to seize and Goliath. The over-bearing and
reached Ferkuva'on a fact-find
the moral initiative. And the sooner intolerant approach has only given
ing mission.
this is realised the better.
the advantage of moral edge to the
The two-member commission,
In a way, the chief minister is the environmentalists.
comprising a representative
victim of his own brand of overIt would be entirely consistent with
from the national campaign for
management. While out of power, he Gujarat’s traditions if the chief minis
housing rights and another from
was quick enough to realise the ter were to personally invite Baba
the national fishermen's forum
emotive potential of this controversy Amte to give up his fast-cum-dharna
would investigate alleged human
and, once in power, he charac and to invite him to travel to Kevadia
rights violations. The members
teristically saw no reason to moderate Colony to see for himself the kind of
will be here for the next two days
his voice. None of his advisers felt the rehabilitation work the state has
during which period it will visit
need to point out to him that churn already undertaken.
both the pro and anti-Sardar
ing up parochial passions in the
Baba Amte is sorely testing the
Sarovar Project camps. It will
vernacular press does not always limits of Mr Chimanbhai Patel’s
submit its reports on returning
impress policy-makers, be it in New legendary gift for pragmatism.
to the Capital, an Andolan
Delhi, Washington or Tokyo.
spokesperson said.
Mr Chimanbhai Patel has unwit
PTI adds: “I am fighting for a
tingly whipped up a frenzy over the
cause and I cannot call off the
Narmada issue, aided and abetted by
march", Baba Amte told a dele
the vast resources of the information
gation of school children from
department — which have not
various
parts of Gujarat, who
necessarily been always spent legally
Meanwhile the Andolan lead traversed 30 km on foot from ’
— to create an impression that Baba
er, Ms Medha Patkar, today Chota Udepur to Ferkuva for be
Amte and his fellow-rallyists are bent
challenged the Gujarat Chief seeching him to abandon the
upon bringing to a grinding halt the
Minister to prove the allegation anti-Narmada project march “in
work on the Narmada project.
that anti-Narmada movement the interest of the nation”.
These deliberate manipulations of
was funded by foreign agencies.
popular emotions did help the chief
Baba Amte said he was acting
minister to cope, politically first, with
She told reporters at the site of only according to "the will of the
the problems created by Messrs Pradhama that these type of allega people affected by the project
veensinh Jadeja and Jaspal Singh,
tions were levelled by politicians and had not made it a prestige
and later helped him dampen the
‘against the agitation from the issue”.
ardour of mischief-makers on both
day it was launched but so far
sides of the coipmunal divide.
nobody had been able to prove it
But now, having demonstrated to
since it had the support of poor
the world that the people of Gujarat
farmers and Adivasis.
/!
are solidly behind the Narmada pro
ject, he can afford to change gears. As
it is, the very presence of his wife on
the Bhadar bridge, exhorting the pro
dam rallyists, who at times have
ac ul
qm
lapsed into tastelessness, does not
bring credit to Mr Chimanbhai Patel.
By HARISH KHARE
AHMEDABAD, Jan. 8.
otwithstanding the
shrill rhetoric and the often
disgraceful tactics deployed by
the Narmada project establish
ment al Ferkuva, it is obvious
that Baba Amte and his fellowrally ists have managed to show
up the Gujarat government in a
rather uncomplimentary light,
both in the national media as
well as the international press.
N
5$ I
.
J
^ 5/
BABA ANTE
NARMADA LDK-BIRADARI
At Post: Kasaravad
Via: Badwani - Fin 451 551
Diet: Kliargon, Madhya Pradesh.
9.1.91
India.
Decision to stay was mine
In seme sections of the Press (e.g. Sandesh, Jar, 7, 1991), it has
been alleged that the Jar, Vikas Sangharsh Yatra leaders are
’playing with Baba's health' to suit their own ends, by not
allowing doctors to take ire to E<arcda for admission in an ICLI.
This allegation, like previous ones about an imaginary split
between me and the Narmada Bachao Andolan, is false and
mischievous.
The truth is that, after I regained consciousness following my
fall on January 6th, I myself refused to be moved to a hospital.
For a man who has sworn not to move out of Gujarat unless the
legitimate voice of the people of Narmada Valley is heard, it
would be unthinkable to agree to being shifted even if failing
health required it.
I specifically told the Andolan members wino
were present, that I was not to be moved cut even if I fell
unconscious again.
G5-
That apart, the doctors accompanying the Yatra, Dr. Rajiv Lochan
Sharma, confirmed very scon after my fall that there was no
immediate cause for hospitalisation. My personal physician, Dr.
Prakash Yadav of Badwani, also felt the same when he examined me
early next morning. He prescribed some drugs, which I sun
regularly taking.
It does no good to the image of the Press if it continues to
publish such baseless allegations.
I would wish that it focuses
more cn the substantive issues raised by our Yatra, rather than
waste newsprint trying to denigrate the Andolan.
A-AAA '/ A A . / BiatiAA '< A'ards
ALIRAJPUR(MP)(PT1)
Social activist Baba Amteyesterday decided to return the ‘Padmashri’ and ‘Padma Vibhushan’
awards to the president on
January 26 in protest against
what he called the “inhuman
treatment meted out to the anti
dam tribals and himself by the
Gujarat government.”
Arnie announced this at Ferkuva. village where he is staging
a dharna along with a group of
tribals.
"My belief in peace and justi
ce forces me to take this deci
sion.” he said, adding that by
ignoring the tribals’ march and
plight and treating them and
himself inhumanly, the Gujarat
and central governments had
made a mockery of the awards
given to him.
The .Narmada Bachao AndoIan leaders are mobilising more
tribals from the SSP-aflected vil
lages of Khargaon, Dhar and
Jhabua district to join their
counterparts even as the indefi
nite fast by seven activists inclu
ding Medha Patkar entered the
third dayyesterday.
Andolan leader Girish Patel
told newsmen in Indore that tire
Andolan would approach the
supreme court to restore the
right to life of tribals agitating in
Gujarat as guaranteed under
the constitution.
He said the anti-dam tribals
■ had a right to demand a compre
hensive--'’and honest review of
’the Sardar Sarovar project and
’agitate peacefully. The stir will
continue till the Andolan
achieves its objectives, he said.
Patel said there was no rift
among the leaders on the issue
of continuing the agitation and
spid all decisions were taken in
consultation with Amte and
other leaders now camping
' near Chandpurvillage.
He said the Andolan leaders
wanted to know from the
■’ government what were its plan
for the rehabilitation of tribals,
plan for catchment area treat
ment, command area develop
ment plan, preservation of flora
and
fauna,
compensatoryaspect to the tribals, and plan to
avert
disaster
like
an
earthquake. ,
“I and thousands of tribals
and peasants of the Narmada
Valley have been lying by the
roadside for the last several
days. Confronted by the migift
of a callous and indifferent
State. Today is the fifteenth
day of the Jan Vikas
Sangharsha Yatra, which we
have undertaken to press our
demand to review the Sardar
Sarovar project. This Yatra is
a symbolic struggle against
inhuman and destructive
development, which has
resulted in ecological plunder
eveiywhere in India, its
neglect by the state and
Central governments reflects
their insensitivity to the right
to life and livelihood of tribals
and peasants everywhere.
This corrosive damage to our
nation, which has a rich
heritage of history with a
human face, has greatly
saddened rne.
I have, in the past, been
conferred several
national awards
by the government of India.
The callousness with which i
and my fellow yatris have
bean treated in the last few
Unless
the
government
.’ answered
these
questions i
already raised by the World
Bank, it should stop construc• • tidnofthedamforthree months
and hold a dialogue with the
- anti-dam leaders during the
period.
Patel alleged that the govern
ment had not conducted any
study on the major points raised
by the Andolan raid had takenthe people of Gujarat for a ride.
Madhya Pradesh chief mini
ster Sunderlal Patwa told n’ew■ smenatKukdeswarnearMandsaur on Tuesday that the Nar
mada river was untouched by
any irrigation project so far and
the anti-dam agitation “had no
meaning.”
lie said Amte specialised in
serving
leporasy
patients,
Swami Agnivesh in the field of
bonded labour and Medha Pat
kar was a teacher. “How can
they decide the height of. the
dam,” he asked.
This job was better left to the
specialists and experts in the
field, he said, adding the deci
sion to implement the project
was taken after 50 years of deli_berations bv exnerts.
----------------------------------------------
days makes a mockery of
these. My passion for justice
and peace has forced me to
take the painful decision to
return these awards, that is,
the Padma Shree and the
Padma Vibhushan, on January
26,1991. This nation can no
longer remain a silent
spectator of the immolation
10.
—- ^6 —
NWWDA BACHAO ANDOLAN at Ferkuwa, M.P.-Gujarat border.
10-1-1991
Renowned Activists Jyotibhai Desai., btadhitisudan Mistry and Harshad
Desai Visit the Camp
Jyotibai Desai, veteran Gandhian and educationist, and Madhusudan
Mistry noted social worker among the tribals in Gujarat visited
the camp of Jan Vikas Sang harsh Yatra on Wednesday (9th) and
pledged their support to the cause of Narmada Bachao Andolan.
They, alcng with Prof. Harshad Desai, renowned thinker in Gujarat,
expressed their solidarity for the movement which struggles for
the rights of the downtrodden and for the cause of alternative
model of development.
-6.?-
Jyotibhai Desai has been consistently advocating the Gandhian
model of development and has been an unflagging supporter of the
Andolan. Yesterday, he expressed his conviction in the meeting at
the camp by raising the slogan of 'koi nahin hatega-baandh nahin
banega'.
Prof. Harshad Desai said that there had been a clear
polarisation on the Narmada issue.
Those who are opposing the
Narmada Bachao Andolan and the issues raised by it have teen
opposing all the struggles of the oppressed in Gujarat for long.
The same forces who are involved in anti-Sangharsh Yatra
mobilisation, were in the forefront in suppressing the Dalits in
Anti-Reservation stir and anti-minority hysteria and anti-Mandal
Commission stir in the state. He expressed sense of guilt on
behalf of all thinking Gujarati people.
It was a touching sight when over thirty activists frpm the tribal
belt of Panchmahal and Sabarkantha in Gujarat marched in
expressing support to the Sangharsh Yatra. Led by noted social
worker Madhusudan Mistry all of them hailed from 'Disha'
organisation.
Speaking at the camp Mr. Mistry expressed his
confidence that the flame lit by the Narmada Bachao Andolan will
light all other struggles of the depressed classes even in
Gujarat. He decried the fascist tendencies in the state and
explained how pro-people organisations in the state are feeling
suffocated. He was confident that slowly but definitely the
people in Gujarat will realise the truth and come on the side of
the Andolan.
However he was dismayed over the trend of non
governmental organisations supporting the state to crush the
people's movement.
PRESS RELEASE
(BASED ON THE PRELIMINARY REPORT ON CURRENT NARMADA CONFRONTATION
The National Campaign for Housing Rights(NCHR) and the National Fishermen s
Forum (NFF) jointly undertook a one day fact-finding mission to the site.of the
current Narmada confrontation on 8th January and placed their preliminary
findings at a Press Conference held on 10th January at the Press Club at 3.30 pm.
The spokespersons clarified that at a meeting in Delhi, it was decided that
their organisations being independent of the situation in the Narmada Valley
should undertake the mission to the Gujarat/Madhya Pradesh border to observe and
to make available for the groups and people's movements all over the country,
an objective report on the situation.
Jai Sen of NCHR and J. John of NFF said that they found the camp of the Jan
Vikas Sangharsh Yatra to be highly inspiring, but they were left mostly very
disturbed by the situation in the Gujarat side of the confrontation. The
impression that they gathered was that the so-called 'pro-dam rally' that has
assembled, is an artificial one made up of people who have been heavily
misguided by the false information given out by the government of Gujarat and the
Gujarathi press, brought to the site especially to 'demonstrate'. They found the
'pro-dam
rallyists' outbursts chauvanistic, hysterical and irrational.
On the other hand, the members of the fact-finding team reported that they
were deeply impressed by the stale of Sangharsh Yatra in an overall situation
which resembles a battle field in a war, with the two fronts arrayed on the?two
sides of the border. They reported that over 1000 Ya trees still remain camping
in an open field at Farakua, Jhabua district, Madhya Pradesh, very close to'the
Gujarat border. They^said, all the Yatrees were keeping high morale and their
fighting spirit not dampened by the inclement weather. They found the seven on
indefinite fast including Smt.Medha Patkar, and the twenty in the 'advance team'
who have entered Gujarat and camp just before the guarded bridge, including Baba
Amte, to be well and overflowing with self-confidence and conviction. The
members were very impressed by the high efficient organisation of the camp
including the supply lines of food, medicines and communication. They found that
all of these are being done on a purely voluntary basi^ and with support from
locals on both sides of the border.
The members of the fact-finding team said, they were appalled at the naked
use of state machinery by the Gujarat government aimed at demoralising
intimidating and obstructing the Sangharsh Yatra from their resolve to cross the
Gujarat border and to reach the.controversial Sardar Sarovar dam site. The Chief
Minister himself addressed the state managed pro-dam rally on 30th and thousands
of the policemen were deployed across the border. They held it suspicious, the
manner in which the so-called pro-dam agitation is sustained keeping Narmada
Foundation Trust acting as a front and with the active participation of Gujarat
Chamber of Commerce.The participation of anti-social elements in the on-going
agitation on the Gujarati side of the border, led by the wife of Gujarati Chief
Minister, was confirmed by the Baroda district Collector. The use of Section
144 in a partisan manner where peaceful Yatrees with their hands tied were
prevented from crossing the border, but where the Gujarat rallyists 'managed to
get across' was also found to be highly questionable. The fact-finding mission
questioned the introduction and active use of sectarian and religious elements
like the Swami Narayan sect, in a highly sensitive situation. They observed that
the Gujarat Government is not only engaged in a hysteric campaign in favour of
Sardar Sarovar Project, but also in gross distortions of facts about the
Sangharsh Yatra. The Chauvanistic and proto-fascist maneouverings of the Gujarat
government, they said, effectively silences any public debate in Gujarat and
Cont'd............ P/2.
-As-
: 2 :
help maintain a sustained mental violence. They recalled the incident in which
donkeys were paraded in front of Advocate Girish Patel's house in Ahmedabad and
his effigiees burnt, for his active participation in the Sangharsh Yatra. When
the state usurps the right of citizens in civil society, it points to the death
of democracy, they said. They agreed with Baba Amte's statement that "when the
governments stoops to pitting people against people, it is highly dangerous for
everyone". Moreover, the team members were disturbed by the fact that the
Gujarathi press, especially Sandesh, Gujarat Samacar and Lok Satta, have joined
the pro-dam bandwagon in the distortion of facts and character assassination and
vilification of Sangharsh Yatra leaders.
The members of the fact-finding mission held deplorable the unwarranted as
well as differential applicaton of law in the ! border by the Gujarat
administration. They said altogether 14 Sangharsh Yatrees were arrested, 7 held
in judicial custody in Chotaudepur and the other seven under preventive custody
in Baroda. The information from the Collector that where as the first seven have
been held for substantive offences (under Cr.PC 143, 147, 148,188,332,426 etc.)
and the others under Cr.PC 151, the 65 from the pro-dam rallyists were just
picked up and released under Bombay Police Act 68 shows the partiality of the
law enforcing agencies, they said. In the case of 140 Sangharsh Yatrees
including women and children who were picked up on January 4, were let off at
night at far off places, misusing the provisions under Bombay Police Act, 142.
Moreover, on January 4, the Yatrees who entered the Gujarat border were
manhandled and lathi charged by the Gujarat police twice, first when they were
marching with the hands tied and for the second time when they were taking food
in the evening, the members said.
The fact-finding mission left deeply disturbed by the sustained actions and
behaviour of Gujarat government which appears to be acting like a government
that is scared and also by the central government which appear to have lost
ability to perceive the right and the wrong.
The mission felt that the Narmada Bachao Andolan has over the past years,
raised a wide range of social questions - the rights of tribals and the
deprived, about equality, environment and planning. The Sangharsh Yatra has now
taken this to an even highs: level, giving it deeper political and democratic
content. But the mission was forced to conclude that the Indian state by its
reaction so far in this matter, seems to prefer to forclose its options,
prefering as it has done, money power and brute politics. The Sangharsh Yatra
instead of retaliating at the same level, has chosen to take the matter to a
qualitatively different moral plane, as-Smt.Medha Patkar has written to the
Prime Minister. The indefinite hunder fast launched on 7th January
by
seven
Yatrees including Ms.Medha Patkar and two other women is symptomatic of the
superior moral strength of the Sangharsh Yatrees. The Satyagrahees demand a full
review of of the controversial project with the stoppage of all irreversible
work on the dam. Mission further learned from Baba Amte that he has decided, in
a further act of protest against the behaviour of the state, to return on
Republic Day, the various awards bestowed on him by the nation, among them the
Padmashree and the Padmabhusan. Baba Amte also wondered why he was not being
arrested, and said that he would not retreat an inch, but would prefer to 'die
here on the dusty roads of Gujarat'.
It is thus clearly, the government that will be responsible for any
untoward consequences of'the idefinite fast. Nor does the mission believe that
the arrest and removal of the camp, which is widely expected, is any solution.
■- '//■
(Cj ■
AND
00ClW'iNT..TIU.
\uN'V
\ pA
I
Cont'd................ P/3.
: 3
indicated to the mission that they are still open to discussions^ at
any level so that the Sardar Sarovar Project is subjected to a comprehensive
review and all irreversible work onthe dam is immediately stopped. The Gujarat
Government is adamentinits position that no discussion will be entertained on a
review of the project, on reduction of the height of the dam nor on the stoppage
of work on the dam. The barely-concealed role of Gujarat government in
instigating the pro-Narmada dam agitations, leave it with no political or moral
credibility to intervene in the situation. The fact-finding team members tend to
support the Sangharsh Yatrees and the Baroda district Collector's opinion that
the stalemate can be broken only by the immediate intervention of the Prime
Minister or of the Supreme Court.
'IYiq Yatrees
On the basis of the above, the mission also concluded that there is no
doubt that the moral authority in the present confrontation now lies with the
Narmada Bachao Andolan and that it is its duty to reconmend to its member
organisations and to the public in general to openly support the Andolan's
demands. Mission also proposes to reconmend a series of supportive actions, so
as to widen the front of protest, demand and action. The members said that they
believed that the Narmada confrontation has today become a symbol for all in our
country, who are concerned about development, social justice and democracy and
that the actions in the coming weeks will have lasting implications for the
future.
Jai Sen
National Campaign for Housing Rights
J.John
Representative of Chairperson, National Fishermen's Forum
Place:New Delhi
Date: 11/1/1991.
Names of the Sangharsh Yatrees on Indefinite Hunger Fast since 7.1.1991
1.
2.
3.
l>5.
6.
7.
Medha Patkar
Shanti Bai of Pipri
Laxmi Bai of Piplud
Devram Bhai of Kadmal
Mathur Mohan of Sindori
Khaja Gauslya of Savria
Meghnath of Rihar.
MWIfiDA BACHAO ANDOLAN at Ferkuwa, M.P.-Gujarat border
Press Release
12.1.1991
Major Valley Towns Observe Bandh In Support of the Yatra and East
As the indefinite hunger strike against the Sardar Sarovar Project
by seven representatives led by Smt. Medina Patkar entered the
sixth day, major towns and villages in the project-affected area
called for a 'bandh' in support of tine Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra
and tfie hunger strike.
Major commercial towns like Badwani, Anjad
(Dist. Khargone) and Kukshi, Manawar, Susari (Dist. Dhar) were
closed and all commercial activities were suspended.
Major
villages like Chikhalda, Kadmal and Bhavanriya too were closed.
• -91-
A vehicle rally proceeded from Nisarpur to Kukshi where the
marchers handed over a letter to the Chief Minister of Madhya
Pradesh through the sub-divisional magistrate of Kukshi. The
citizens of Kukshi tehsil thereby appealed to the C.M. to be true
to his assurances and start a dialogue with the Andolan for the
review of the project. They decried the undemocratic methods
adopted by the Government of Gujarat with the connivance of the
local language press and some opportunistic non-governmental
organizations. However, the behaviour of the M.P. Government too
is not very different as it is bent co abusing the very activists
and its own citizens who are trying to save the people, resources
and environment of the state.
Meanwhile, a relay hunger strike is going cn for the last three
oavs in Delhi by the tribal representatives and the supporters of
•«=• Narmada Bachao Andolan in the metropolis in front of the Shram
Shakti Bhavan.
In Bombay, over forty prominent personalities have
sent telegrams to the Prime Minister to review the entire project
with the participation of the anti—dam people's organization and
stop the irreversible work on the dam till such a review is
complete.
They include noted playwright Vijay Tendulkar,
respected trade unionist Bagaram Tulpule, actress Shatna Azmi, Dr
A.R. Desai, director Govind Nihalani, environmentalist Bittu
Sahgal.
Meanwhile, the indefinite hunger strike by Medha Patkar and six
other representatives continued for the sixth day, while five more
relay people joined the relay hunger strike.
'This is the testing
time for our polity, we are seeing how these forces react to the
challenge of the need for an alternative development model', Smt.
Patkar said.
Narmada, activists
move-court
The Times of India News Service ing prohibitory orders at Ferkuva
AHMEDABAD, January 11^.
Village on the inter-state boundary
was unconstitutional and ultra vires. .
S Medha Patkar of the . The petition is likely to be taken up
Narmada bachao andolan for hearing on January 15. •
Meanwhile, a group of voluntary ■
has filed a writ petition in the
Gujarat high court challenging organisations here, while demanding
a total review of the project and
the action of the chief minister, consideration of alternatives, have
Mr Chimanbhai Patel, and the called for an immediate dialogue
state government in preventing between the anti-dam satyagrahis and
some 3,500 andolan volunteers the people of Gujarat.
Addressing a -press conference
from'entering Gujarat.
M
Ms Patkar, Baba Amtc and hun today, Mr Vijay Paranjpye of Parisar,
dreds of people from Maharashtra, . reiterated the environmentalists’ de
Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, who mand to identify adequate land for
set out for Kcvadia in Gujarat from the rehabilitation of the displaced
Raj Ghat (MP) on December. 25, people. He also called for the im
have been camping only few km a’way mediate stoppage of construction
from the inter-state boundary for the work which was irreversible;
Mr Paranjpye dismissed the propa
past 11 days. The boundary is being
heavily guarded by the armed police ganda being made by the Gujarat
force which has already arrested sev government that anti-dam people
eral members of the andolan who had adopted an extreme and ada
mant stand on the issue. Referring to
tried to enter Gujarat.
In her petition, Ms Patkar has the slogan that the Sardar Sarovar
contended that she and others had Project was the ‘‘life-line of Gujarat”.
been prevented not only from.enter He pointed out with the help of maps
ing the stale but also from expressing that the command area of the project
their views regarding the disastrous covered only fertile areas like
consequences of the Sardar Sarovar Ahmedabad, Baroda, Kheda and
project. The state government had on Surendranagar, which Had the highest
January 7 filed a caveat application per capita income in the country. The
in matters concerning the implemen areas of Kutch, Rajkot, Jamnagar,
tation of the Sardgr Sarovar project. Junagadh and Amreli would not
Accordingly, a copy of Ms Patkar’s benefit from the project, Mr Para
petition was served on the govern-, njpye said.
ment pleader today.
She alleged that Mr Chimanbhai
Patel had himself instigated the
people of Gujarat to stop the entry of
the satyagrahis. She accused the chief
minister of making fiery and pro
The l imes of India News Service
vocative speeches at Chhota Udepur
1 INDORE, January 11: The health
and of using the state machinery to
prevent the satyagrahis from entering condition of Ms Medha Patkar and
the stale. She further pointed out that six others, who are on indefinite
the satyagrahis were being treated as hunger-strike, was today stated to be
“alien invaders." The Gujarat gov deteriorating.
ernment’s approach has been against
In a statement. from Ferkuva,
the federal structure and unity of the where the activists of Jan Vikas
country.
Sangharsh Yatra had entered the 17th ,
Ms Patkar argued that promulgat day of their agitation today, the
Narmada Bachao Andolan spokes
man held Madhya Pradesh govern- .
ment equally responsible for side
tracking (he problems of the affected
people.
■
" Narmada valley
ALI RAJPUR (PTI) with the Gujarat government to
A complete bandh was observed . help end the impasse, but insist
in the Narmada valley areas in' ed that the talks be held only
Madhya Pradesh In support of with the Gujarat chief secretary
the indefinite hunger-strike. or chief minister Chimanbhai
undertaken by the leaders of the.-,1• Patel.
Stating this, Andolan spokes
anti-dam agitators including
Medhc Patkar near Chandpur man Ashish Kothari, however,
village on the inter-state border made it abundantly clear that
the Jan Vikas Sangarsh Yatra
yesterday.
Bandit was observed in Bad- would continue till the govern
woni, Kukshi, Anjad and Mana- ment agreed to their demand
for a review of the Sardar Saro-1
var,while small traders downed
shpUero in jChilinda, Kadmal. varProject.
BtaVaria, Susari and other villaGirishbhai Patel, an Andolan
gepwhere processions were tak- leader, said that they had filed a
eiioi,wihsupporioftheagitation. complaint with the Press Coun
ipjDhar district, a motorcy cil of India against two Gujarati
clists’ rally was taken out from newspapers and the state infor
Nisarptir to Kukshi where a mation department for what
memorandum addressed to they called violation of jour
Mtv&ye Pradesh chief minister nalistic ethics and guidelines by
Sunderlal Patwa was handed the Press Commission.
over to the district authorities.
AHMEDABAD (UNI): For- |
Mpanwhile, the indefinite mer test player Surinder Amarhttrjgeryatrlke by Medha Patkar nath and off spinner Uday Joshi
Wd fix other Andolan leaders will lead the state youths in the
entered the sixth day yesterday.
‘Run for Narmada’ on January
CPI MP Rameshwarprasad 19 organised by the Gujarat unit ■
Sinh' and a supreme court of the Yuva Janata Dal.
lawyer,' Venkat Ramani, yester
Dr Mrugesh Vaishnav, presi
day idslted the antirdam mar dent of the state unit of the Dal
chers ’ now camping near • said that prominent citizens,
Chiipdpur village, an Andolan sportsmen, lawyers and doctors
release said.
would participate in the run
FERKUVA: Andolan leaders ,' aimed at mobilisingpubiic opinyesterday expressed their readi ' ion against the anti-Narmada
ness for “unconditional” talks dam agitators led by Baba Amte.
Narmada activists’
condition worsen -
He said the chief minister, Mr
Sunderlal Patwa, and his government
had ignored, in principle, the justice
to the people and had failed, to ’
discharge its duties..
12 Jcukv 9/
/
'. I a> J cut) &
on Narmada,
says Patwa
QHARiSHKHARE
In Ahmedabad
-?3-
—.__
espile an apparent
ij s' effort
by
some
i.j JJ senior
officials
~1 ’—within the Gujarat
government to find a way out of
the stand-off at Ferkuva, the
hawks and the vultures on both
sideswill see to it that the stalem
ate degenerates into a deadlock.
.Neither of the antagonists is pre
pared to observe one fundamen
tal rule ofany successful negotia
tion. Namely, that the other side
should not be seen as having
been cornered and that it should
be allowed to have an honoura
ble route of escape.
It is an unequal battleat Ferku
va. The intrepid anti-dam rallyisls have nothing except their
determination and Baba’s moral
stature to make their point. The
pro-dam forces are meticulous
ly provided for by an aggressive
administration and are being
cared for by District Collector
Tapan Ray, who seems to have
realised that the Narmada con
frontation provides him an op
portunity to earn a few cookie
points with the bosses in Gan
dhinagar.
Perhaps swayed by the palpab
ly unfair and tendentious re
ports in the vernacular media,
the entire administration has
allowed itself to be persuaded
that the anti-dain rallyists are
cracking up and that the unex
pectedly inclement weather co
uld very well turn out to be a long
Russian winter for Baba Amte.
The ground reality is that the
administration is actually short
of sound tactics, what to talk of
well-thought-out strategies.
The administration is now
1
BHOPAL (PTI)
caught in its own too-clever-by- rance is to be seen to be believed.
Madhya Pradesh chief minister
half thinking. In the beginning, A handful of anti-dam activists,
Sunderlal Patwa yesterday said
the police brass had persuaded who dared to question the Nar
there was “no justification” for
carrying on the Narmada
the political leadership that it mada dam publicly, have bashed
Bachao Andolan by Baba Amte
would be neither feasible nor up, with the police being mere
and others social workers who
desirable to allow the Baba and spectators.
,
were continuing it because of
others march all the way to Ketheir
“sheer obstinacy.” .
On
the
other
side,
the
anti
wadia Colony, and that, purely
The opponents of .big dams
from the bandobast point of Narmada forces, too, have been
had hardly any knowledge of
view, it would be better to con remarkably short of imaginative
the ground realities and were
front them at the Madhya Pra responses. Even if one were to
only propagating “imported
discount the official reports that
desh-Gujarat boundary.
ideas,” Patwa said, adding that
This unwittingly created an some People’s War Group ele
the agitators were ignoring the
impression of the mammoth ad ments have infiltrated the Baba
findings of both Indian and fore
ministrative machinery flexing Amte camp, it is obvious that the
ign expertson the project’s tech
nical soundness and the bene
its muscle against a small group hardliners of the Nimaya Samiti
fits that would accrue by It.
of marchers. Interestingly eno •are obdurate enough to derail
. “None of the prominent activ
ugh, even though the adminis any negotiated settlement. Th
ists like Baba Amte, Medha Pattrative set-up knew that the anti eir regard for the integrity and
kar
and Swami Agnivesh is an
dam marchers did not exceed intentions of the Narmada Nienvironment specialist and
more than 3,000, the political gam bureaucracy is so low that
they have no right to doubt,
leaders in Gujarat kept suggest they are not prepared to trust
question or challenge the col
ing that 25,000 tribals, armed anything the Gujarat govern
lective wisdom of top engineers
with all kinds of weapons, were ment may have to offer. How
and enviommental experts,”
■on their way to demolish the ever, they have to understand
Patwa said.
that sympathy of the media,
•sacred Narmada dam.
He said the movement to stop
But, ultimately, it is the chief national and international, will
development work on the pro
ject, in the name of conserva
minister who has only himself to not be enough to break the
tion of environment, was a “con
blame for the stalemate. It was deadlock.
But what is more disturbing is
spiracy” of the developed
his deliberate and calculated de
countries to obstruct the third
cision to whip up the Narmada the mental outlook behind the
world’s development.
frenzy, in order to wrest the initi jingoist campaign. The chief
Defending the dam’s con
ative away from his formercoali- minister has openly accused the
struction, Patwa said a total of46
tion comrades in the Bharatiya critics of Narmada of being fore
lakhs hectares of additional
Janata Party who managed to ign agents. He has dismissed the
land— 28 lakhs in MP and 18
convert Gujarat into one of the critical comments in the nation
lakhs in Gujarat— would come
most communally heated slates al media with contempt: “I do
under irrigation when the deve
in the country. Chimanbhai Pa not read (or care for) newspalopment of the Narmada valley
tel’s strategy boiled down to persjand knowing fully well that
was fully achieved through 29
major dams, 135 medium and
“confront hard communalism equations in New Delhi are pre
5,000 minor irrigation works
with soft fascism”. All the religi carious, Chimanbhai Patel has
He pointed out that the pro
ous figures, who would otherwi boasted that he would not even
ject would create fresh irriga
se preach from the Vishwa Hin listen to Chandra Shekhar
tion potential almost equal to
du Parishad’s platform, were should the prime minister want
that of Punjab and this was no
persuaded to lend their voice to advise a review of the Nar
mean
achievement.
and rhetoric skills to depict Baba mada project.”
Stating that there was no inhe
It is a Kafkaesque irony that no
Amte as Evil Incarnate.
rent conflict between develop
The rising crescendo of intole one hears of the most pertinent
ment and conservation of envi
and possibly the only beneficia-. ronment, Patwa said that the
ry of the Narmada project— Jai
four big dams, namely, Nar
Prakash Associates— in all the
mada Sagar, Omkareshwar,
din and noise at Ferkuva.
Maheshwar and Sard ar Sarovar
in madhya pt;adesh were inter- I
dependent and the gains and
losses from them had to be view
ed together. .•-.•;
|
All this appears to fuel the
determination of the marchers,
and soon the skies are rent with
“Koi nahin hatega, bandh nahin
banega" and “Sardar Sarovar kya
karega, sabka satyanash karega." As
the evening gets colder, the mar
chers bring out their bed rolls and
sacks, readying to sleep. The acti
vists, including those directly
affected by the dam, are still busy
chalking out the next day's plan
of action. The big white moon in
the sky is serenaded by a tribal's
flutesong. Warm and comforta
ble in our sleeping bags, tired
after the long haul, the flute soo
thes us into sleep.
by SHAILENDRA YASHWANT and RANVIR NAYAR
A 6000-strong crowd protesting against the Narmada project camped out in the
open braving the cold, die Gujarat police and their spies. A day-by-day account of
the week the Independent team spent with the agitators
Phala, December28
The 6000-strong Jan Vikas
Sangharsh yatra for the Narmada
Bachao Andolan (NBA), after
covering over 180 kms since
December 25, from Rajghat, has
camped in the fields of this small,
unknown village, about 50 km
from the Gujarat border. It is
already late in the afternoon and
although it's all quite chaotic,
arrangements are under way. A
group of men is setting up tents,
the venue for the NBA office.
Later in the night, the strategy to
be adopted the following day
will be discussed here.
Marchers, spread out all over
the fields, have assembled in
groups and are busy making pre
parations for lunch. The women,
about 2500 of them, knead the
dough which is later baked and
served with piping hot dal gene
rously laced with chillies. After a
bath in the freezing stream runn
ing around the camp, the mar
chers sit under the parked trac
tors and have their meal. Later in
the evening, as the sun sets and
the mercury' dips, they get toge
ther to sing their folk songs,
exchange notes and narrate their
individual experiences.
Nevati, a six-year-old, who has
trekked almost 180 krns from
Dhulia, says, "I am here to save
Narmada maata. 1 am not scared
of the police bullets or lathis."
Nevati's sentiments are echoed
widely by almost all the mar
chers, who are convinced that
this is their only chance. "Staying
at home would mean waiting for
the dam to be completed and sub
merge our village. This way al
least we can give it a try," says
70-year-old
Rukmini
from
Nimar district of Madhya
Pradesh.
About the proposed rehabilita
tion offer by the government,
Vaniya, a 28-year-old farmer
from a village on the banks of the
Narmada, says, "I have seen
what sort of rehabilitation the
Gujarat government has given to
the people from Jalsindhi. They
have been there for almost a year
now and I have visited them
quite often. Each time they have
told me of how they were far bet
ter off in MP and that they have
made a big mistake by accepting
the government's offer of
shifting. They have been given
barren lands, their children suf
fer from malnutrition, lack of
schooling and medicinal facili
ties. It is miserable over there. 1
am not going to move even if the
Gujarat government offers me
the best of facilities. After all, my
village is my own," he says.
"How can we trust a govern
ment which has not yet bothered
to inform us that our lands will be
submerged by the dam, almost
five years after the contraction
work on the site has started?"
asks 65-year-old Sejumal.
Ferkuva, Gujarat, December 29.
Troops of homeguards and
Gujarat police run around in neat
formation. Mounted police gal
lop up and down the narrow
road. Busloads of people start
pouring in for the scheduled pro
dam rally and, if necessary, to
form a human chain to stop the
anti-dam marchers from enter
ing Gujarat. A sizeable group—about 5,000 policemen and home
guards and over 50,000 men and
women, each paid an amount of
Rs 25, a free bus-ride from all over
thestateand packed lunch courte
sy the Swaminarayan sect. The
"lieutenants" start arriving in
government cars. Police and
volunteers try to control the
crowd as the "chhote sardar"
arrives in a red a nd white helicopc..viaundedby hisbodyguards, the Gujarat chief minister Chimanbhai Patel is seen question
ing the men who have been sup
plying advance intelligence on
the marchers.
Patel's axe soon falls. His men
appear to have goofed. The mar
chers are expected to walk in the
day after and not today. They
determine to be prepared for the
day after. The chief minister asks
for the mike. A string of abuses
follows, damning the antidammers, and his lieutenants
and the crowds join in. Soon it is
lunchtime and poha and puris are
served. Those who manage to get
hold of the packets retire to the
shadeof the trees. The homeguar
ds pull on their civvies and shout
slogans, filling in for the pro-dam
marchers on the road to
Chandgaon (MP).
After crossing the no-man's
land created under section 144 to
arrest the marchers one cannot
help but notice the contrast at the
other end where nearly 8000 of
thedam-affected villagersand tri
bals sit solemnly singing songs of
inquilab. Are they scared?. "Bilkul
nahin, hum to ghar se nikle the jaan
dene ko, waise bhi ye dam hamari
jaan le hi legi," says a 45-year-old
mother of three who has trekked
over 200 kms by now. Are they
scared, we ask some young tribal
girls. After some coaxing from an
DI
I©IgIPI GI
spending the cold night out in the
open, near the MP border, and
the pro-dammers, whose num
bers have dwindled to less than
300 by now, safely ensconsed in
their guest houses at Chhota
Udaipur.
mr
-75-
activist friend, they reply from
behind their palus that they have
come here to settle the issue once
and for all. If that meant losing
their lives, it hardly mattered,
they say. Dusty and tired, angry
and apprehensive, they wait.
December 31.
The pro-dam supporters have
managed to recoup their forces
again. Anticipating the entry of
the march into Gujarat, men,
women and children have been
marshalled from Vadodara and
other places. They sit near the
Bodhra river, led by Swami Sachidanand, Mahendrabhai, chief of
theGujarat Chamber of Commer
ce, Harivallabh Parikh and Chunibhai Vaidya. Acting on cues
from their leaders and others
from the district administration,
the crowd starts to get a little
unruly.
Baba Amte, wishing to initiate
a dialogue with them, walks
down a distance of two kms. But
they refuse to listen to him, and
boo him away instead. As he
starts to speak, someone turns off
the amplifier rendering him
almost inaudible.
The talk ends and Baba has no
choice but to retreat to his camp
and wait—the pro-dam groups
do not have qualified men to
represent their cause and con
duct the talks. A 40-hour dharna
is declared by the NBA activists,
to allow them time to bring up
their leaders for the dialogue.
I © I § I H1 T
continues despite the provoca
tions, and the attempts by the
government to spark a confronta
tion are unable to break the dis
cipline and determination of the
illiterate tribals.
January 2
As the 40-hour deadline races
to its conclusion on Wednesday
morning, preparations have
begun across the border for the
trial of strength between the two
factions. At about 11.30 am, 25
oustees from the three states
march ahead into Gujarat, hands
tied in front of them, singing
songs of martyrdom. Their strate
gy has caught the administration
which has been expecting a viol
ent confrontation, off-guard. The
officials are taken by surprise.
They cannot allow the march to
go on but neither can they use for
ce on the unarmed, non-violent
marchers.
They are stopped about 50
metres away from the other fac
tion and told that they are not to
go any further in the interest of
peace. "Was it in the interest of
peace that you allowed them to
come up to our march to abuse us,
to provoke us?" asks Bhangwanbhai, the leader of the jatha. The
district magistrate is speechless.
Unable to pierce the wall of
women, homeguards, the mar
chers sit in a protest dharna at the
site, hands tied, shouting slogans
against the dam.
Chandpur, December 30.
The last night of the year, the
mercury plunges even further.
Most of the marchers are unable
to sleep in the biting cold. The
exhaustion and the tension that
the new year is to bring is written
on their faces. But they have
Epilogue: January 5
gathered again and sit around, January 1
Newspaper reports indicate a
To help the supporters of the
solemn.
After several encounters with dam, who are once again down to victory for the marchers again. In
a
war
of nerves, the government
the Gujarat police and their a couple of hundreds, the state
"spies," we have managed to win administration waives the condi ran out of patience. The police
their confidence and are allowed tions of section 144 and allows cracked down on the marcherto freely move up and down the them to come within striking dist s—a woman activist's clothes
"border." "Ab yahaan par to India- ance of the activists and attack were torn off in the ensuing melee
and 140 activists who dared to
their leaders.
Pakistan ho gaya hai bhai," quips a
Across the border, the dharna cross the border were arrested.
senior
government
official.
While the marchers get ready to
, enter Gujarat, we decide to take a.
look at the situation across the
border and find out how the
human chain is faring. Unfortu
nately, most of the buses that
have arrived are empty and the
homeguards, in civvies, have
decided to sit in for the pro-dam
people.
A group of vociferous women
led by Patel's wife screams,
"Baba, turn waapas jao," (Baba, go
back), referring to Baba Amte
who has adopted the cause of the
oustees as his own and joined
them. Baba Amte requestsa dialo
gue with the people of Gujarat.
The day ends as it had
begun—with the anti-dammers
IxWRMADA EAOttO ANDCJLAN at Ferkuwa, M.P.-Gujarat border
Press Statement
14.1.1991
Trie Narmada Bachao Andolan reiterates that tie- objective of the
Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra is a complete review of the Sardar
Sarovar Narmada Project.
The review should be concomitant with
the stoppage of all the irreversible work related to the Project.
The content and the modus operand!, of such a review has already
been presented by the Andolan to the Prime Minister's office in
May, 1990.
The discussions leading to such a review should be conducted with
the persons authorised by the government to take decisions to
which it will te tound.
Such a review is meaningful only when accompanied by the cessation
of all the irreversible work co the Project, such as work on the
riverbed, forest clearance in proposed submergence area and the
displacement and land acquisition process. The proposed review
would be dene on a time bound schedule.
A. the indefinite hunger strike by the seven representatives led
b Smt. Medha Patkar enters the eighth day, more arid more people
--am the valley and the supporting organisations are joining the
Sangharsh Yatra.
On Sunday over eighty activists from the Shoshit
Jan Andolan in Maharashtra arrived at the camp. About thirty
tribal activists from the Akkalkuwa tehs.il in the Narmada Valley
came in additicn to fifty from Akran.i on Saturday. E<ands of
peasants from the Nimad region kept pouring in till the night.
Number of representatives frem Gujarat too participated in the
Yatra.
Yesterday, members of Parivartan, Eiarcda, Inqilabi
Communist Party, Forum for Education and Research and other
individuals joined. Representatives like Bhaiji Kaka from the
Sardar Sarovar Canal affected area, and Reiman Dala Tadvi from
Bara, near Kevadia colony too are [jart of the Yatra.
Ven Lama Lobjung, the member of the National Commission for
Scheduled Castes- and Scheduled Tribes who visited our camp cn
12th, led expressed his full support to the mission of the
Sangharsh Yatra.
Veteran Sarvodaya leader Kantibhai Shiah too
expressed his feelings as a 'visit to express love and affection
to ttie mission and the missionaries' .
An observer team, consisting of Rameshwar Prasad Singh, M.P. from
Bihar, Mr.Raghu Ram, a journalist and Mr. R. Venkatramani, a
Supreme Court lawyer, visited the Sangharsh Yatra on 13th January.
Mr. Venkatramani, after taking stock of the situation, sent
telegrams to the President and the Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court requesting them to intervene to protect the right to life of
the project affected people.
Justice Krishna Xyer^s Support: Noted jurist V.K. Krishna Iyer,
former judge of the Supreme Court, has asked the Prime Minister to
have the entire matter regarding the Sardar Sarovar reviewed.
In
a letter to Baba Ante, the jurist lias condemned the high dams as
they challenge the basic philosophy of Third World Development.
'If your protest fails, Gandhiji fails, Antyodaya is eclipsed,
Nature is defeated', be wrote. Mr. Krishna Iyer came down heavily
open 'mere production for profit and less distributive justice.'
According to him, 'water resources can and must be used, but the
craze for the biggest to benefit the largest landlords at the
expense of have-nots is obnoxious.'
He decried the adamant
attitude taken by the Government of Gujarat.
'I am for Gujarat.
I ami for India' , he writes.
Jain Munis Defend the Cause:
Respected Jain Muni, Minay Sagarji,
in one of his addresses in Badwani wished all success to the cause
for which the Andolan is struggling.
He welcomed the Andolan as a
'commendable step on the way to Truth.'
It is learnt reliably
that various Jain saints and monks supported this 'commendable
step cn the Path of Truth' while they proceeded to the Bawangaja,
a Jain pilgrim centre, for tie Mahamastakabhishek ceremony,.
Complaint against ISandesh' , IGLjjarat Samachar.'The Andolan has
approached the Press Council of India against the Department of
Information of the Government of Gujarat and some of the Gujarati
language dailies, such as 'Sandesh' arid ’Gujarat Samachar'.
According to the complaint, these dailies and the government
department indulged in creating mass hysteria against the peaceful
Sangharsh Yatra, as if it here a foreign aggression.
While doing
so, the press flouted all the norms of journalist ethics and
propriety.
It indulged in acts of appealing to narrow provincial
feelings and spreading disharmony between the people of Gujarat
and the other people.
It crassly indulged in scurrilous,
scandalous and totally false news campaigns and sponsored
advertisements, articles which were aimed at personal defamation
and instigating violence against the Sangharsh Yatra.
The
complaint to the Press Council pointed out to the cue sided,
biased reporting arid the refusal to carry the version or
clarification frem the Andolan.
Distortions of facts,
provocative, instigating statements and government sponsored
articles and advertisements, unfounded allegations have been the
order of the day for these Gujarat dailies.
Report by NCHR and NFF:
Meanwhile, Mr. Jai Sen of the National
Housing Rights Campaign and Mr. G. John of the National
Fishermen's Forum have released a report of their 'Fact-Finding
Mission' which visited both pro-dam and the Sangharsh Yatra camps
on 8th January.
Impressed with the ideological content and the
political, moral level at which the Andolan lias placed the issues
and the self supported, efficient organisation of the Sangharsh
Yatra, the team concluded that the Narmada Bacliao Andolan has
‘superior moral strength' compared to the pro-dam mobilisation.
According to the team, the Gujarat side retaliated to such an
agitation in chauvinistic, sectarian and religious, proto-fascist
terms creating an irrational mental violence.
It expected only
the Central Government or the Supreme Court to intervene as the
Gujarat government has lost all the political and moral right and
role to intervene.
IWTOfi BACHAO PNDCLAN at Ferkuwa, M.F.-Gujarat border
PRESS STATEPENT
15-1-1991
Pro^Dam BsllY ConjJjTues Playing Dirty Tricks
While the Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra participants have maintained
their peace and calm, the Pro-dam rally participants are
continuing their game of harassing Baba Ante and the small
representative group of tribals and villagers who are camping with
him inside Gujarat near Ferkuwa. One of the dirty tricks they
have played in the last few days is to sing and shout slogans
through the night cn a public address system, with the
loudspeakers turned towards Baba's camp.
Since none of the pro
dam rally leaders stay overnight at the site, their sleep of
course is not disturbed.
But Baba has been unable to sleep well
for several days now, with serious repercussions on his frail
health.
He now has continuous painful throbbing in his lead.
□h 13th, Baba decided to meet the pro-dam people himself to
comment on above tactics.
When he walked up to them, they lay
dcwi on the road and fell silent.
They started quiet prayers
subsequently, but face to face with Baba seemed unable to repeat
the slogans 'Baba Go Back', 'Baba ko sanmati de bhagwan', refrains
they liad been shouting just a few minutes back.
The District Collector, Tapan Ray, was present during the incident
and premised to try and stop the mike at night.
Late in the
evening he told us that the two loudspeakers facing us were
removed so only one loudspeaker facing the pro-dam camp remained.
Yet, later in the night, one loudspeaker facing us was revived and
scngs-slogans continued through the night at full volume. One of
the Yatra participants went early morning to request them to turn
the loudspeakers around, or stop using the mike, but this had no
effect.
It is shameful that tunable to engage in full discussions with us,
tunable to confront us with the true facts and figures, the pro-dam
rallyists are using such telow-the-belt tactics.
Directed against
an aged and sick man, they are all the more condensable.
The fact
that the residents of Ferkuwa too must be getting disturbed seems
to be of little consequence to the pro-dam people. We demand that
the Collector use his powers to stop this harassrent, using, for
instance, the provision against public nuisance in the Or.P.O. Or,
is he unable to do so because of the political heavyweights
involved in the pro-dam rally?
■Ing street plays, singing songs
and addressing street-side mee
tings in Alirajpur.
This bungle look place des
pite the despatch of a team of
intelligence officials headed by
an IPS officer to MP to gather
The Andolan came to know of information on the preparathis strategy and despatched a tions of the no-dam activists.
leading activist to warn the mar The intelligence men carried
Six thousand people participated in a
from Maharashtra to press accreditation cards issued
250-kilometre-long march protesting against chers
change their route. Ironically,*1 by the Gujarat government, but
this activist was on the top of the could be easily identified as
the Sardar Sarovar Project; twelye’anti-dam
wanted list oi the Gujarat plainclothesmen from their
activists are on an indefinite fast demanding that government, to be arrested the ■ close-cropped hair and shoes.
Besides, the SP in-charge of the
moment she entered the state.
work on the dam be stopped, it is a battle in
When tlte Gujarat govern intelligence team happened to
which the people have taken on the might of the ment came to know that the acti be known by the no-dam activ-,
had been literally under ists who had seen him in RajGujarat government, and one that will leave its vist
their noses for a whole day and pipla while he was the submark on the environmental movement here.
managed to slip back into MP, it divisional police officer.
On December 30, when the
reportedly transferred the cir
Nachiketa Desai and Ranvir Nayar report
no-dam marchers began their
clepolice inspector.
lust
lap of the trek through MP,
The government got a bloody
nose again the following day, from Alirajpur to Chandpur,
.this time due to the failure of about 100 youths took charge of
their intelligence set-up. Under the border check post at Ferku
Howeyer, as the yatra pro
HE OBSCURE little ham
the belief that the yatra would va, roughing up anyone who
let of Ferkuva in Gujaratr gressed through remote villa
enter Gujarat on December 29, happened to come from MP.
1.5 km from the Madhya ges of Khargone and Dhar dis
elaborate preparations had The youths were led by a person
Pradesh border, displays all the tricts of Madhya Pradesh in the
been made to prevent it from who identified himself as the
signs of attaining the glory of a last week of 1990, it became
doing so as well as to stage a brother of a cabinet minister
Bardoli or Dandi where epic clear that the battle, far from
counter-rally to be addressed by close to Chimanbhai Patel.
non-violent struggles were car-1 being a ‘no-contest’, had shaken
The hired crowd that had
the self-styled general of the
Gujarat
government.
ried out by Mahatma Gandhi the
pro-dam agitationists, the chief been brought by the Narmada
and his unarmed followers' Indeed, the yatra became a
Foundation
and the Narmada
against the might of the British game ofwitsbetween 7000 villa minister himself. Hundred's of
gers, mostly tribals, and the
empire.
ST buses had been deployed.to Abhiyan Samiti for the pro-dam
of
the
Gujarat
The Mahatma’s mantle is might
ferry people from all over the rally having dispersed, the
government directed policem
state to Ferkuva.
being carried by the 77-year-old government.
The yatra started with barely
eminent socied worker Baba
A 2000-strong contingent of
en and homeguards to discard
their uniforms and put up a
Amte and the 56-year-old social;. 2500 people from MP, Maha armed policemen had taken
demonstration
against
tlte
activist Medha Patkar. Their rashtra and Gujarat but grew position along the Gujaratfoot-soldiers are the 6000-odd threefold as it moved ahead, Madhya Pradesh border. The i ; yatra. The administration also
villagers of MP, Maharashtra ' wjth national and international chief minister had set up a con- ‘ cleared a 1.5 km stretch from
and Gujarat whose land and media accompanying it. While trol room there to monitor the ■ the MP border to the Bhodar
bridge, declaring it as prohibit
homes are going to be submerg the Gujarat chief minister suc deployment of the police, and
ed area under section 144 of the
ed in the gigantic reservoir of ceeded in influencing the local check-points were set up at all
CrPC.
the mammoth Sardar Sarovar press, he was unable to do the , entry points on the border.
Thus when the anti-dam mar
• same with the national newspaThe
massive
operation,
Project
chers arrived at the Gujarat bor
Beginning last Christmas i pers. To add to his anguish was however, turned out to be an
dhe
string
of
diplomatic
victorder on December 31, there were
exercise in futility. Though over
from Rajghat near Badwani in
only policemen and homeguar
MP, this army of non-violent 2es that the Andolan wasregiste- 60,000 persons gathered for the
resisters reached Chandpur, 2 ring, catching the government government-sponsored picnic ' ds to stop them instead of tlte
km from the Gujarat border, on on the wrong foot several times. at Ferkuva, the anti-dam yatra ‘sea of humanity’ which the
chiefministerhadthreatenedto
New Year’s eve. They had trekk
The first such mistake occurr had not yet left Alirajpur, about
organise. About 500 homeguar
ed over 250 km on foot braving ed on December 28. The follow- ■ 20 km from the border. ,
the chill. Their destination was ing day the yatra was to reach
The crowd melted even befo ds in civilian clothes staged a sitin on the Bhodar bridge after
Navagam where they intended Alirajpur—a small town about re the public meeting was over.
to offer satyagraha against the 230 km from Indore —where For the free meal comprising Baba Amte insisted on having a
multi-crore-rupee Sardar Saro more than 3000 tribals from puri shaak and laddoo supplied word with the pro-dam demon
var Project.
Maharashtraweretojoinit.
by the Swaminarayan sect was strators. While over 6000 anti
Many had written off the Jan
The Gujarat police expected more attractive than the fire dam marchers remained on the
Vikas Sangharsh Yatra, launch the tribals, who had marched breathing speeches of the chief MP side, Amte, accompanied by
ed by the Narmada Bachao over 180 km of extremely hosti minister and other political a few colleagues, was allowed to
Andolan in order to stage a le terrain, to enter MP via Guja leaders. Besides, there was no proceed up to the Bhodar
satyagraha at the site of the Sar rat. Hence, the government ‘enemy’ to beat back with a bridge, where he made a brief
speech amid the shouting of slo
dar Sarovar Project, even as it unofficially sealed the border, human chain.
was conceived. They had awar so thatthemarchersfromMahaOblivious of the war cry on gans against him, invited the
ded the match to the Gujarat rashtra could be arrested before that side of the border, the no crowd for a dialogue and went
government even before the they joined the yatra at dam marchers were perform- back to MP.
battle had begun.
Alirajpur.
T
- w-
Even Baba Amte was not spar«v
ed humiliation at the hands oft
policemen. On January 5, when .
he s larled for Gu j arat, liis ambu-i;
lance van following him, a possee
of women homeguards stopped;him and pushed him around iqr.j
more titan half an hour. He wtis
only allowed to proceed upto’-,
the Bhodar bridge after fiveft
i, a crowd ofabout lOOpro-dam
hours. ■ There, a 300-strpng I
Mi?ton!>tra!ors came UP t0 the
crowd had been collected bythe
dhJnOrde!'Where 1116 anti-dam
dharjia was on. .They..had
pro-dam agitators.
I
■ Notwithstanding the victory,
brought with them professional
the
strenuous
10
days
of
the
quamvals who started singing
march had begun to take its tell. •
Parodies of popular Hindi film
About 500 persons fell off the
through loudspeakers,
yatra in its first week due t.o-jll- ,i
Following this would'be’th^ ■
ridiculing Baba Amte.
health or exhaustion. But net- \
__gut the fiOOO-odd anti-dam
narration by several rnarchet
ther age nor fatigue deterred
of their personal experience^
marchers remained silent. In
the scores of old men and w<?mabout the SSP and what made
U>e evening, when the nro-dam
en
and
children
from
marching
'
them
join
the
march. ■'•..■
demonstrators tired of shou
on
with
the
same
enthusiasm
as
.
Throughout the yatra, the '
ting, tribals in the anti-dam
they
had
displayed
atRajghatjt,
.
, marchers kept their doors open
camp presented a cultural
What kept them going lin’d
for talks With the pro-dam
programme.
what
turned
the
pro-dam.^iqdemonstrators. Their only conThe government machinery
plays Into damp squibs wca tlje
was brou;, l to its knees by the
_• dition was that in case the talks
former’s commitment and the
SoTf™ tot""? 2, when
involved any representative of
latter’s lack ofit.
■
.
the government, all irreversible
about 25 female oustees of the
70-year-old. Godavri ?&pnT, ■ work on the SSP should be stopprw®.the £hree affected staChhota
Barda
village
in
Ml?,
was
■
Mp0±flnar?shtra’ Gujarat and
■ ed till a complete review was ■
advised in Alirajpur to reliirnft
end
*nt?„Gui«,at at the
completed. The anti-dam agita-'
home
as
her
feet
had
sivollerf,,
end of the .40-hour-dharna*
tors were even prepared to have
and her body was showing signs hands tiethn front ofthem, syma dialogue with the pro -dam
of fatigue. She refused. “Hamne
rhnb ?f.thair slogan ‘hamala
demonstrators on the methodo-;
to shapath lee thiRajghat pOl'ka
logy of carrying out agitations.'
nk^ja!fa iogahaathhamara
hum bandh tab died ke jaaenge,
u‘he°a • s‘aging songs of
But neither the government nor
ab Raise tod dein won shapath.
martyrdom.
strategy .
representatives of the Narmada
^
“ht the Their
administration^
Hum thakh Rar bailhjaajnge to
Foundation and Narmada Abhiw hich had been expecting a vio
' yan Samiti were prepared to
lent confrontation,
hold talks with the anti-dam
^hamara bachglia kya khayeactivists.
■
■■■■
ga't" she asked.
They were stopped by the police
The rallyiots drew strength
50 metres before the Bhodar
The indefinite fast by Medha ■
'
from
their
collective
identity
bridge. The women squatted on
Patkar and 11 other anti-dam
i andthepresenceofanorganisathe road and began a dharna
activists inside-MP and Baba
' lion .to support and represent
which continued through the
Amte’s dharna in Gujarat has
'• them. Besides, they knew'that
bitingly cold night. The next day
helped Chimanbhai Patel pro-."
: they could win only by remain
another group of over.5O.antiject himself as the only saviour
ing
united.
dam marchers proceeded in a
of Gujarat. However the stalem
• The people were well prepar
similar manner and were again
ate at Ferkuva is proving to be a
ed for the stalemate that is on
stoppedbythe police.
strain on the police administra
now at 5?erkuva. “We have come
Encouraged by then- success
tion. As for the pro-dam demon
prepared to stay here for
ful entry into Gujarat, the anti-.
strations, school and college
months, if necessary. Agreed it
( dam marchers tried to send in
.students
from Chhota Udepur
is painful and does cause worry'
over 150 sa tyagrahis on January
are being brought dally to put up
at home, but do 1 have an option?,
4. But tliis time they were stopp
a show.
i If I do not protest my lands will
ed by the police within 50
Whatever the end result of the
be submerged. I will die any
metres of the border. Women in'
march, it has made an indelible
way, so why not die boldly,” ask-.
the forefront of the satyagrahis
mark on the history of environ
ed .(00-year-old
Mangilal
were manhandled by plainclomental movement hi the coun
Bhopgre.
thesmen and activist Chitrarutry
and also marked the beginn
■ If Je this question of life and
pa Diwan’s saree and blouse
ing of a phase in the movement, .
, Jdeath that gives a moral strengwere tom by the police; she had
where the project-affected
to change her clothes in front of ■ ith to the struggle of the antidammera, which the pro dam- 1 people have made it known that
all.
. they will fight for their right to,
,mvra lack. This factor keeps
As a cover-up, the police
.'•lifp.'ft
■'■■■■'
/
arrested seven activists and A them going on despite sleeping
out in the cold in near-zero temcharged them with assault on
govemment^ervants and rio jiperatures, fed on a starvation
: .diet of dal-batti. The proting. Th e G ujaratl press was told
dammers, who report on duty at
now the no-dam activists had
f.l pm everyday, are fed lunch,.
bitten a woman homeguard and ■ tea and snacks by the Bangpur
attempted to snatch away her j bahafamofSwamiSachidanand.
mangalsutra. The same night ■, -Sharp at'5.30 pm, there is a mad
the police swooped down on I ■. scramble for the buses that.will
those staging the dharna inside ■i t cart them to the guest houses at;
Gujarat, beat up and molested
[iChbpta Udepur. As "dusk
women and whisked them away
Approaches, all is quiet en the.
to unknown destinations In
ijWq^tern front, deserted sa ve for
buses.
.,
.. th^r'oddpoliceman,who dares to
• ventureouiinthebitingcold.
Xi.eu as me anu-uam mar
chers began a 40-hour dhanja.
at the border to give time to die
pro-dam agitators to respond to .
Amte s invitation, the Gmaratf'
press reported, ‘Baba Amte
beats retreat’ ‘Anti-dam mar
chers of
pushed
by the
people
Gujaratback
’. On January
/6 jLzQi
( Co .)
' NARMADA DAM
Teias® sl'featlom at fest site
By a Staff jieparter
HE fact-findins team on the
Gujarat information Depart- basis and leads this demonstraNarmada dam-stir is back in ment is wiifj.jjy distorting facts i'pn comprising a motley crowd.
New Delhi with some frighten“chauvinistic” Gujarati According to the fact-finding
ing facts on the situation at the press is projecting -the anti-dam, team, she has blocked routes for
indefinite fast’ 'Sita- on the peaceful stir as being foreign- negotiation all along,, only provGujarat-Madhya IPladesfeborder. fmlded
anti-Gujarati
and ing that th6 “pro-dam" stir has
The team comprised Mr R. Ven- spearheaded
by
“hateful" been initiated by Mr Patel for
kataramaru, a Supreme Court ad- MahanAtrian-: Gujarat Door- purely selfish reasons.
vocate, and Mr M.-Raghuram, a darshan too is not lagging be“Besides, there are large-scale
freelance journalist.
hind in spreading disinforms- benami transfers of land occurAddressing a Press conference tioRj
team 5^.
ring all along* the canal route,”
in New Delhi on Wednesday, Mr
The team adds that the Gujarat said Mr Venkataram ani. “The
Raghuram said that the Jan chief Minister, Mr Chirftanbhai judiciary too seems to be workVikas Yatra against the mega paiel, has resorted to forcibly ing hand-in-glove with 'the Govdam is snowballing into a msyor bringing in schoolchildren and ernment as they have gone to
crisis. There has been a sharp de- innocent Adivasis to demons- ridiculous lengths by refusing to
tenoration in the physical condi- ^te and sing and dance at the take up bail applications of toe
tion of Baba Amte, and toe seven fa^ site. "Ara these the kind of illegally arrested and by de°ppls who embarked on the in- values that should be inculcated, manding- sureties from the
.finite fast 10 days ago are nrm yi India’s children,” they ques- Gujarat Government for them.’”
ontheir stand. •_
tion.
“Baba Amte is now a very sad
'-f1 e, coercive apparatus of the
Th© team alleged that the Chief man who is deeply pcined by the
State has created a war-like situ- Minister’s wife, Ms Urmilaben inaction of dignitaries including
ation at the site. Police forces de-- Patel, president of the Women’s toe President, Mr Venkataployed by the Gujarat Govern- Action Group of Gujarat, brings reman. He is now resigned to
rnent in strength are reportedly about 50-0 people on a daily shift light to the bitter end and has
indulging in deliberate violence.
taken to writing poetry,” said the
There will also be the second
team members.
State-sponsored rally on January
Baba Amte is reported to have
18 and the District Magistrate
said: “I am pleading with my
has already directed Baba Amte
-tears to exercise my rights. I am
to roll back his van at the nsk of
ready for death. It pains me that
being crushed by the “pro-dam”
society is silent, but I wish to
State-sponsored forces, said Mr*
affirm that there will be no conRaghuram. .
,
,
frontation with the pro-dam
The team has also alleged that
agitators.”
T
NARMADA BACHAO ANDOLAN at Ferkuwa.
17.1.1991
Thirty five Representatives from Kevadia Join the Sangharsh Yatra;
Indefinijte fast enters eleventh day
The Sangharsh Yatra got a shot in the arm when about thirty five
representatives -from Kevadia and other villages along with those
frcm canal affected villages in Gujarat arrived on 16th evening.
They crossed the Gujarat border shouting slogans against the dam.
Almost al 1 the Yatra participants gathered near the border to
welcome their brethren from Gujarat, who are now fighting to be
included in project affected people.
Veteran Sarvodaya leader in
Gujarat Narayanbhai Desai too visited the Sangharsh yatra camp and
enquired about tine health of those cm indefinite fast.
Several members of Parliament, including Atal Behari Vajpayee and
Piyush Tirkey, released a Press Statement in Delhi, calling for an
authorised dialogue between the Narmada Bachao Andolan and the
Government.
Noted personalities including Dr. M.S. Swaminathan,
Dr. L.C. Jain, Habib Tanveer, Kuldip Nayar, Giri Deshingkar,
Satish Gujrai have also issued an appeal to this effect in Delhi.
As the indefinite hunger strike by the representatives of Narn«da
valley enters the eleventh day, the activists are feeling weak
making it extremely difficult for them to carry on normal
activities.
Passing of ketene bodies, which may damage the kidney
irreversibly, is found in Smt. Medha Patkar and Mrs. Shantabhai.
It is learnt that the Chief Secretary of the Government of Gujarat
will be arriving to discuss with the representatives of the
Andolan on 17th morning.
The Andolan has made it clear, time and
again, that for starting any meaningful and authorised dialogue
for the review of the Project, all the irreversible works on the
dam will have to be stopped till such a review is complete.
It
is, of course, ready for having discussions with any competent and
authorised person which may lead to such a review.
The Andolan
lias already explained its version of the contents and modalities
of such a review.
admsfe vow to stop dam
From Srinjoy Chowdhury
23-
Gujarat, Mr Chimanbhai Patel, drains around the camp, dogs ho
would speak. Over 50,000 people vered for scraps and horses be
were expected to attend.
longing to the Baroda police
And as gaudy paper kites dot stood tied close by. Scattered
ted the skies over Gujarat as around were smouldering ashes
part of the Makar Sankranti day of wood fires and large water
celebrations, the Narmada drums. In the central kitchen lay
Bachao Andolan activists and huge tins of mustard oil, bags of
pro-dam agitators, encamped milk powder and piles of fire
within a km of each other, were wood. “We have to cook for over
still distant neighbours.
1,500 people. Sometimes 5,000
people eat here,” a member of
Though thousands bathed in
the
pro-dam Narmada Abhijan
the “holy” Narmada
those for and against the Rs Samiti said.
ple had dug wells of over hut
dred feet for water with hig
flourine content. “We can’t le
all the water flow into the Art
bian Sea,” said the forme
associate of JayaprakaslNarayan. "Sure, one lakh peopk
will be affected and may have t>
be forcibly evicted but twi
crores people will benefit.”
Cooks and capitalists, farmers
and freedom fighters rubbed
shoulders at the pro-dam camp.
“The prosperity of Gujarat de
pends on the Sardar Sarovar pro
ject. V/e need the electricity for
the sugar mills and the new in
dustries,” said Suren Chowksi,
president of the Central Gujarat
Chamber of Commerce.
Veteran Gandhian Chunibhai
Void supported the dam as it
would solve the water shortage
in the four districts.where peo
mer, a young fanner fforn Bnar
uch. “Baba Amte should gi
away. His cries about tribal suf
fering and environmental dam
age are mere excuses.” A workei
at the kitchen said, “We will
only leave when Baba Amte
leaves.”
Govt bucking: The pro-dam agi
tators faced no shortage of re
sources as they had the govern
ment behind them. Even yester
day orange and white Gujarat
police vans brought in several
Ferkuva (Gujarat), Jan. 17;Baba
Amte and Ms Medha Patkar,
leader of Narmada Bachao
Andolan promised
to
work among the perennially
drought-affected people of
Saurashtra and Kutch if the gov
ernment agreed to stop the con
struction of the Sardar Sarovar
project.
The project was expected to
alleviate the acute shortage of
drinking water in these areas.
12,000-crore dam were yet to de
“We are willing to do our bit for
cide on a date and agenda for
Kutch and Saurashtra but let the
government stop the work first,” talks. As tije stalemate con
said the visibly weakened Ms tinued microphones blared in
Patkar her voice reduced to. a. both camps. Clustered around a
whisper. “True, the parched lips microphone, pro-dam agitators
chanted, “Sardar Sarovar banao
of the people of Kutch and
Saurashtra should get the water aur garibi hatao," while from the
other
side came full throated
first, but if the Sardar Sarovar
project is Gujarat’s lifeline it is cries of “koi nahin hatega,
baandh nahi Lanega."
the tribals’ deathline,” said
Kitchen for 1,500: Besides, a
Baba Amte.
dozen khaki police tents were
Dismissing the offer,- the pro the sprawling shamianas of the
dam activists were gearing up pro-dam activists. Though
for a massive rally here on Fri bleaching powder had been
day where the chief minister of sprinkled on the makeshift open
Next to the newly-opene
roadside shops selling biscuit
and boiled eggs, sat R.V. Pai
hundred pro-dam agitators to caps mingled with others in
Ferkuva.
jeans and leather jackets. “We
In the dispensary waits Dr A.S. walked all the way here and we
Trived with plastic jars of pills won’t leave till we are sure our
in front of him. Two medical lands won’t be submerged," said
officers employed by the govern 40-year-old Ram Pyari from Pimment of Gujarat were always on pri village in Barwanim district
duty. “Besides common ailments of Madhya Pradesh. “There is no
I have dealt with cases of heart land available, how will they re
attacks and hypertension and settle us?" asked Rajen Tomar, a
one person was gored by a bull,” young farmer.
Dr Trived said. He had his
Despite the resource crunch
orders, “I am here as long as there was no shortage of food.
Baba Amte is here.”
“Look how close we are. The adiSangharsh gaon: The Narmada vasis have run out of food, but
Bachao Andolan activists lacked the people of Nimar who
the resources of its rivals. But its brought sacks of grain in trac
activists were spurred by the be tors were cooking for them,"
lief that their cause was right. said Ms Medha Patkar.
Some have a lot to lose including
Supporters were still stream
their land and lifestyle.
ing into the Narmada Bachao
Chants of “lathi goli Andolan camp. Among the
khayenge,
Nimar
ko satyagrahis was Tomitaoa Watibachayenge” and “Hindi, nabe, a university student and
Marathi ya Gujrati larne valon member of Friends of Trees of
ki ek jati,” echo around “San Japan, “The first world govern
gharsh Gaon,” the name given to ment savour these huge and un
the anti-dam camp where sever necessary projects. But peasants
al activists on hungerstrike lay and tribals are against them aM
under the shamianas.
I support the peasants and tdbFarmers- in dhotis and Gandhi als," he said.
/ /
<)
1% jto,
rcss in Gujarucial in the
> battle over tile Narmada dam
now being waged oil the
Madhya
Pradesh-Gujarat
border.
'Free flow of liquor in Baba
Antic's camp’; ‘Baba Amte kept
captive by environmentalists’;
‘Free sex common among no
dam marchers’ screamed the
headlines of the Gujarati press
on the Jan Vikas Sangharsh
Yatra launched by the Narmada
Bachao Andolan.
A war-like hysteria had been
systematically built up against
Baba Amte and Medha Palkar
throi
the Gujarati newspa
pers.-. >te publicity blitz began
simultaneously with the begin
ning of the countdown for the
. no-dam march. It was launched
by the state government, the
Narmada Foundation and the
Narmada Abhiyan Samiti. A
fear psychosis was generated
through newspaper reports
painting Baba Amlc as a demon.
king out to destroy the Sardar
Sarovar Project, described as
Gujarat’s'life-line’.
Fed by the state directorate of
information, the state press car
ried front-page reports of the
war-like preparations being
made by the police and the
people of Gujarat to beat back
the ‘invasion’ by Baba Arnie’s
were ‘armed to the teeth’. Jour
nalists from Ahmedabad were
pul
in a luxury hotel in Baro
mada) N’igam Limited and their
thirst quenched with premium
■whisky so as to generate the
right spirit to ensure proper
coverage of the government
Nachiketa Desai on the smear campaign
launched by the pro-dam lobby in the press
-OO'!
Underfire: Baba Amte
On December 31, when the
kuva on the Gujaral-MPborder.
Small-time workers of vari yatra reached Gujarat, the rallyous political parlies too got their isls had dispersed, and home
guards in civilian clothes were
names into news columns by
issuing press statements mak organised to stage a dharna
against the marchers. Repre
ing wild allegations against the
no-dam marchers. The propa sentatives of the Narmada
Foundation and the Narmada
ganda reached fever pitch on
December 29 when the chief • Abhiyan Samili were also pre
sent. Slogans were raised again
minister addressed the prost Baba Amte. But he insisted on
tliityryally.
19
Ct
DH News Service
Icua, 9)
addressing the demonstrators,
and after a brief speech, invited
them for a dialogue and then
returned to the. MP side of the
border, to lead a dharna.
The dharna was partly meant
to give the pro-dam lobby lime
to respond to the offer for a dia
logue. But the Gujarati press
interpreted it differently. ‘Baba
Amte beats retreat’; ‘Anti-dam
marchers pushed back by
people of Gujarat’, read their
headlines.
On January 4, the police man
handled women activists trying
to cross into Gujarat. Social acti
vist Chilrarupa Diwan’s sari
and blouse were torn by the policeandshehad to changeher clo
thes in front of everyone. But
the Gujarati press carried the
police version that the activists
had beaten a woman home
guard and tried to snatch her
inangalsutra.
The Guarati press as a whole
helped Chimanbhai Pale! pro
ject himelf as the ‘saviour’ of
Gujarat. The, only exceptions in
the Gujarati press were The
Times of India (Gujarati), the
Gujarat Mitra from Surat and
the Abhiyan weekly from
Bombay.
The stale directorate of infor
mation and publicity has been
issuing news bulletins on a dayto-day basis about Ute ‘growing
demoralisation in the Amte
camp’.
This high-pitched propagan
da seems to have pained a sec
tion of the Sarvodaya leaders in
Gujarat, who have initiated a
move to persuade Medha Patkar and others to give up their
indefinite fast and instead
undertake a public awakening
campaign in the.state.
cb&tWA. Ck&vcdcl
ZO JCUv 9/
sigsfetioffli to ewtimae as tate
Mr. Khan flew in al Ferkuva in a
BHOPAL, Jan. 19. — The dead special chopper, he said that the Gu
lock on Madhya' Pradesh — Gujarat jarat Government was not rigid in its
border at Chardpur continued with stand and wanted a peaceful solution
the failure of the talks, between Gu to the issue. However, he totally rulejarat Chief Secretary and anti-dam dout stoppage of the work on the dam
activists led by Babe Amte and Metj- • site, which led to the failure of the
ha Patkar to resolve the dam issue.
talks.
,
Nearly 3000 anti-dam activists are
The agitation has been continuing
camping on the border for the last 19 for the last 19 days with both sides
days in the hope to make it to Kevadia adamant and not relenting. The Gu
io stop the construction of the Mega jarat Government was expecting the
dam. According to reports here on stir would gradually petter out, but.
Thursday evening, the Gujarat Chief indefinite hunger-strike by Medha
Secretary M.R. Khan visited the agi Patak and seven others including two
tating leaders and held long discus more women, has given fresh confid
sions with Baba Amte, Medha Patakar ence and more determination to the
and others. But there was no break demonstrators. The Gujarat Govern
through, as the Gujarat Government ment has not allowed Baba Amte into
Refused to consider the demand to the State and he is on dharan inside
review the project While activists Gujarat border for the last 14 days.
Offered to hold unconditional talks,
On the other side, Gujarat Gov
they said that the whole gamut of the ernment sponsored show of strength,
problem should be discussed, which by organising rallies in favour of the
was not acceptable to the Gujarat dam was still continuing. ■ The report
Government.
said that the State Government has
further beefed up security arTan^^hlight^fKe dam, stsd that V
.
,
„
..right of (he dam, scid that MP would
menu ■
,
.
' have no objection if all the concerned
Meanwhile a two-member team states agreed to this. He said that
from Delhi consisting of Supreme lowering of the dam would adversely
Court Advocate Vcnkitaraman .and ■ affect the Interest of the state. The
Raghuran, freelance Journalist Who Gujarat Government hss already
visited the border, has severely criti made it clear, that it would not con
cised the Gujarat Government for sider any such proposal Meanwhile]
“suppressing peaceful movement The leader of opposition in MP AssembM
MP Government too has adopted a has again reiterated his demand of]
rigid altitude and ruled out any con lowering the dam height, a it would.
cessions to the agitators. But the sta reduce the sufferings of'the peopkrj
tement of BJP Vice-President Vijay- He said that there would not be much1
raje Scindia, that she would launch a displacement and major arable lands
movement in Madhya Pradesh, if dis couid be saved.
[
placed persons were not properly re
But, there appears to be no end tot
habilitated, has caused ripples. Jh the agitation in near future. The Guv
jarat Chief • Secretary who asked the
the Government hay so far not reacted agitators to withdraw the stir in View,
to this. Ms. Scindia also talked to MP of the Gulf war. was told by the
Naramada Valley Development Min activists that the agitations had becA
ister Shitla Sahai, and asked him to going on for the last 25 days, while the
look into the grievances of the dis war had just broken but. Further
placed persons. The Minister in a negotiations are not iikely in the next ]
statement, while expressing reserva 15 days pointed out. the Chief Secre-1
tion over the issue of lowering of the tary.
’ •_
Chimanbhai shuts
the door on future
talks on dam
■
c , I<l cvM
Express News Service I
l/r ) \
FERKUVA, Jan 19 - The door has been shut on further talks between
Gujarat Government and anti-Narmada activists. On Friday, the Chief
Minister. Mr Chimanbhai Patel, announced that the State Government
would not take any initiative on reopening a dialogue with Baba Amte
and other leaders of the Narmada Bachao Andolan.
Accusing the anti-dam activists of “intellectual terrorism”, he said the
State Government would not succumb to “blackmail”. The demands for
stoppage of construction work, reducing the dam height and review of
the project were “not negotiable" as far as the State Government was
concerned, he said.
The Central Government had also made it clear that it was not in
favour of a review of the project, he pointed out. The Government had
sent the Chief Secretary, Mr H.K. Khan, to hold talks with the Andolan
leaders on Thursday, with little success. From now onwards, the
Government would not take any initiative on the issue, he said.
Addressing a public meeting here, the Chief Minister said “nobody
can now stop the dam from going ahead" and added that “the patience of
the people of Gujarat should not be tested”.
lie said the Government and people of Gujarat had so far been
tolerant of the anti-dam agitation but the Andolan was now no longer
adopting peaceful means of protest. "We have a tradition for non
violence,” he said, “but we cannot afford to ignore their violent
tendencies any more".
Mr Patel told a gathering of about 5,000 people, from all over the
Slate, that he had approached the Central Government on taking action
against the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Commissioner, Mr
B. D. Sharma, who had been siding with the anti-dam protesters. "We
The Gujarat Government has firmly shut the door on the
face of anti-Narmada protesters, saying that the patience of
the people has reached the end of its tether. The basis of the
project, he has reiterated, is not open to question. A fact
driven home by the collapse of talks between Government
officials and the Narmada Bachao ASndolan activists on
Thursday.
were willing to discuss the issues of environment and rehabilitation, but
the Andolan wants to question the basis of the project", he complained.
The mood at the pro-dam meeting was surcharged, with leaders of
almost all political parties in the State present. Most speakers criticised
the role being played by Baba Amte, Ms Mcdha Patkar and other
leaders. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Mr Nalin Bhat,
summed up the gung-ho sentiment. “We will teach Amte the same lesson
that Bush has taught Saddam Hussein". The Forest Minister, Mr
Mohansing Rathwa, urged the Chief Minister to give permission to the
people of Gujarat to “drive away Amte”.
Meanwhile, the indefinite fast by seven anti-dam activists and project
affected persons (PAPs), continued. Leading environmentalists and.
social activists. Swami Agnivesh and Sunder Lal Bahuguna arrived here
on Friday to express their solidarity with the struggle of the Narmada
oustees.
Talking to newspersons. Swami Agnivesh said the people of Gujarat
were being misinformed by the official machinery on the nature of the
anti-dam agitation. He said the Gujarat Government was creating ‘mob
hysteria’ for certain vested interests. He said he had arranged a meeting
in Delhi last month between the Gujarat Narmada Development
Minister. Mr Babubhai Patel, and the Andolan leaders. Mr Patel, he
said, had agreed to a review of the project at the meeting, but had
subsequently gone back on his word.
Swami Agnivesh said he had written to the Prime Minister to initiate
talks on the Narmada issue. "There is no justification whatsoever," he
said,” for a prime minister to keep quiet on such an important issue".
When the Prime Minister could hold talks with Punjdo extremists and
ULFA leaders, there was no reason why he tfiould'hot hold talks with
the Andolan leaders, he asserted.
*
'
being two days ago. Chic:
Secretary H. K. Khan, who spoke tc
Baba Amte and others, had also come
• NEW DELHI, Jan. 19 to speak to the Central Government
A ..group, of Delhi-based environ officials.
Mr Choudhary also impressed upon
mental activists, protesting against the
Narmada projects, today laid a seige of the agitators that any life was precious
the Gujarat Bhavan, the State Gov and tht the talks should lead to an end
ernment’s guest house, in Chanaky- to the hunger strike. Also, the con
apuri. They left the place only after struction work had been on for the last
being assured that their anxiety about • two *cars and more and
expected
.the project would be conveyed to the .......... ........... — - JV.UV .
Hence,
there could be no purpose in seeking
State Government.
stoppage of work.
•- Shouting slogans and carrying, ban
Mr Choudhary told Mr Smitu
ners highlighting the threat from the
Kothari, Mr Rajni Bakshi and others,
project to the environment and the
that the talks, like the construction it
local populace, the activists were able
self, were an on-going process. The
to prevent people from'coming in'and
work was going as per the Tribunal
leaving the guest house, while the offi
report, which could be challenged only
cials spoke to them.
through a legal process. The Supreme
They alleged that the State Govern Court, he pointed out to the agitators,
ment was not holding talks with the had not stayed the construction.
activists at Ferkuwa, on the GujaratThe agitators wanted the work on
Madhya Pradesh border, where Baba
the project to-be stopped, as per the
Amte is camping and eight of the activ
demand made by the activists camping
ists, led by Ms Medha Patkar, were on
at Ferkuwa. The State Government
indefinite hunger strike. They express
has turned down this demand, while
ed concern about their health.
willing to talk on the ecological aspects
Speaking for the State Government, and the rehabilitation plans.
‘Mr Jawed Choudhary, the Resident
According to Mr Choudhaiy; the
Commissioner, said the talks had activists left Gujarat Bhavan peaceful
taken place on a number of occasions, ly after voicing their protest/
HT Correspondent
JSarovar stir will
z continue: activists
tHuA
21 Jcu/1’91
concerned about the health of the
BHOPAL, Jan. 20 (PTI).
eight Narmada Bachao activists who
HE Narmada Bachao Anhad been on a hunger strike at
dolan today announced that
In a democracy, every citize
Ferkuva.
its agitation against the Sardar should be allowed to go to any state,
He said he had also asked them to
Sarovar Project (SSP) would con Gujarat had denied this right by prevail upon the hunger strikers to
tinue till it gets a concrete reply forcibly preventing agitators from call off their strike as halting the dam
from the Madhya Pradesh and entering that state. In these circunv work had nothing to do with the
stances, it was the responsibility of
Gujarat governments in this re the Madhya Pradesh government to dialogue between them and the state
authorities. He said the project work
gard.
take the initiative in asking for a had been going on for the past three
Addressing a press conference review of the SSP and stopping work years and would as a matter of fact
here, Mr Rakesh Diwan and other on it, he added.
continue for over a decade. Hence
andolan members deplored the at
TOINS adds from New Delhi: their demand was unreasonable.
titude of the two states’ governments Some city based environmentalists
Meanwhile, the leader of the Ma
towards the agitation. No worth while and supporters of the Narmada
harashtra Janata Dal, Mrs Mrinal
talks had been held so far on the Bachao Andolan, agitating against
Gore, has made an impassioned plea
issues arising out of the SSP mainly
the Sardar Sarovar project in Gujarat, to the Prime Minister, Mr Chandra
because of the adamant altitude'
demonstrated in front of Gujarat, Shekhar, to urgently mediate in the
adopted by the Gujarat government, j
Bhavan, yesterday.
Narmada dam issue and compel the
they said.
The demonstrators carrying ban Gujarat government to reconsider its
“The Madhya Pradesh govern
ment had chosen to level false ners demanding stoppage of dam stand.
Mrs Gore has just returned from
charges against the agitators, instead construction and review of the pro
of replying to the issues raised by ject landed around 2 p.m. They Ferkuva, She also urged the Prime
closed
the
thoroughfare
of
the
bhavan
Minister
to save the lives of the seven
them. The issues cannot be resolved
by saying that the andolan received by blocking both the gates. The workers of the movement who were
support from foreign countries, Mr demonstrators insisted on meeting on an indefinite fast One of them
the state governor, Prof Singh who had been hospitalised and die con
Diwan said.
Though the activists were on an- they learnt had come for treatment dition of the rest was fast deteriorat
ing, she informed.
indefinite fast for the last fourteen and was staying there.
About 50 demonstrators led by Mr
She demanded that the displaced
days, the Madhya Pradesh govern
Saitu
Kothari,
however,
left
after
adivasis be rehabilitated in the com- ■
ment had not shown any inclination
three
hours,
when
the
state
resident
mand
area of the project She said
to hold talks with them. The state
government had not even been commissioner, Mr J.A. Chowdhary, that 164 villages in Madhya Pradeshy
moved when noted social worker assured them that he would convey 33 in Maharashtra and 19 in Gujarat
Baba Amte had fainted at the site of their concern to the stale govern would be affected by the dam. T^niy
ment. Later, Mr Chowdhury told the would displace 50,000 adivasi femi>
the dharna organised by the andolan
\TOINS that the demonstrators were ies, she said
/ ./■
against the SSP, Mr Diwan said.
T
-^4
ChimaEi ready for talks on Narmada
of valuable forest area would be
GANDHINAGAB(PTI)
saved from submergence and
Gujarat chief minister Chimandisplacement of 240 villages
bhai Patel yesterday said his
could be avoided. p
government was prepared to
A report from New'Delhi said
have a dialogue with the antitwo members of/ parliament
Narmada dam agitators led by
yesterday urged president R
Baba , ■ Amte
without
yenkataramap tO;,jntery?pe Jo
preconditions.
• i ■
resolve the Narmada issup
Patel said the talks would be
since the state governments of
on issues relating to therehabiiiGujarat, Madhya Pradesh and
tation of displaced persons and
Maharashtra have-, noj given
the environment. It could also
be held with any of the agitation • attention to “this deeply human
situation.”
.
,
-;
leaders in the presence of Baba
' The MPs, PiyusTirkey!Of RSp
Amte, he said.
and
Arvind
Netam
6f
the
llesaidhehad written to Baba.
Congress-I said that a dialogue
recently. But in reply, Baba put
should be started with the Nar
certain pre-conditions for talks
mada Bachao Andolan withoiit
like review of the project and
preconditions.
stoppage of work, which were
A- report. from,?Ferkuva in
not
acceptable
to
the
' Gujarat said the commissioner
government.i
According to report from Bho- : for, scheduled castes and sche
duled tribes, Dr B D Sharma,
pal. former Madhya Pradesh
chief minister Shyamacharan yesterday arrived here on . a
mediatory mission to bring pro
Shukla yesterday urged the
and anti-Narmada project agita
Union government to intervene
tors to. the. negotiating table to
and reduce the heightof theSarhelp break the deadlock onthe'
dar Sarovar dam in Navagaon in
issue.
, |Gujarat.
He said he had a telephonic
Shukla said by reducing the
talk with Sharad Pawar on Mon
height of the dam from 455 ft to
410 ft, about 40,000 acres of day and the latter had assured
land, including 26,000 acres of that he would speak to his coun
U
cultivated land and 14,000 acres- terpart in Gujarat.
The need to uplift the Scheduled
Tribes is enshrined in our /con
stitution and our development pro
grammes and priorities but-un.fortunately and paradoxically”
there is an adverse effect on their .
condition, Mr Zail Singh observed.
He said there was an urgent need
to project their legitimate interests
in the course of our vital develop
ment process and projects.
"Hence this appeal to all coii-. corned parties and their leadershto
speedily resolve this national con
troversy,” he added.
Mr Zail Singh expressed concern
over the condition of the seypn
persons, including Ms Me<l|ta
New Delhi: Former president Patkar, who have been on fast Jor
Giani Zail Singh, has appealed to two weeks, one of them has been
Baba Amte and his colleagues in hospitalised in a "critical con
the Jan Vikas Yatra to call off their dition."
indefinite fast against the con
The former president said in' a
struction of the Narmada dam pro statement that negotiations for',re
ject and “seek a negotiated solu solving the issue were possible
tion."
since “we are part of the universal
Mr Zail Singh also appealed to quest for technology and develop
the Gujarat chief minister ment with a human face, and
Chimanbhai Patel to speedily re development harmonious with life
solve the problem through nego giving and sustaining environ
tiations.
ment."
'
" 1
•*
dtp
'
practice only in 1950, she said.
The people were nert involved at
any stage of the project and SO per
cent of them did not have even a chit
saying their land or houses would be
FTER 15 days of indefinite acquired for the project, Ms Palkar
hunger strike, the anti-dam said. This was excluding the common
activists continue to receive sup property resources and it is the gov
ernment’s responsibility to give
port from various quarters, and answers when the affected people
their demand for a com raised questions, she said.
prehensive review of the project
The agitation in the Narmada val
2nd stopping the irreversible ley was strengthened by the
works related to the Sardar Sangharsh yatra and the hunger strike
Sarovar Project (SSP) remains and the programme had sensitised
the country on developmental issues,
firm.
Two persons have been hospital she felt- The government was trying
ised, one of them Shanlabai, from to aive.the. impression that there was
Pipri village, on the weekend. How no agitation and they have been
ever, die morale is high and Ms proved wrong. “We have to assert th.
Medha Patkar said, “Every day is a right to life when the government is
trying to crush people and nature,”
new day for me’’.
While the Andolan is determined she said.
The hunger strike is symbolic of
not to accept any compromise, a
publfc rally on January 18 here, the lite fact that the straggle is indefinite
and
this is an issue of life and death,
Gujarat chief minister dubbing the
agitation as ‘intellectual terrorism’, she said. Mr Girish Patel of Lok
said no talks would be initiated by his Adhikar Sangh, whose involvement
government and the demand of stop with the struggle against the dam, led
ping of the dam, reductiqn in the pro-dam people to bum his efngy
height of the dam or a comprehensive near his house in Ahmedabad, was
firm on the question of review. The
review were unacceptable.
The raucous music and bhqjans project was conceived on the basis of
the
development ideology prcvaleat
near the Gujarat border where B-abn
Amte is camping continue all night, in the 60’s when they were regarded
making it difficult for him to rest, and as the temples of progress, he said.
sleep for the activists and even the , The Narmada water dispute and
tpolioe there seem out of the question. the Narmada Water Dispute Tri
At the venue of the hunger-strike, bunal which was Kt up in 1969 based
a mini village has sprung up which die sharing of water on the fact that
has been named Sangharsh Gaon and the total flow cf water was 27 MAF
a well-co-ordinated support network (million acre feet). The focus was on
water sharing and the height of the
has been established.
The government is pulling out all dam. The questions of oustees were
stops to counter the agitation and a dealt with only for Maharashtra and
caveat was filed in the Gujarat high Madhya Pradesh aid the impact ofcourt Urging that it shoud be heard if the project, seismicity and other is
30 people, including journalists and* sues were not dealt with, he said.
With the entry of the World Bank
activists, approached it to seek in
in 1979, various studies were in
terim relief on the SSP issue.
itiated and it was dear that these were
. The Maharashtra Janata Dal presi
not carried out earlier, he staled. No
dent, Ms Mfinal Gore, Swami assessment studies on environmental
Agnivesh and Sunderial Bahuguna impact, rehabilitation and cost ben
and Mr B.D. Sharma were come of efit had been carried out, and the
the people who came to offer support whole approach of the government
to the agitation. The Andolan said was how £o secure approval, he said.
•that there were indications that the
Conditional clearance granted to
Madhya Pradesh poverament bad the project was untenable for one of
stepped down from its adamant stand this size, he added when die feasibili
and the statements by the state’s ty of the project was in question.
minister for irrigation, Mr Shectla
If the flow of water has been
Sahay and the rebel BJP leader, Mt reduced to 23 MAF, according to
Saklecha, indicated that the govera- recent data, then this had a direct
■ ment might consider a review.
impact on the design of the darn,
, With the World Bank going in for sharing of water and th project itself,
an independent review of the SSP, he said.
the Andolan’s stand acenta to be
Again the number ofoustees due to
vindicated, activists fed. Ms Palkar .submergence was oce lakh. but the
taid the number of years -cyeat om •oustees due to canals, social ion»u y
planning a project does not indicate and minor works were not accounted
the depth of investigation. “We have for, he said. There was so catchment
to look at emerging issues or,d on the area treatment pbm and this would
total impact of the project of the have a direct impact on the flow of
people, resources and whether it is water. “What, is wnscg if the govern
financially viable,” she eaid.
ment is asked to rtep construction for
The basis for the Narmctda Water two to three months to review the
Dispute Tribunal award or the World project,” be asked. Ln a democratic
Iknk appraisal itself has ch^.-rad and country thio ohc®k1 sot be difficult
the Tribunal had anticipated thia and if the government can call the
wfcea h made a provisos for a Ram J&nambhoomi and Babri Masreview, rite aid. Moreover the laws jid representatives for discussion on,
under which the EcciaJ and en- *c matter which is a non-issue, theft
vironmenuil impact of such a larx-e why not apply the same rule hejpTbe
project roald be assessed came into anked.
/ s
By MEENA MENON'V^
The Times of India News Service
FERKUVA, January 21.
A
22
(7
■
n,
"
~FERKUVA (UNI)
The condition of the.five fasting
Narmada Andolan volunteers
deteriorated further as their
indefinite fast at the inter-state
border here entered its ’.5th
yesterday.
Two of the volunteers, Medha
PatkarandMeghnadBhattacharya.w^re reported to be serious.
Out of the seven Bachao Ando
lan Volunteers who sat on an
indefinite fast from January 7 as
part of the prolest against the.
Sardar Sarovar Project, two —
Mohan Tadvi.and Shantaben —
have been hospitalised.
Meanwhile, the Andolan
yesterday
described
union
water resources minister Manu-.
bhai Kotadia’s offer of talks on
the’
Narmada
issue
as
“meaningless.”
. In a letter to Bpba Amte,
Kotadia had suggested a meet
ing in New Delhi on January 23
to discuss the rehabilitation and
environmental aspects of the
Narmada project.
Meanwhile, the Supreme
Court yesterday issued notices
on a petition seeking a directive
to the Gujarat government to
permit Andolan activists led By
Baba Amte, to prolest against
the construction of the Nar
mada Dani in the state.
Notices, returnable on or
before January 51, were issued
to the union government and
the Gujarat government by a
division
bench
comprising
Justice S R Pandiyan and Justice
if. J Reddy on the petition by
Sahyogand the Andolan.
The petition further sought a
directive to the state -govern
ment to immediately hold a dia
logue with Andolan representa
tives and if necessary.set up a
commission lo mediate and sug
gest “just ajid honourable” solu
tion of the problem.
The petition sought uncondi
tional release of members,sup
porters and sympathisers of the
Andolan >vho have being ‘ille
gally” confined.
It also sought revocation,,ol
Section 144 of the Criminal Pro
cedure Code which prohibit
assembly of more than five per
sons at one place, in the area.
The petition said that Ando
lan activists led by Baba Anne
were prevented by so called pro
agitators led by Urmiia Ben
Patel, wife qfGujaral chief mini
ster Chimanbhai Patel. . •
Patel, who. returned from
Delhi yesterday, said he had dis
cussed various issues pertain
ing to the slate with prime mini
ster Chandrashekhar and other
Hesaid finance ministerYashwant Sinha had assured him
that the centre would give the;
final approval to the stale for1
issuing the N'arniatia bonds in
the first week of February.
To
The °resident of India
Mew Delhi
Mahamah im,
Me find ourselves in a state of Heep anguish as we survey the callous
indifference towards the fate of a large number of our fellow countrymen
who are struggling against the Sardar Sarovar Drofect. The struggle of
these people, particularly the tribal people, whose life and liberty are
in ieopardy, in essence is a struggle
for defending their right to life.
4n ugly situation has arisen because of the indifference of the state
towards the basic rights of the people. This is reflected in confrontationist rather than conciliatory aoproach adopted by the state. Consequently
there is open violation of even fundamental rights of the people.
Thousands of people-men and women, old and young - have trekked
hundreds of miles through difficult hilly terrain and are staging a dharna
on the borders of M.°. and ^uiarat as they find their route blocked since
■lanuary 1, 1QQ1 on the otherside. Seven persons, including three women
and two tribals, are on indefinite hunger strike. The fast has entered
seventeenth day today, ’■ven then there is no initiative from any side
for ending the impasse and finding a iust and humane solution of the human
problem.
The Marmada <kndolan is being portrayed as anti-development
and is
being accused as being unconcerned about the problems of our fellow citize
ns of ^u.iarat, specially in regard to a serious problem like drinking
water. The issues raised by the ^ndplan are, however, entirely different
which are being knowningly presented in a wrong perspective. Mo reasonable
person can oppose deliberately any programme aimed at solving the problem
of drinking water. Rut that does not mean that on this ground alone, the
right to life of other people, can be negated and the basic premises of
a civilised society can be violated.
The ^ndolan, particularly the tribal people, have been urging that
the people must be taken into confidence before any step is taken by any
authority which involves deprivation of the basis of their life. Secondly, if the resources on which their livelihood depends are sought to be
used for any other purpose, they should be assured of a share in the benef
its of new development. The economic alternative should be prepared in
consultation with the concerned people so that they can satisfy themselves
that the proposed benefits will really helo them and that the tribal people
in particular can retain their identity as a people. It is sad that the
State has not given any attention to these simple and ordinary things,which
has accentuated the polarisation between the people and the state.
'•’e fully support tbe basic demands of the people concerning their
right to life. The people, particularly the tribal people, have the basic
right of continued use of those resources which they have been using tradi
tionally for making a living, ’f the ''tate requires these resources for
an alternative purpose, prior concurrence of the concerned people should
be obligatory.
The hiq proiects in the ^armaHa ''alley have ignored the
uman
side. As the concerned people became aware about the real Proh ems
which they may face in future and gained confidence in assertion 0
their rights, they started the struggle with a solemn resolve to defe.i
their right to life. Me fully support their strpqqle. Nevertheless
the reality that certain proiects have been started which involve alter
native use of the natural resources has "also to he accepted. It is
in this context that we make a special aopeal to all parties in the
dispute about the Sardar Sarovar to work out a settlement following
the princioles stated below and ioin hands in the great task of sustain
able development with equity and social iustice.
-2*1-
In any scheme of sustainable development with equity and social
justice, human beinos must occupy the central position. The problem
of drinking water for ^uiarat, particularly the kutch and kathiawar
reqions is a human problem and it should be satisfactorily resolved.
The supply of water allocated to Guiarat as per the intei—state agreeme
nt and the Tribunal award should He assured. Such engineering works
as may be adjudged necessary for that purpose should be executed keeping
however in view all resources available, ’t must also he simultaneous
ly ensured that the human and the environmental costs of these projects
are minimised. In other words, the oroiects should he so designed and
executed that firstly the displacement of people and ecological destruc
tion both are kept at the hare minimum. This aspect should he looked
into hy a qroup of experts which may he set up hy the r-ovt. of India
in consultation with the state governments and representatives of the
Andolan. Secondly, a blue print for comprehensive rehabilitation of
all
people in all the states should he prepared in advance
with their concurrence instead of being satisfied with framing of rules
and issue of orders. There should he a provision for compulsary land
acquisition in the the benefitted zone where necessary and the affected
persons should he resettled as communities. The pace of construction
work should he determined by satisfactory execution of rehabilitation
programme and environmental works which should he accordingly regulated.
Acb->on '■hnuld K- taken forthwith through an appropriate agreement for
formalising the concretising all these measures to he completed within
a period of one month durinq which irreversible works and land acquisi
tion should not he carried on.
V-e.
p. bJ - H4K5A-&.
|4.£. TAT YE
<E-
By Bharat DeS"
,
rcbvtrVA (Baroda) •>art- 241 C1’!j
.reRKUVAt
_,<KUVA <Da 4 vailcv
Valiev went —
colalas' in the Na™ad“ ’ qbsen'ed tot
as thousands of perw
!ctjon of
on Thursday 10 mark
bf
one month of th
d6f ssrovar
agitation
asain
’he indefinite fast by
Project even
asthe.no
Ms ^'dd°
18th day. Baba
conl,nUcd Amonc the scores of peo
'7"ho obiTved fast throughout the
them laid. The Jhabua district collcc*
tor came to the satyegraha site and
ur8c° the Andolan leaders to allow
Government doctors to examine the
Persons on fast. However, the Ando
lan declined the request on the
ground that the doctors would advise
their, forcible removal to hospital for
emergency treatment. Ms Patkar and
ethers were examined by Dr. Pra
kash Amte; son of Baba Amte.
propost to the Gujarat Government
survival of the people of the Valley proposal
‘.:c.“ of gc:r.g
representatives to (he
and’ there ii
is r.c
no qcc:
question
going io
to send.its
sent
back now".
f. She said a significant border on'January 26 to explain to
oui
feature of the movement was that the ouitees
the rehabilitation tneafarmers and Adivasis had joined sures proposed by it. He said the
together to fight the battle. "Now if ' representatives should Hear the
an Adivasi village comes under sub- doubts
u“ in •the
v- —
!-J- of the oustee^J
minds
mergence first, I am sure that all the and openly discuss the iasue withtine
/people.
/ /
fanners from the Valley will rush to
the village”.
Talking to reporters, Baba Amte
Ms Patkar broke down in tears said the Andolan had so far progres
sed/
along ‘expected lines’. However,
while talking to reporters about the
plight of the people in the Valley. he said the agitation will have to be
During a short press conference in strengthened further to force the
fU Hunter strike Wai observed’ in which she barely managed to whisper Government to sit and take notice.
siveral tehsils of Madhya Pradesh out words, Ms Patkar said “I am He said ‘‘ours was never meant to be
and Maharashtra In respond to ths happy
_rr/ at the wayj things
rhave progr
' a sterile agitation, we have not come
•chulha bandh’- call given by ths ? rested 50 far. No qualm even if I die here for. suicide”, he said ‘‘if some
Andolan- Protests were -organised . because I know the people of the thing happens to Medha and others,
throughout the Valley and in several Valley have, learnt how to protect things will go out of hand”. He said
cities in the country to express sup- themselves and fight fof-justice.
fot justice.’7’She “it is still not too late for the Govern
port for the persons yvho will be gajj the achievement of the Andolan ment to realise- the feelings of the
displaced by the mammoth project. .,^-hs that the entire Narmada Valley people of tiie Valley and to initiate a
Memorials called ‘ssnkalp stambhs’ hacj
t0 protest against the dam dialogue with them”.
were erected overnight at about 40 and-come ‘soft spots’, where the
The mood in the anti-dam camp
villages and towns as people took Andolan did not have much raflupledge on Thursday to save the enoe, hndsho joined the stir over the •was rejuvenated with fresh arrival of
people from the Valley. About 100
valley from destruction.
Csie njontk.
members of th? Dawoodi Bohra
Even as the oustees expressed
indication over lack of response .
When caked about the pre-cohdl- community from Barwani came with
frOm the Government to the peoples’ - tion put by the Andolan for talks a bus load, of provisions for the
movement, a group of ‘independent with the Government, Ms Patkar oustces who had been camping on
mediators’ expressed hope that lhey broke down in tears,” laying “if we the'border. An Andolan spokesperwould able to bring about a dialogue . want to live, you call t that s pre-.'' 'son said protest^ Were Meld in scores
between
uv.Hwtt.t.v
'he Gujarat Government
~
~..t condition". She eai
said
’ri it was rUnr
clear th.
that- of.the villages and. townj'-.today/Jrr;
and Andolan ,provided
sides
talks with the Government would ’ most of (he villages, the call for
E...J
---- I-"-- -both
- -- the
’------* talks,
■ ”
*'-----1
**‘Iirreversi--------- ‘
‘chulha bandh’ had total support.
give up any pre-conditions for
have
no meaning
unless
the
. The Condition of Ms Patka^and at ble work on the dam stops.
Meanwhile; leading lawyer from
least four other protesters continued
She said the current phase of the
to be critical, doctors attending on agitation was “the last struggle for Ahmcdabad Girishbhai Patel made
• day as the Narmada Snchao Andolan
prepared to Intensify the agitation
Amte/§:/aO"M©ailkss
wdnts/tptafitMW
Our Special Correspcnde.nt
"In New Delhi
BABA.A^ITE has turned down
. water reso urcesjni nister Ma nub.hai kpladia’s invitation Jpr
.alks on the Narmada dajn, say
ing that his. demand was .for a
total rqyjew oj the,project-and
nq| simply its rehabilitation and
enviro nmenlai aspqcLs^, •. \., • ’; j
In a letter to the pijpiste^-'i^
. response tojpsJnyitadA^IdlJ^r
ks, Baba Amte.said he was sur
prised tp. learhlthat Dilip Singh
Bhuria,?M^. Crom;MadaJia, had
tGld-'hiih dial he (Bab&Amte)
had some suggestions to offer in
the context of resettlement, of
the- project-affected ,persoi^
and measures for.erivironriienlal improvement in the Nar
mada basin.
“My discussions with' Bhuria
were nbt regarding mere suggestions..for improvemenL*or
implementation
rather. they
were oh the need lo.-review the
entire projeqt./and'I to stay
irreversible, work in. relation to
the-dant while the review}® on,!?
,Amle!.said;iriithp letter ."written
from');Ferkuvan.' oar ilhersklPtGujarat' border where he is on
fasta'gainstthe project.vziT Wb;
bBaba"iAinte saidi4ime titiid
agairijJ thee NirruadalnBachao
Aridolari had stitad ttalhe.very
viabilltyioi'the’SatVta'Steclvat'
Project" was-queatlohableiiand
that' therefore < thefe'-whsbireed
forareview. i enniliioo biuoits
■■ i d'if'drydu1f roroiothern central
government t© representatives
aredpeii to discussionspn reviewingrthe projeeliethe Andolsfh
representatives! danb certainly
•come tomeet-’ybii?J;Bat>a"ainte
salddn repiytb Kota'dia's letter.
> FERKLJVA: 'hfieanvvhile/ tril
1’ln.W lot.:; iicexl aarf iubvtT'
bals .rallying behiricl .'tjh'e ■J^grh
roadg Bachao ^ndqjan'in ‘the’
Nqrmadtj ’ ’ 'yaTley,1 ‘‘’’.yesterday
Tlie'tfetipie' lh the,’valley also
, bapptair tbWe Wdbltfojleefdert
Police oat toiagP with CMffla activists
The Times of India News Service
FERKUVA, January 27.
EEPLOADS of policemen.
some of lhem with Sten guns,
ambulances with government
doctors and senior government
and police officers arrived here
late at night, on January 25 with
the stated intention of enquiring
about the health of the leader of
the anti-dam agitation, Ms
Medha Patkar.
J
With the Gujarat police in riot gear
cordoning off their side and the
Madhya Pradesh police ranged before
the pandal where the activists are on
fast, the supporters of the agitation
quickly surrounded Ms Patkar and
the others to ward off any bid to
forcibly take them away.
Spotlights were trained on the area
while the Madhya Pradesh side was
jammed with a long row of vehicles,
including ambulances and two buses.
The Jhabua district collector, Mr J.S.
Mathur, and Mr Surjit Singh,;-the
inspector/general of police, Indore, doctors had informed him that Ms
told the Narmada Bachao Andolan Patkar’s health was deteriorating.
members that they had come to see The government doctors were not
whether Ms Patkar’s condition was allowed to examine Ms Patkar and
serious and whether she needed that was why they had to come back
He had come that evening as well and
medical aid.
Representatives of the Andolan led was told by higher authorities that her
by Mr Girishbhai Patel told them condition should be examined. Mr
that they were fully aware of the Singh said force would be used if
gravity of the situation and would necessary as the Andolan had refused
take Ms Patkar to hospital them to allow government doctors in the
selves if the need arose. Dr Prakash past to examine Ms Patkar.
Amte, Baba Amte’s son was checking
Mr Patel and the others demanded
her regularly and if further medical that the police be withdrawn before
attention was needed, she would get any further talks and after some
it, he said. They had hospitalised two hesitation, the collector agreed and
people earlier and at that time there the police were moved back. How
was no such concern on the govern ever, Mr Singh said the police were
ment’s part. They protested against not animals to be treated like this.
the government’s callous attitude “They are not standing here naked”,
he said, objecting to the move.
eprlier;
When the Andolan told him that
Mr Mathur and Mr Singh de
manded to know why the Andolan their experience with the police was
bad,
referring to the beating up of the
was against the government officers
examining her. The state government activists near Baba Amte’s camp by
would not allow anyone to die, Mr the Gujarat police, Mr Singh said, “I
Mathur told this paper? He had corns am telling you it will bg repeated.
here the previous evening and th§ You do not know what police press
ure i’ like, ’ he told the representa
tives m response to their statement
that the police were disturbing the
fasting activists. “You are giving us 1
tension, instead of the other way ,
round, by sitting on ihe road for so
many days," he retorted.
I
After the police were moved out, I
Dr Amte examined Ms Patkar and '
told the government doctors that her
health was not giving any cause for
concern on the 21st day of hunger
strike. The government doctors
seemed satisfied that she did not need
hospitalisation.
Mr Singh threatened two persons
video-filming the proceedings, in
cluding Mr Yukio Tanaka, of the
Friends of the Earth, Japan. He said
their cameras would be taken avzay if
they continued filming Photogra
phers were also prevented from using
their cameras.
The entire drama which lasted for
an hour and a half ended a little after
midnight on January 26. Addressing
the supporters and activists, Ms
(Continued on Page 6]
id
(Continued from Page 2)
Patkar said it was ironic that this
incident should lake place when the
country was celebrating its 42nd Re
public Day. She condemned the use
of police to terrorise people who were
staging a peaceful agitation for the
right to lift!.
In a separate incident at Badwani
oh January 25^ where people had
organised a rohd blockade, police
■ beat up villagers on two occasions
and dismantled their bullock carts
which they had used to block roads.
According to the Laxmi Narayan
Gupta of Badwani, road blockades
were organised on that day in several
areas in the yallcy as part of a
solidarity action. In the morning,
people from adjoining village as
sembled at Segaon, one km from
Badwani, with their bullocks motor
cycles and cycles and blocked traffic
for over an hour after 9 am. The
police came in and asked them' to
-leave and when they did not, the
police used their lathies to disperse
the crowd.
Several people were injured in the
incident and the police united the
bullocks from the carts and chased
the animals away. They confiscated
the vehicles. When the villagers re people decided to have the blockade
grouped in the afternoon after more without prior intimation. “We mere
people gathered from elsewhere the ly asked them to move and when they
police, this time under the guidance did not, mild caning was resorted to.”
of the SP from Khargone with in He denied reports that there was a
creased reinforcements, used lathis to lathicharge and said vehicles were
disperse the mob. After that the brought to the police station. About
whole of Badwani was closed. Mr 20 people were arrested, including Mr
Gupta said the mounted police had Nanaksingh Gandhi, a local leader.
been sent to villages to terrorise Some substantive offences were regis
people and gel them to stay at home. tered against the people, Mr Agrawal
Two persons who were seriously said, as they threw stones on state
injured have been admitted to the transport buses. They were trying to
local hospital. Sriram from Bagud disturb peace, he added.
village fell unconscious from his in
The Special Armed Forces in:
juries and was given oxygen, His Badwani who were there Tor some
head had been x-rayed and is still in other purpose were used to bring the
hospital. Rndheshyam, another vil- situation under control, he said.
lager from Bagud who was looking for When asked how mild caning could
his bullocks in the evening was al have caused serious injuries, he stud
legedly beaten up by the police and the people were putting up a show
later admitted to hospital. Both have and were not hurt
been chained to bed with handcuffs.
->--------- on
— why
—•/ the
—v two
Tg- a- question
The traffic to Indore and Baroda ' People injured were chained to their
was considerably affected as a result beds, he expressed surprise and said.
of the blockade at Chikaldha, Kukshi? >l was violative of the law and he
Bakancr, Manawar, Sondhul and would look into it About 23 bullock
other areas in Dhar and Khargone carts, 15 motocycles and 37 cycles are •
districts.
al the police station, he added.
The people^ also boycotted the
— --------on
----*—
The
police
the
same wy
day broke
Republic day functions. The sub- the sankalp stambhs ejected at Bagud
divisional magistrate at Badwani, Mr l>nd Kasrawad saying they were on
B. Agrawal, taking time off from a government land and were therefore
cricket match on R-day said the considered encroachments.
c7l luU
OK
KebjL-.
5) 2
J Cut (9 1
d vAp LwlIlvvL 2^
Narmada
activists
end fast
Nachiketa Desai
inAhmedabad________
SOCIAL activist Medha Patkar
anti four other representatives
of the Narmada Bachao AndoIan en<iec* their 22-day-old fast
yesterday following an appeal
from
various
voluntary
organisations.
However, they announced
they would continue their agita
tion against the Sardar Sarovar
project in the Narmada Valley.
An NBA spokesman said the
Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra,
which had started from Badwani in Madhya Pradesh on
December 25 and had been stop
ped at Ferkuva on Ute Madhya
Pradesh-Gujarat border by the
police, would be wound up
within a few days as “there is no
point in staging a dharna before
the insensitive Gujarat govern
ment any longer.”
NBA activists will now fan out
in the project-affected villages
of Madhya Pradesh and Maha
rashtra to consolidate their
organisation and launch an agi
tation on the pattern of the strug
gle being waged since four
years by the people of Baliapal
in Orissa against the missile test
ing range.
In the next phase of their agi
tation, project-affected villa
gers of Madhya Pradesh and
Maharashtra will not allow any
government officials to enter
their villages. “We will run our
own government in these villa
ges,” said a villager accompany
ing the yatra.
Patkar and oilier fasting
leaders were given fruit juice by
eminent social worker Baba
Anile at 1.30 pm on Monday. A
public meeting was then held al
which NBA leaders announced
their resolve to continue their
struggle against the project.
The fast was broken followinga joint appeal by former justi
ce Krishna Iyer, University
Grants Commission chairman
Yashpal and former auditor and
comptroller general of India T N
Chaturvedi.
Three of the activists had to be
shilled to hospital during the
second week of the fast following a sharp deterioration in
theirheallh.
Scheduled castes and schedu
led tribes commissioner B D
Sharma was gheraoed allegedly
by pro-Narmada activists here
on Saturday when he was on his
way lo Chhota Udepur.
QldXl/.
Narmada dam
activists
call off stir
The Times of India News Service
NEW DELHI,Jan 28.
HE indefinite fast by Ms
Medha Patkar and four other
representatives of the Narmada
Bachao Andolan (NBA), started
22 days ago at the Madhya
;Pradesh-Gujarat border near
■Ferkuva, was broken today with
the formation of a citizen’s com
mittee to look into the demands
of the Andolan. A solidarity relay
T
J(XM// .9/
fast being observed by NBA
members in the capital was also
called off today.
According to NBA activists in
Delhi, the indefinite fast was in
protest against the Gujarat govern
ment's unconstitutional use of police
power and legal restrictions, and
against its active incitement to a
confrontation between the people of
Gujarat and the anti-Narmada ac
tivists. It was also started to press for
the NBA's demand of a review of the
Narmada dam project and its effect
on local tribes, villages and the en
vironment.
With the breaking of the fast, the
ongoing jan vikas sangharash yatra
has also been called off. The yatra had
been taken out to call for a review of
the Narmada project but had not
been allowed by the government to
enter Gujarat.
Tribals’ new vow
against. dam
f-ERRUVA, Jan. 27 (PT1): Tribals
and peasants in the Narmada valley,
under the Narmada Bachao Andolan
banner, have taken a new vow, "our
village, our rule”, implying they
would not allow themselves to be
uprouted by the Sardar Sarovar pro
ject.
Representatives of the villages de
stroyed a symbol of the destructive
dam (the Narmada dam) and buried
it after taking the pledge to intensify
their struggle against the project with
renewed vigour.
People from the tribal belt con
tinued to pour into the anti-Narmada
camp on the Gujarat-Madhya
Pradesh border, swelling its ranks.
The condition of the Andolan's
leaders cut indefinite fast deteriorated
further, while appeals came to them
from several prominent personalities
to end the fast.
In a joint statement, the prominent
personalities,
including
Swami
Agnivesh, cine actress Ms Shabana
Azmi, the noted journalist Mr Prilish
Nandy, and the former planning
commission members, Mr L. C. Jain
and Mr Rajani Kothari, made the
appeal for ending the fast.
The veteran Sarvodaya leaders, Mr
Jagdishbahi Sham and Mr Thakurdas
Bang too have made an appeal to call
off the indefinite fast.
UtM£,
. 3 S' dcut, 8.1
-32-
Narbada a®o.e deadlocked
spent on (he project. In addition, cal survival.
of stopping the SSP. It can only
It is also pertinent to note that no hope to get a better rehabilitation
there are some 50 on-going con
TH E confrontation in the Yelling tracts, involving antoher Rs 1,250 government in Gandhinagar would package for those uprooted by the
have been able to countenance the Navagam dam, and draw a very
Fields of Ferkuva, on Gujarat- crores or so. They say that con
demand of the Andolan activists. valuable lesson that the time to
Madhya Pradesh border, between tracts worth Rs 400 crores are in
Ever since its formation in 1960, oppose a Tehri or a Narmada dam
the opponents and the supporters the pipeline.
Not only a lot of construction has the people of Gujarat have nursed is not after the execution of the
of the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP)
a feeling of injustice at the hands of project begins but before it passes
on the river Narmada, has now been undertaken, the main canal
degenerated into a prestige issue, — as big as a river — has pro the Center. Regional aspirations through the scrutiny of institutions
with neither side willing to emerge gressed nearly a hundred kilo have soared all over the country in like the Union government or the
anything less than victorious. The metres away from the project. All the wake of the formation of Planning Commission.
The Patel ministry is in mood to
confrontation is now a month-old this would go waste. Plus, the linguistic states and the political
and all efforts to bring the two government would incur huge horse-trading led to a general feel accept the basic demand for a
liabilities
because
contractors
ing,
not
only
in
Gujarat
but
in
most
review of the SSP, considers the
sides to a negotiating table have so
would advance claims for idle time, non-Hindi belt states, that the fed issue like height of the dam as
far failed.
investment
of
on
machinery
and
eral
structure
tended
to
ignore
the
closed
and is going full-steam
The obstinacy of the Narmada
Bachao Andolan activists has been man-power, were the project to be claims for economic development ahead.
of those not living in the Hindi
The month-long confrontation
more than matched by the rigidity aborted now.
There have been acts of omission heartland. In Gujarat, politicians between the
pro-and-anti-dam
on the other side. But, it would be
and
commission
on
both
sides.
The
have
for
long
suffered
from
the
slur
groups has generated bitterness on
simplistic to put it down merely to
what has been described as Andolan activists, by insisting on of being light-weights in Delhi and both the sides in such a measure
"brute"
authority
of
the stoppage of work on the dam, have in support were cited projects like that piecemeal efforts at finding a
Chimanbhai Patel government in been demanding something that at the SSP which had remained negotiated settlement have been
this stage of the project no govern bogged down in controversies.
unsuccessful. The indefinite fast by
Gujarat.
This is not to argue that the Ms Medha Patkar and her col
The
emotion-charged
at ment would entertain. The govern
mosphere in Gujarat over the ment of Mr Patel, on the other feelings are justified. It is merely to leagues against the dam has only
Narmada has been a political reali hand, over-reacted to the threat underline that they exist and have deepened the bitterness. The anti
ty that was recognised even before supposedly posed by Baba Amte been in the past ten years ag dam activists have taken a pledge i'J
the advent of Mr Patel in and his associates. The counter gravated. What is happening in continue their stir; and so have tlye
Gandhinagar. Mr Rajiv Gandhi, demonstration organised in sup Stales like Assam is only an ex supporters of the dam.
the then Prime Minister, was im port of the project after the state treme manifestation of the malaise.
Second, Mr Chimanbhai Patel
pelled by the strong public opinion government decided not to allow
in favour of the SSP in Gujarat to the Sangharsha Yatra to proceed to has run his Janata Dal (JD) more or
the
dam
site
has
been
noisy
and
on
less as a regional party. He was one
plump for it. Mr V. P. Singh, while
of the earliest proponents of re
fighting to dethrone Mr Gandhi, the offensive.
However, to dismiss the pro gionalism, having fought the state!
had to clarify that he did not mean
to stop the project when he obli dam feelings as merely or assembly elections in 1975 on the '
quely spoke about a review in a chestrated by the government platform of a regional party, the
would tantamount to giving too Kisan Mazdoor Lok Paksha, just a
magazine interview.
The reason for this emotive state much of credit to Mr Chimanbhai year after his ouster in the wake of
of affairs is that the Narmada Patel. He certainly had all the the marathon Nav Nirman agita
project has been hanging fire for political reasons in the world to tion. Even today, the Gujarat JD is
nearly four decades, serving as a harp on the threat posed by Baba some sort of an anachronistic unit;
sore reminder of the perceived Amte; the oft-recurring communal it supports the Chandra Shekhar
political inability of the rulers in riots, the challenge from within the government of the Janata Dal (S) in
Gandhinagar to get it through even ruling Janata Dal in Gujarat, the the Centre even though the party
as the people suffered from what uneasiness in the Congress (1) over nationally opposing Mr Shekhar
looked like worsening droughts. In the wisdom of its national leader bears the name of Janata Dal. Mr
fact, on April 5, 1961, Jawaharlal ship to sustain Mr Patel as chief Patel has deftly deflected all efforts
Nehru, the then prime minister, minister with outside support. The to get his state unit the name of
had laid the foundation stone of the SSP represents a cause about JD(S).
Navagam dam on the river but the which no political group in the
So, there, is all the political
project remained on paper, having State would dare utter a note of necessity for him to champion the
got stuck in an inter-state dispute discord.
cause of SSP as ferociously as he
among Gujarat, M.P., Maharashtra
Titis would explain why Mr Patel can. The political perception, how
and Rajasthan.
has been so enthusiastic in mobilis ever, appears to have concealed
Even if the public opinion was ing a counter-demonstration. His from those outside the State the
not as roused as it is over the SSP, wife, Mrs Urmilaben Patel, has harsh reality that even if these
it would have been very tough actually been leading the pro-SSP calculations did not exist, it would
indeed for any government to camp at Ferkuva. Nevertheless, it be well-nigh impossible to abandon
abandon the SSP at this stage. would be telling only a part of the the SSP at this juncture.
'Officials say that as al the end of story were the whole thing to be
The truth is that the Narmada
.December, 1990, a sum of Rs put down as Mr Chimanbhai Bachao Andolan has probably
’.030 crores had already been Patel’s personal crusade for politi acted far too late to achieve its goad
Tuahar Bhatt
AHME0ASA0 2S JANUARY
Medha Patkar ends fast, to continue stir
their villages till the govern added that the andolan had only the tribals were in high spirits
ment concedes their demand. said that this was the beginning and did not suffer from any
New fcelln' Jan. 28: Ms Medha That stage may still be a long of their final phase of the agita sense of defeat. “I am sure,” said
Mr Jayal “that the people’s
Patkar and four other members way off—probably three to four tion.
Mr Kothari said the andolan voice will finally prevail and the
of the Narmada Bachao Andolan years—but, whenever it hap
was
left
with
no
choice
in
the
right of the people to be con
today broke their 21-day-old fast pens, it may be a final and
at Ferkuva with the resolve to go forceful weapon to bring the face of an “obdurate, i anti sulted in decisions which affect
back to the Valley and resume government to the negotiating people and anti-democratic their lives will not be allowed to
stance” of the Gujarat chief be swept away by the govern
their struggle for a review of the table.
For the time being, however, minister, Mr Chimanbhai Patel, ments.”
Sardar Sarovar Project in a
more’’ organised and intense” ■ the decision to give up the fast is who turned down several .inde
Mr Smitu Kothari of the Nar
fashion. Two' others who were likely to be seen by the propo pendent initiatives for a com:
also fasting had been hospital nents of the dam as a defeat for promise which would have en mada Bachao Andolan said the
the anti-dam lobby as the Nar sured the present share of water long march and the long fast had
ised earlier.
Simultaneously, the Jan Vikas mada Bachao Andolan had de- to the state but reduced the shaken the people’s conscience
Sangharsh Yatra led by Baba , dared before starting their long submergence area of the'dam. and exposed the Gujarat governMs Patkar, who developed ment’s.'anti-people stance. He
Amte was also called off and all march into Ferkuva that this was
thos" camping on the Madhya the final phase of their agitation symptoms of . kidney-failure, clarified that the andolan was
fainted
twice in the last few days not anti-Gujarat as was being
and
they
would
not
withdraw
till
Pr:
sh border with Gujarat
neat" Ferkuva withdrew today. they achieved something sub and lost 11 kgs of weight, was made out by the Gujarat govern
requested by the representa ment and all that they wanted
Environmental groups in the stantial.
Addressing a press conference tives of 70-odd tribal villages was a review of the dam, which
capital, who are closely associ
ated with the andolan, said the today, Mr Ashish Kothari of the from the submergence zone to was not going to remedy the
breaking of the fast was a tactic andolan admitted that they had give up her fast in the larger situation in the drought-affected
al retreat and Ms Patkar and undertaken the fast at the wrong interest of carrying on the agita areas of the statb. They would
. .
other leaders of the agitation time because the political situa- tion further.
favour any alternative arrange
Mr N.D. Jayal and Ms Indira ment 'which would alleviate Gu
will now call upon the tribals -tion was not amenable to an
living in the submergence zone independent initiative at any Ramesh of Intach, who returned jarat’s problems and reduce the
of the.big dam not to vacate compromise. He, however, here from Ferkuva today, said sufferings of the tribals.
z
From; Our Correspondent
cjldz-8 f\ApJ>v .
&A
AI
Stir withdrawal
setback for Amte
Narmada
activists
end fest
years by the people of Baliapal
in Orissa against the missile test
ingrange.
In the next phase of their agi-'
tation, project-affected villa
gers of Madhya Pradesh and
Maharashtra will not allow any
Nachiketa Desai
government, officials to enter
their villages. “We’wiil run our
inAhmedabad
own government in these villa
SOCIAL activist Medha Patkar
ges,” said a villager accprnpanyand four other representatives
ingtheyatra.
\
of the Narmada Bachao AndoPatkar and other fasting
Ian ended their 22-day-old fast
leadersxyere given fruit juice by.
yesterday following an appeal
eminent social worker Baba
from
various
voluntary
Amte at 1.30 pm on Monday. A
organisations.
public meeting .was then held at
However, they announced 1 which NBA leaders announced
they would continue their agiba- ; their resolve to continue their.
lion against the Sardar Sarovar
struggle against the project :
project in the Narmada Valley.
The fast was broken fdllowAn NBA spokesman said the ,
Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra, ”, ingo joint appeal by formerjusli- ■
ce IGishnp;rIyer^,JJiiiversjty .
wltich had started from BadwaGrants. Comndssiori-'chainjjiin
ni in Madhya Pradesh on
Yashpal and (opneii auditor arid
December25andhadbeensiopcomptroUergenerfijibfIndjg,T;N
ped at Ferkuva on the Madhya
Chaturvedi.
<,■.
PradeshsGujarat border by the
police, would be wound up.
within a few days as “there is no
point in staging a dharna before
the insensitive Gujarat govern- •
ment any longer.”
NBA activists will now fan out
in the project-affected villages
of Madhya Pradesh and Maha
rashtra to consolidate their
organisation and launch an agitationonthepatternofthestruggle being waged since four
Three ofthe activists had to be
shifted to hospital; during the
second week of the fast follow
ing a sharp, deterioration-' in
their health., I.',
Scheduled castes and schedu
led tribes commissioner B D
Sharma was gheraoed allegedly
by pro-Narmada activists here'
on Saturday when he,was on his
way to ChhotaTJdepur. ■'
c
?
Q
rf)
J
-t
•
The Times of India News Service
BHOPAL, January 29: The end of
the sangharsh yatra of the Narmada
Bachao Andolan at Ferkuva on the
Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh border,
without any breakthrough in the
Narmada project stalemate is a clear
setback for Bata Amte, Ms Medha
Patkar and other leaders of the agitation. '
■ The Madhya Pradesh government,
which has been bearing the brunt of
the anti-Narmada agitation for sevcral years, is satisfied with the out
come of the agitation. These weeks
have proved that the people who are
going to be affected by the project are
not with these environmentalists; ob
served a government spokesman.
Indeed, the Patwa government’s’
attitude towards Baba Amte has virtually bordered .on contempt. .On
several occasions, Mr Patwa has per
sonally questioned the Baba's creden
tials on the Narmada issue. ’’
But the failure of the agitation to
bring about any change in the attitude
of the governments of Gujarat and
Madhya Pradesh augurs ill for the
oustees. Despite its shortcomings, the
agitation has been able to build up
public opinion in favour of a suitable
rehabilitation programme for the
oustees.
Given the track record of the state
governments with regard to rehabili
tation programmes, it is more likely
that they will lapse into their usual
slackness if public pressure wanes.
On its part, the Madhya Pradesh
government did virtually nothing to
foil-the^agi tation. .
M'WWA BACHAO ANGOLAN at New Delhi
January 28, 1991
liWErlWZE FAST BFDABV; Y'ATO) TERMINATED:
CITIZENS' CXS'f'tITTEE SET UP
Fas t and Yatra Cal led O ff.:.
The indefinite fast of Medha Patkar and four otter representatives
of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, started 22 days ago at the? Madhya
Pradesh - Gujarat border near Ferkuwa, has been broken today.
With that, the Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra has also been called off.
The people on fast will be given food by representatives of the
villages threatened by submergence by the Sardar Sarovar Project.
The indefinite fast by 7 representatives of the Andolan was begun
on January 7, 1991, in protest against the Gujarat Government's
unconstitutional use of police power and legal restrictions, and
against its active incitement to a confrontation between the
people of Gujarat with the Sangharsh Yatris.
It was also started
to press the Andolan's demand for a review of the Sardar Sarovar
Project (SSP).
However, as the fast progressed and the health of these 7 people
deteriorated, it became amply clear that the Gujarat Government
was unwilling to listen to reason. Chimanbhai Patel, Gujarat
Chief Minister, not only rejected the Andolan's demands without a
consideration of their legitimacy, but also brushed aside several
attempts at mediation and resolution of the ensuring stalemate.
Simultaneously, both Chimanbhai as well as Sdnderlal Fatwa, Madhya
Pradesh Chief Minister-, consistently spread all kinds of canards
about the movement (e.g. that it was foreign funded, and incited
by foreign power’s who do not want India to progress; that the
Yatris were not representative of those to be affected by the
Project; that they were being paid money to stay in the yatra,
etc.). Shri Patwa took an outrightly hostile position,
questioning the very right of the Andolan activists to protest,
and condoling brutal police action cn Nimadi villagers who were
peacefully expressing their solidarity with the Yatra.
Almost the entire Gujarati media, obviously Linder pressure from
the Government, not only blacked out the Andolan's viewpoint or
even liberal voices in Gujarat itself tut worse, spread the most
scurrilous of misinformation. The declining health status of those
cn fast seemed to have little effect cn the insensitive political
climate of these states and the Centre; nor did the urging of
hundreds of groups and prominent people from all over India.
In the Narmada Valley, the response to the fast was quite the
opposite.
A wave of indignation and anger at the state's
unresponsive attitude to peaceful protest swept through the SSP
submergence zone and" surrounding areas. A new boost was given to
the spirit of the Valley's people, in their resolve to fight
against, the destruction threatened by the SSP. This was
especially witnessed during the last few days of the fast, when
thousands of people came to join the Sangharsh Yatra camp at the
Gujarat- M.P. border, or demonstrated their support and resolve in
various actions such as ’rasta-rok.o' and closure.of 'chulhas' all
over the Valley.
Simultaneously, the citizens of the rest of the country have given
an overwhelming response to the Sangharsh Vatra. This is
witnessed by tie wide range of groups, movements, and individuals
from all over the country who participated in the Yatra, or held
support actions in their own areas.
It is in view of this response, which is indicative of the fact
that the Yatra and the indefinite fast have served to shake the
conscience of the nation, and galvanised a process of Joint
struggle across the country, that the fast is being broken.
The
Yatra too is being withdrawn, with the resolution, taken by
thousands of representatives of several dozen villages in the
submergence zone of SSF', to intensify the struggle in the Narmada
Valley itself.
They have repeated their determination not to move
out of their hemes and land, come what may.
The precise next
steps of the Andolan will be announced m the next few days.
Citizens,'. Committee Set Up
Simultaneous to the decision to break the fast, news has come of a
significant citizens' move to look into the demands of the
Andolan.
Justice Krishna Iyer, former Judge of the Supreme Court,
has been trying to intervene to break the stalemate for quite some
time. Finally, it is learnt that together with Prof. Yash Pal
(Chairman, UGC), and Dr. T.N. Chaturvedi (former Comptroller and
Auditor General of India) a Citizen's Committee has been set up by
Justice Iyer.
This Committee will reportedly undertake a thorough
review of the displacement and rehabilitation situation as well as
the status of various environmental studies and action plans of
SSF’.
The Committee members had yesterday appealed to the Andolan
representatives to break their fast, find assist them in their
task.
They are also believed to (lave appealed to the state
governments to provide all assistance for the early completion of
the study.
EledagziajliDBj. and Breaking of Delhi Relay Fast
Since January 10, a relay fast and dhama have been Feld by
support groups of the Narmada Bachao Andolan in Delhi, in
solidarity with the indefinite fast. These are today being called
off, in view of the breaking of the fast at Ferkuwa.
It is
notable that over 3433 individuals from a wide range of groups and
affiliations took, part in, or expressed support for, this action this included members of social action groups, trade unions,
environmental groups, human rights groups, artists, academics,
scientists, journalists, warren's groups, and others.
To express their resolve to continue their support to the struggle
in the Narmada Valley, as also similar struggles elsewhere, and
their determination to fight for a just and sustainable society,
members of these groups are taking a pledge after a public meeting
co the issue.
.
N^PTTADA BACHAO ANDCLAN at Sarigharsh Village, Ferkuwa.
30-1-91
FFESS RELEASE by Medha Patkar
The tribals and peasants of this Narmada Valley have now no questions to ask
nor any answers to get.
This Sangharsh Yatra of ours itself lias provided
answers to all our questions.
We no longer ask for the review of the
project, nor are we interested in any negotiations or discussions with any
of these governments about how best to destroy and annihilate us. We no
longer demand or expect anything from such callous and insensitive
governments.
We have now finally decided that we will ourselves assert and
defend our basic right to life, justice and harmonious and sustainable
development. We will fight in our homes, fields and forests from the
village to the valley.
It is through an inherent and inalienable right of
self-defence that we will uphold, realise and secure our basic rights.
5
d
Now that the insensitivity, immorality, illegality, and unconstitutionality
of the official 'response' is more than exposed, it becomes our prime duty
not to rely either on the 'constitution on paper' or 'laws in books' but to
defend our rights and lives both.
The fight ahead has to be fought and wen
with the only resolve now, 'Our Village, Our Rule'.
It is this determination expressed by the people in the valley, appealing
to me and my communion with them that hes touched my heart and conscience,
and made me with the other four colleagues, break the fast on its twenty
second day.
This decision is not a retreat but a move forward into the
next phase of a more determined, fiercer and wider struggle cn the land.
At this juncture, cur commitment cannot be to the Valley alone but also to
the thousands of poor and down-trodden,- including those in Gujarat, our
mute supporters.
The fast has certainly made cur strength grew several times.
When the
rulers have neither an answer to our question, nor any commitment towards
the basic constitutional duty of protecting their own tribal brethren and
the dedicated tillers of the soil, the Andolan, I believe, lias to retract
every appeal it had made, every demand that was raised with a genuine
commitment for the review of the disastrous SSP.
The struggle? ahead is the
struggle of self defence, self-reliance and self-governance.
No more do we beg for the stoppage of work on the Project.
We would rather
watch with our eyes open the 'destructive wall' coming up and stretch our
own strength and unity to an utter irreversibility and invincibility, that
would never allow our life and life support to get drowned into the Sardar
Sarovar.
Narmada Bachao Andolan lias been able to give rise to a number of moves
unprecedented in the history of social movements in this country.
The
Independent Initiative taken by Ex-Justice V.K. Krishna Iyer, T.N.
Chaturvedi (Ex-Comptroller and Auditor General), and Prof. Yash Pal
(Chairman, UGC), announcing their decision to stand between the people and
the government, and to review the issues raised by the Andolan, basic to
the integrity and sustainability of the human arid natural resources of cur
country too will be equally unique and unparalleled
It is with such a deep faith in the empowered people of the Narmada Valley
and the grami-raj that would show a path tewards Jan-Vikas that I am
returning with the people to the bountiful Valley.
Medha Patkar
BABA ANTE'S PRESS STATEFENT at Ferkuwa, Gujarat
January 30, 1991 (Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary).
We are leaving Gujarat with silent fidelity. We treated the
people of Gujarat with conscience arid courtesy.
The Shanti Yatra
lied lamely.
We saw a snapshot of hypocrisy.
The wife of the
Chief Minister obstructed us with her hired protesters and Gram
Raksha Dal jawans. Privileged connections should not obstruct
justice.
We never wanted to confront the people of Gujarat. We
don't violate even the tutored will of the people.
In the name of
Shanti Yatra they are inflicting cruel wounds upon humanity.
We
offer you our sincere salutation.
I assure you I have a heart worthy of your friendship.
I kiss the
soil of Gujarat before leaving it with a plentiful effusion of
tears.
I saw the volcanic eruption of energy for defending the
concern of SSP.
I am afraid I see the figure of Kutch and
Saurashtra mourning over' this tomb of Sardar Sarovar.
Their
convulsive energy of hunger arid thirst cannot be pacified by SSP.
Thirst is more eloquent than words.
It cannot be quenched by
counterfeit truth and propaganda.
I issue this warning with words which when pulled at chords will
ring true and clear: stop this dedicated destruction.
Today, cn this Martyr's Day, we pay hemage to you Bapu, to your
wisdom which lias no nationality, to your concept of humanism which
meant absolute commitment to compassion, human warmth and peace.
We repeat cur oath never to forget you and your' ideals.
We will
never abandon our resolve to rise again. We cannot imagine in
your country Narmada Valley being converted into a land of walking
skeletons.
We will challenge it with a voice that will be heard.
In Ferkuwa I saw the sun setting in Gujarat, but I was happy to
see the mcon rise on the opposite side, in the valley. That moon
is teckcoing me.
I will continue to struggle with patience,
perseverance and with new vigour and vitality.
I cannot offer to
the people of Gujarat anything but love.
Hedl'ia Patkar and ter brave colleagues, whose name is uttered with
reverence by thousands of adoring lips in the valley, will be the
guiding light to the people.
I offered a sane vision of brotherhood to Chimanbhai and Patwaji.
They are intoxicated with power and are drinking praise with
bottomless appetite. Please do not perpetuate this folly. Stop
your brute hunger for size.
NrFj'IADA BACHAO ANDOLAN
FFESS STATEMENT
30th January, 1991.
□n the 30th of January, 1991 — the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi
who was only physically assassinated in 1948 - the high and noble
values and principles for which Gandhiji lived, fought and died have
been destroyed and buried by the fascist methods of the Gujarat
Government, by the repressive measures of the M.P. Government and by
the total non-concem and insensitivity of the Central government to
the basic human issues raised by the Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra of the
Narmada Bachao Andolan.
It has helped us to transform the Sangharsh Yatra into a firm resolve
and strong determination to continue the battle against the Sardar
Sarovar Project and the anti—people, unjust, exploitative,
authoritarian and unsustainable development model'. We are not going
back, tut going forward with a new battle cry - (our village - our
rule), and with the'new goal of realising and actualising the values
of freedom, justice and self government as enshrined in arid cherished
by cur Constitution.
We are going to the Narmada valley with the understanding that we have
exhausted all methods of rational disccurse end open dialogue, or
gentle persuasion cogent argument and moral pressure.
Now no one can
have any cause to blame us for cur decisions to fight cut in the
valley to save our houses, lands, villages, communities, culture and
our total life support system from the clutches of the aggressive
development project of the SSP, to defend and protect cur right to
life and to uphold and ensure Constitutional values 'and human rights.
□ur Sangharsh Yatra was not against the people of Gujarat, nor against
the interests of Gujarat.
It was in fact a clarion call to the people
of Gujarat to join the Yatra to raise the basic questions 'Development for whom end at whose cost? Who will decide about who
will sacrifice?" and to fight for a new social order.
And yet, the Government of Gujarat adopted the fascist methods of
continuing state repression, moneypcwer, religion and manipulable
local newspapers to suppress the people's movement and sought to
create a mass hysteria by misinforming, instigating and provoking
people to violence.
A peaceful Gandhian satyagraha was sought to be
suppressed in order to serve narrow political ends.
The conduct of the M.F. government was equally bad.
It adopted brutal
repressive measures and shewed total unconcern for tine struggling
people of all the three states. The Maharashtra government apparently
remained a mute witness, while the Central government behaved like a
prisoner of Chimanbhai Patel and exhibited a shameful indifference and
insensitivity to the thousands of tribals and peasants asserting their
right to life.
When the Governments - the products and protectors of the Constitution
and human rights - became the devouring destroyers of tine Constitution
arid the people's right to question, to dissent and to protest, there
is now no sense in demanding and expecting anything from such callous
and insensitive governments. We no longer ask for the review of the
project, nor are we interested in any negotiations or discussions with
any of these governments about how best to destroy and annihilate us.
We have now finally decided that we will ourselves assert and defend
our basic rights to life, justice and harmonious development.
We are going back to the valley with the fullest satisfaction that we
have achieved what we had set out to achieve.
We wanted our entire
Narmada Valley to awaken and rise in revolt against the mass genocide
known as the Sardar Sarovar, and to resolve to refuse to tie the
victims of development; and now the whole valley is united and
determined.
We wanted to challenge the three governments to cone out
and meet the people and convince them of the Governments' claims. Pod
what we have found is that the Governments have neither the confidence
nor the courage nor strength to do so.
We wanted to raise the issue
of basic demands of the project - affected people to national and
international level and we have succeeded in arousing the nation and
the world.
We wanted to show who are with the people and who are against the .
u
people,
find we new know who in the nation are our friends of the
poor, the exploited and suffering people and who are their enemies and
what stuff they are inade of, however exalted and eminent they may be.
We wanted to bring our Constitution to the people and to make it a
living law.
And we new have our people actually realising their
rights and making the Constitution a part of their day to day
struggle.
We wanted to teach the Gujarat Government that it would be
prudent to stop the dam when only about <3®3 crores of rupees are
claimed to have been spent. Now we will shew the government by
ensuring that the SEP remains an archiaeological piece - a reservoir
which ecuId not be filled up because the people refused to go under
the water. We came to Ferkuwa to gather strength, we are going back
with thousand times strength.
We wanted to raise' the national
■ '•
conscience and we tiave an independent committee of three eminent
persons of cur country - Mr. Krishna Iyer, Prof. Yash Pal and Mr. T.N.
Chaturvedi - to act as watchdogs of people's rights and to ask and
challenge the rulers to justify their policies, programmes and
projects to the people.
Now, we are on the new path - (cur rule in our valley).
The people
have decided to launch a total non cooperation movement against the
government.
We will not allow any government official other than
doctors and teachers to enter cur village. We will not allow any
construction work related to the SSP in the entire Ghati.
We will not
accept any rehabilitation or resettlement programme.
Because we are
convinced that no authority of power under our Constitution can
displace us in the name of national interest or development, we will
never be the victims of development.
f Thousands of people kept pouring in at Sanghersh Yatra site, from
all over Narmada Valley.
They came in trucks, buses, in tractors
raising slogans, reaffirming their pledge at ’Sankalp Stambh' (Pillar
of Resolve).
People observed five minutes 'moun' (silence) as a mark of the
‘murder’ of Gandhiji's values and principles by the governments of
Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh and the Central government.
People proceeded to the valley in a procession and were welcomed at
the main towns on the road and held roadside meetings.
They had a
major meeting at Badwani at late night and condemned the police
atrocities in Badwani on 25th.
■
AEidoIam leaders v©w
to carry on straggl
THE NARMADA Bachao AndoIan, spearheading the agitation
against the multi-crore Sardar
Sarovar
Project,
yesterday
wound up their Jan Vikash
Sangharsh Yatra to “carry on
their struggle in the Narmada
valley till the last person drowns
in the Narmada waters.”
“We are going back to the Nar
mada valley with a new battle
cry, Hamara Gaon Hamara
Raaj (our village our rule) and
with the new goal of realising
the values of freedom, justice
and self-government.
“We have exhausted all
methods of rational discourse
. and open dialogue ofgentlepersuation and moral pressure,”
said social activist Medha Patkarwindingup the Jan Sanghar
sh Vikas Yatra after a month
long sit-in dhama on the
Madhya
Pradesh-Gujarat
border.
Nachiketa Desai
inFerkuva
mada valley had now decided to
launch a total non-cooperation
movement against the govern
ment. “We will not allow any
government official other than
doctors and teachers to enter
our villages. We will not allow
any construction work related
to the SSP in the entire valley nor
accept any rehabilitation or
resettlement programme. We
are convinced that no authority
or power under our constitution
can displace us in the name of
national
interest
or
development.”
Welcoming the initiative tak
en by former supreme court
judge justice Krishna Iyer,,
University Grants Commission
chairman Yash Pal and former
, auditor and comptroller gene
ral of India T N Chaturvedi who
have formed a fact-finding com
mission to probe the pros and
eons of the project, Medha Patkar hoped that these eminent
personalities would act as a
watchdog of people’s rights and
challenge the rulers to justify
their policies programmes and
pr- ji'cls Io the people.
She said the people of the Nar-
1
Thousands of people who had
gathered at the Gujarat border
to witness the beginning of the
next phase of the Narmada
Bachao Andolan observed five
minutes silence to mourn the
“murder” of Mahatma Gandhi’s
values and principles by thegovernments
of
Gujarat/
Madhya Pradesh and the centre.
The NBA leader observed that
tlie high and noble values for
which Gandlliji lived and died
have been destroyed and buried
by the Fascist methods of the
Gujarat government by the
“repressive” measures of the
Madhya Pradesh government
and by the total non-conccm
and “insensitivity” of the central
government to the basic human
issues raised by the Sangharsh
Yatra.
-etA —
Tcxvvv 51,
Amte returns
national awards
FERKUVA, Jan 29, (PTI): The
social activist, Baba Amte, has re
turned to the President, “Padma
Shri” and "Padma Vibhushan”
awards on Republic Day.
The Magsaysay award winner had
announced on January 9 that he
would return the awards, in protest
against the inhuman treatment meted
out to tribals by the Gujarat and
Madhya Pradesh governments dur
ing the Narmada Bachao Andolan.
The awards were returned to the
President by registered post, an An
dolan spokesman said.
He welcomed the decision of Ms
Medha Patkar to give up the fast on
an appeal by tribals and leading
citizens of the country and said her .
leadership was essential to guide the
movement.
cj
Be 'jeb-i,
jAZlw-
i
“Our yatra was not against the
people of Gujarat nor against
the interests of Gujarat. It was
just to raise the basic question of
development for whom and at
whose cost and to fight for a new
social order.” The NBA leaders
charged that the Gujarat
government adopted Fascist
methods of repression, used
money power and religion,
manipulated newspapers to
suppress
the
people’s
movement.
“There is no sense in demand
ing and expecting anything
from such callous and insens
tive government. We no longer
ask for the review of the project
nor are we interested in any
negotiations or discussions
with any of these governments
■about how best to destroy and
annihilate ourselves. Wc have
now finally decided that we will
ourselves assert and defend our
basic rights to life, justice and
harmonious development,” tire
NBA leaders said.
Patkar expressed satisfaction
over the fulfilment of tlie main
objective of tlie Sangharsh
Yatra which was to awaken the
people of entire Narmada valley
against what she described as
“destructive” SSP. “We wanted
to challenge tlie governments to
come out and meet tlie people of
the valley and convince them of
their claims. But tlie govern
ments had neither the confiden-i
ce nor the courage to do so,” she
said.
i
Amte- withdraws
A > dam dharna
INDORE, Jan. 30 (UNI): The
veteran social worker Baba Amte,
who. was spearheading the agitation
against, construction ofSardar
Sarovar dam in Gujarat on the
Narmada- river, today withdrew his
month-long dhama near Ferkuva on
the Madhya Pradesh-Gujarat border.
About 500 tribals from Madhya
' Pradesh, who were also staging
dhama along with Baba Amte, have
meanwhile, relumed to chhota
Kasravad near Badwani in Khargone
district, where Baba Amte had set up
his ashram.
Anti-dam activis1
quits law practice
The Tinies of India News Service
FERKUVA (Baroda Dist.), Jani
ary 30. Mr Girish Patel, an ad vocal
from Ahmcdabad and an activist c
the Narmada Bachao Andolan, ha
decided to give up his lucrativ.
practice at the Gujarat high court am
slay with the people in the Narmad;
valley to support their continued
fight against the “destructive” Sardai
Sarovar dam.
In a statement at the border village
Mr Patel said when the right to
live of the backward classes and poor
had been threatened and all institu
tions — administrative, legislative,
judicial and even voluntary — had
been found wanting in “responsive
ness, sensitivity, boldness, indepen
dence and courage and strength to
stand by human freedom, fundamen
tal right and constitutional values,”
he could not remain aloof and away
from the struggling masses.
Later, Mr Patel said he had not yet
decided where he would stay in the
valley. It could be Manivcii, the first
village in Madhya Pradesh to gel
submerged once the dam was com
pleted, but he would stand by the
people.
A similar pledge was also given by
Dr B.D. Sharma, the central com
missioner for scheduled castes and
tribes, who said he would remain
with the people. He, however, said he
had no immediate plans.
Earlier, Dr Sharma was subjected
to manhandling and abuses by the
pro-Dam rallyists on Saturday when
he had gone to Fcrkuva village to
make a telephone call to Mr Justice
P.N. Bhagwali, retired chiefjustice of
the supreme court, who had spoken
to the Gujarat chief minister, Mr
Chimanbhai Patel, on the Narmada
issue.
Dr Sharma’s car was stoned and
abuses were hurled at him in the
presence of some members of Parlia
ment and the slate assembly. He was
saved by a couple of police officials.
NA'H'IADA BACHAO PNDCLAN at Badlnwani in t’F.
SUMMING Up STATEMENT ON THE YATRA
4.2.1W1
Sangharstn Yatra Returns With New Vigour, Firm Resolve and New Programme - Dur
Village, Our Rule.
Hie thirty six days of the Jan Vikas Sangharsh Yatra against tie Sardar Sarovar
Project (SSF) and the twenty one day long fast by the representatives of the Narmada
Valley was a glorious chapter in the long drawn battle against the project and the
prevalent anti-people model of development.
On 30th January, on the death
anniversary of the Father of the Nation, the Sangharsh Yatra was transformed into an
all cut war against the dam with the programme of 'hammaren gaaon men hamaaraa raaj'
(cur rule in our villages).
The people resolved not to allow any dam related work
and any dam related person in their villages.
No more appeals to review the project,
ths peasants and the tribals thundered.
They have decided to protect their right to
life and their resources and the constitutional values henceforth.
They vowed to
carry on the fight in every village, every hamlet and every house.
All the
supporting organisations and the movements all over India pledged to take the fight
in every nook and comer of India as the cutcane of the battle in Narmada valley will
decide whether the most under-privileged, the tribals, peasants, the backward classes
have the right to life and at least the right to protest in this democratic polity.
The Sangharsh Yatra and the anti-rally sponsored by the government of Gujarat and the
industrial-commercial, big landlord interests was a classic case study of how the
polarisation takes place when the interests of the Establishment are under threat by
the tribals, peasants and other toiling classes.
The way the police, state,
industrial—commercial interests tried to crush the Sangharsh Yatra indicates the
future tendencies of these forces and their intolerance of any dissent. The fascist,
anti-democratic and anti-poor nature of the response to tie Sangharsh Yatra by the
State should alert every democratic, egalitarian mind in the country, and all of us
should now join to thwart the ugly designs of the established forces.
The people in
Narmada valley have resolved to fight it out till the end donning the responsibility
not only of the Narmada valley, but the battle of every exploited valley, the poor
and dammed of India.
Here are some prominent aspects of the Jan Vikas Sangharsha
Yatra;
* llfi YATFA.
Over two thousand men and women set cut ai ths Long March on fcot from
Rajghat near Etadwani from 25th December, 1990.
The ranks went on swelling and was
well over six thousand when the Yatra reached near the Gujarat border at Chandpur.
Over three thousand tribals joined the Yatra on 29th December at Alirajpur.
Most of
them crossed the Narmada two days back; they started walking from their villages and
hamlets in the mountainous ranges of Satpuda.
Tie people took their dal-ata,
beddings, had village-wise tractors and subscriptions to provide for the not so well
off from the villages.
It was an inspiring sight when thousands of people treaded
the meandering path towards the damrsite.
There were street plays, songs, bhajans
mandalis, meetings in the wayside villages, wall writing campaign by the young
enthusiasts from the valley. People camped at six places till they reached the
Gujarat border, cooking the feed in groups and sharing the grains.
At the Ferkuwa border, when the marchers were obstructed by the Gujarat police and
the state sponsored pro-dam rally, the Sangharsh Yatris decided not to confront the
people of Gujarat.
A band of representatives from the valley, led by Baba Ante, went
inside Gujarat to persuade the people there to have a dialogue with the anti-dam
Yatra and allow the latter to proceed in order to exercise their democratic right to
protest at the damsite.
However, the state and the self styled leaders of the ncn-govemmental organisations
moving in the Ambassador cars of the Narmada Nigam and the state government, adopted
a queer argument.
According to them, the entire Gujarat was one in favour of the
dam, (which incidentally is not the case) therefore others have no right to protest.
The Sangharsh Yatra leaders, including Medina Patkar, appealed to them to continue
their pro-dam campaigning as a parallel movement, but how could the dissenters be
obstructed from expressing their dissent? they asked. This had become the issue of
how and with what methods the social movements are to be carried out in the countryThe self styled leaders of NGOs in Gujarat were setting a dangerous precedent for
social movements in India.
Despite the hitch, a band of 28 representatives of the valley moved across Gujarat
border, led by the veteran Baba Amte. The police there made an abominable attempt to
stop Baba by using lady homeguards.
When Baba pointed out to this shameful tactic in
a later meeting with the Gujarat Minister for Narmada Development, Babubhai Patel,
the Minister did not see anything wrong in it.
Before the incident, over 1443
protesters inside Gujarat boundary, who went there with tied hands, were attacked in
the evening by the Gujarat police, after the lights were switched off and the music
in the pro-dam camp was blaring full throated.
In the noon before, wcmeri activists
like Chittarcopa were manhandled and their clothes were tom by the police.
Surprisingly enough, let alone the police, veteran pro-dam Gandhian, Chunni Bhai
Vaidya, tried to save the police's skin by making counter allegations against the
protesters.
This shows the moral level of the pro-dam protesters.
After being thwarted, the Sangharsh Yatra stayed on for full one month, with a
standing appeal to discuss the basic issues involved in the SSP, with any competent
and authorised perscn from the government.
The Yatra was launched with the aim to
have a comprehensive review of the SSP taking into account all aspects and issues,
with the stoppage of the irreversible work cn the dam till such a review is complete.
The irreversible works being the deforestation in the submergence zone and
resettlement zone, the land acquisition and displacement, process and the construction
work in the river—bed.
However, the Gujarat government and all the concerned
governments were too adamant and scared to initiate any talk on these issues.
□n 7th January, 1991, Medha Patkar and six representatives from the Narmada valley
went on indefinite hunger strike to raise the entire issue on moral plane z^nd to
appeal to the conscience of the nation co the issues raised by the movement.
Alcngwith Medha Patkar, Shantaben (Pipree), Laxmiben (Piplud), Devrambhai (Kadmal)
from Nimad region, Khajabhau Pawra from Akranti tehsil and Mathurbhai from Akkalkuwa
tehsil of Maharashtra and Meghnad, a talented activist related with the tribals'
movements in South E<ihar went on this fast. Meghnad represented all the struggles
spread in various parts of India.
As the indefinite fast continued, the health of Mathurbhai, Shantaben failed and they
had to be shifted to hospital.
Rama Atya Padvi, who replaced Mathurbhai also fell
ill and had to be shifted to hospital.
Medina Patkar's health deteriorated and she
was unconscious twice and there was a danger of permanent damage to her kidneys.
Meghnad too was critical.
However, tine failing health did not dampen tie
revolutionary spirit of the activists, as they sang every morning and Medha Patkar
continued her incessant discussions till the twenty second day of the fast.
The situation became tense, in the night of 25th January, on the eve of Republic Day,
when over three hundred police and the top police and administrative officials
descended down cn the Sangharsh Yatra camp to arrest Medha Patkar and others on fast.
In the most immoral possible way, the police IG of Indore, one Surjit Singh, tried to
brewbeat the tribals and peasants who surrounded their comrades that night. At last
the police had to beat a retreat after the medical check-up which they otherwise
could have done without flexing their muscles.
Interestingly enough, the Gujarat
police too acceded to the demands of the M.P. police.
On the other side of the border, the pro-dam rallyists continued to play the dirty
tricks of blaring loudspeaker and unbearable blaze.
They did not allow Baba to sleep
which hampered his health. Frequent complaints with the police and administration
yielded no result.
Interestingly, Mrs. Urmilaben Patel, wife of the Chief Minister,
was at the helm of affairs in the pro-dam camp.
I Fit- RESPONSE s
The response iron the Gujarat government, to say the least, was .a
fascist one.
The government whipped up a mass hysteria taking into fnand some servile
Gujarati language newspapers, select non-govemmental organisations and created a
slew as. if the people of Gujarat opposed the anti-dam marchers.
There were two
government sponsored rallies.
On 29th December, at Ferkuwa arid on 18th January,
1991.
1 be government, in connivance with the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and
Industries, Travel and Tour Association, Organisation of Cooperative Banks,
Swaminarayan sect, various industrialist investors along with the state sponsored
Narmada Foundation arid Narmada Samarthan Abhiyan created a mass hysteria by spreading
totally false news and parochialism with the help of language newspapers like
Sandesh, Gujarat Samachar, Janmabhoomi and Loksatta. The language press literally
crawled when asked to tend by the state.
The behaviour of Gujarati language press is really a cause for concern to all
democratic forces.
It spread disinformation, instigated the people against the
Sangharsh Yatra by publishing unfounded stories amounting to defamation.
It made
Swami Agnivesh go underground and had 'investigative reports' about the serious
differences between Baba and Med ha F'atkar, 'the free flowing liquor in Sangharsh
Yatra and "hired" tribals in the Yatra.'
The Andolan lias lodged a detailed complaint
against these newspapers with the Press Council of India.
Armed with servile press, non-governmental organisations, state machinery, co-opted
Gandhians, the Chief Minister organised a ’put up' pro-dam rally arid daily
demonstrations against the Sangharsh Yatra.
The pro-dam rally mostly constituted of
tie hemeguards in civil dress and the youngsters from colleges.
This fact was
testified to by some discerning Gujarati journalists. On 29th Dec., 1990 people were
brought in luxury buses, were fed by the food packets from Swaminarayan trust.
It
was a grand shew put up jointly by the state, industrialists and religious sects. On
18th Jan., 1991 another rally was held where the CM reiterated his adamant stand of
not having any dialogue with the Andolan.
However, slowly but steadily, the public opinion in Gujarat started tilting towards
the Andolan.
Renowned social workers in tribal area Madhusudan Mistry of 'Disha'
organisation, Prof. Harshad Desai, Dalit Panther leader Waljibhai Parmar, Ashok
Clxxtdhury, Jyotibhai Desai openly came out in support of the Yatra. According to
them those forces, who have been opposing the movements by Dalits, the backward
classes and the minorities are behind the pro-dam hysteria.
These forces have been
instrumental in suppressing the people's movement in Gujarat.
Though the established forces in the state were inimical, the common people and the
oppressed classes were supportive of the Yatra.
People came from Chhota Udepur
tribal belt, from the canal affected area, from Kevadia and even from Saurashtra to
express solidarity for the Andolan.
Inquilabi Communist Party, Chingari, Parivartan,
Vadodara Kamdan Union, Gujarat Shramjivi Suraksha Council were some of the important
participants in the rally.
The former Gujarat Minister and the leader of Janata Dal
in the state, Mr. Pravinsinh Jadeja came to meet the Yatris and had an hour of
discussion with Medha Patkar and her colleagues, hie conceded that the SSF' will not
solve the drinking water problem and the irrigation problem of the drought prone
areas of hutch - Saurashtra and North Gujarat.
The water will, at the most, reach
upto Gandhinagar, be said.
According to him, Gujarat cannot afford to spend on SSF',
the cost of-which will shoot up to at least Rs.40,000 crores. He also conceded that
Gujarat does not have land to provide for five acres to all the oustees. He accepted
the fact that the conditions set by the Ministry of Environment were violated and the
clearance new stands lapsed.
He told the. activists that the panacea for the water
problem in Saurashtra lies in decentralised schemes, as Junagadh district will be
able to satisfy all the needs of entire Saurashtra, if these decentralised schemes
•were given priority arid implemented honestly.
The Government response was nil - or negative. Along with the Gujarat government the
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister launched a vitriolic attack on the Andolan.
Interestingly, the CM Mr. Patwa, is far off the reality when be debunks the Andolan.
,. boasted that not a single tribal and peasant from Madhya Pradesh participated in
the Sangharsh Yatra. The Yatris, from the villages and hamlets of Madhya Pradesh
were visibly annoyed at the CM's remark.
Some of them were staunch BJP workers and
they expressed ' shame' over the senility of the Chief Minister.
Gujarat government sent its Chief Secretary to have a show of 'talks'.
However, the
officer was adamant and was not ready to discuss any of the basic issues raised by
the Andolan.
He merely wanted
'suggestions' co rehabilitation arid environmental
programme.
The Gujarat CM threatened the Prime Minister and even humiliated the
President of the Republic.
It is notable that the President was shaky about his
earlier stand when he suggested some modification in the structure of the dam to
protect the rights of the tribals.
It was a shameful episode, when the vested
interests could humiliate the President and flout the Constitution of India.
It was
a challenge to democracy.
People, in and cutside the valley, now fully understood the real nature of the
power holders, as cne by one all were exposed and their anti-people ccnvictims bared.
NATICNWIDE FIGHT:
Throughout the Sangharsh Yatra, over one hundred and fifty
organisations, institutions and movements all over India actively participated and
expressed their solidarity. As tie Yatra started, support programmes were held in
Chhattisgarh, Bastar area in Madhya Pradesh, in Maliarashtra Adivasi Sahitya Sammelan
and Chhatrabharti expressed solidarity. On 27th Dec., 17J0, over five hundred
representatives from the tribals' organisations in India held a dharna in front of
Rashtrapati Bhavan for the right to life and right over resources. Narmada was an
important issue they adhered.
Their delegation had meetings with the President and
the Prime Minister on these issues.
.105-
Two fact finding missions arrived at Sangharsh Yatra site.
Cne was sent by the
Camissimer for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and the other consisted of Jai
Sen of National Campaign for Housing Rights and G. John of National Fishermen's
Forum.
Both teams were impressed by tfie issues, the organization and the approach, of
the Sangharsh Yatra and decried the Gujarat government and the Madhya Pradesh for
deliberately neglecting the 'people's struggle'. Famous Jurist, V.R. Krishna Iyer
supported the Yatra and its demand in a moving■letter to Baba Ante. Scientists
Satish Dhawan, A.K.N. Reddy too in a statement appealed to the government to open up
dialogue with the Andolan.
Mr. Iyer, Nikhil Chakravartty, P.N. Haksar submitted a
letter to the President in support of the issues raised by tie Andolan and appealed
him to direct the government to start dialogue with the people's movement.
As the days went by, with the condition of the activists cn fast further
deteriorating, supporters of Narmada Bachao Andolan all over the nation issued
appeals, assuring to take up the fight against the SSP in all earnest and cn
nationwide scale.
They categorically told those on fast that the main aim of the
Sangharsh Yatra lias been fully achieved as it has shown that the entire Narmada
valley is cne against not only the SSP tut also against every kind of exploitative
arid ncn-egalitarian development.
It lias raised the issue cn moral plane and has been
successful in impressing the need of the review of the SSP throughout the country.
For a lcng term fight against the destructive development, they appealed to Medina
Patkar and others to end the fast and assured their active participation in the
renewed fight. The signatories included L.C. Jain, Rajni Kothari, Upendra Baxi,
Swami Agnivesh, British Nandy, Varavara Rao, of Council of Revolutionary Culture,
Abdul Jabbar of Bhopal Gas-Pidit Mahila Udyog Sangathan, among others. Mr. Rajgopal
of the Federation of Voluntary Organisations in M.P. has promised that the struggle
of Narmada valley will now be launched in every part of M.P. jointly by the
organisations spread all over the state.
Mass organisations from all over India actively participated in the Yatra.
Chhatisgarh Mukti Morcha, Ekata Parishad, Prayog, Yuwa Gram, Madhya Pradesh Swaichhik
Sanstha Sangh, Gramodaya Chetna Mandal, Bastar, Bhopal Gas Pidit Mahila Udyog
Sanghatan (all from M.P.) Soshit Jan Aidolan, Chhatrabharti, YUWA, Prakriti, ENHS,
Stree Uvach, Nari Samata Manch, Vanrai-Nagpur, Jungal Bachao-Manav Bachao, (all from
Maharashtra), Lok Adhikar Sangh, Shramjivi Swayamsamrakshan Council, Inquilabi
Communist Party, Parivarthan, Chingari, Disha, Dalit Panther, several tribal groups
(from ©Jjarat), Lokayan, Kalpavriksha, CEC, Alcorn, INTACH, Nishant Natya Maneb,
Bandlxia Mukti Morcha, (Delhi), Bombay Natural History Society, EEAB, Save Bombay
Committee, Rajasthan Kisan Sanghatan, NCHR Calcutta, JNU group-Delhi, Sahyadri from
Kerala, Samaj Parivartana Samudaya, Samagra Vikas, CIEDS "from Karnataka, Communist
Ghadar Party—Bombay, were some of the groups who actively participated.
Eklavya—
Bhopal and Medicos Friends Circle, Indore too participated.
Apart from active participation, several prominent persons appealed for initiating a
meaningful dialogue with the Andolan.
While Sunderlal Bahuguna, Swami Agnivesh,
Mrinal Gore came at the Yatra site and expressed solidarity, leaders like Piyush
Tirkey, Atal Behari Vajpayee, Janardhan Yadav, Ramvilas Paswan, Bagun Sumrai, Sumati
Draco (all kF's) appealed for opening up dialogue with the Andolan.
Famous Jain FEini
Sushil ji also appealed from Bawangaja to initiate a dialogue with the Andolan.
EFFORTS TO MEDIATE:
Several initiatives were taken during the pericd of indefinite
fast to break the stalemate.
The first such effort was by the delegation of the
tribals' organisations which met the President, the Prime Minister arid asked them to
intervene. The Commissioner for SC/ST, Dr. B.D. Sharma, in his efforts wrote to the
P.M. the President and the Attorney General of India.
He also wrote to the Gujarat
CM and the Governors of the three states.
Fie maintained that the stalemate is a
'constitutional crisis' as the state is pitted against the tribals in this case. He
called for a meaningful and dignified dialogue with the tribals and their
representatives.
He met the Governors of M.P. arid Maharashtra.
The governments of
Gujarat and M.P. showed unwarranted hostility and the M.P. government demonstrated
the petty attitude when it withdrew the police wireless facility to Dr. Sharma as a
Constitutional authority. The Gujarat CM openly attacked the soothing role being
played by Dr. Sharma.
An independent initiative by two renowned experts cn water conservation too bore no
fruit.
Dr. K.R. Datye, consultant to various state governments and the World Bank on
waiter conservation and Vilasrao Salunkhe, pioneer of the famous Pani Pancfiayat scheme
of water conservation and distribution, alongwith Bhal Vaidya, senior socialist
leader in Maharashtra, proposed a plan whereby the drought prone areas in Gujarat
will get water minimising the human costs.
An abortive attempt by Chunibhai Vaidya
arid Bombay based industrialist Damji Bhai Anchiorwala did not get any response by
Gujarat government.
Justice Krishna Iyer too had talks with the Chief Secretary of
Gujarat, but to no avail.
In a bid to test the honesty of the government, the Andolan did call for the complete
rehabilitation plans frori all the three concerned states and called on them to
present the plans before the people at the Sangharsh Yatra site.
It asked the
governments to send competent persons with the plans to discuss with the people.
But, no government dared to face the people and stand to the scrutiny of the nation.
On 28th January, when the five activists broke their fast, three prominent citizens
of India declared themselves forming an independent 'Citizens' Committee' to Icok.
into the human aspect of the SSP.
Justice Krishna Iyer, Prof. Yash Pal of University
Grants Commission, and T.N. Chaturvedi, former Comptroller and Auditor General of
India are the members of the committee. They declared that they will be going into
the cost-benefit aspect and decision making process of the SSF, but above all they
will be scrutinising all the aspects of the displacement in the SSF. They appealed
to all the concerned governments, organisations and Andolan to cooperate with them
arid respond to their scrutiny.
It seems that the pro-dam forces are scared of this
scrutiny too.
1FE VALLEY RISES:
In a unique demonstration of the unity arid determination to fight
against the SSF, the villages and hamlets in Narmada valley continued their battle
against the authorities in the valley as batches of hundreds of villagers kept on
pouring into the Sangtiarsh Gaon - the site of the Yatra. Sangharsh Gaon, a unique
settlement, where the Yatris made their temporary abode, had been buzzing with the
day to day routine of a village.
The coordinated arrangement of food, fuel, water,
communications said press bureau was admired by all.
Rehmatullah and his young
friends went on a wall-writing spree and had a lion's sliare in erecting the ‘Sankalp
Stambh' (pillar of resolve) on the M.P. - Gujarat border.
People in the valley were
so mulch used to their Sangharsh Gaon, that an engagement was also confirmed and
celebrated during those trying days.
On 24th January, ‘chulha bandh' (mass fast) was observed in the valley and in
Sangharsh gacn.
On 25th January, the entire valley was closed, as the villagers
blocked six important routes at seven points, including ttie state highway of KhandwaBaroda. The police resorted to unprovoked and unannounced lathicharge, twice, in
Badwani and injured many women and children.
The injured people, Shriram Jat and
Radhey Shyam were kept in the hospital. with handcuffs and chains in the leg. Police
used mounted force. Angered by the police brutality, Badwani was closed for two days
and all the townspeople expressed solidarity with the Andolan.
Qi 28th and 30th January, bands of people from far off villages arrived at Sangharsh
Gaon.
They insisted that their Medha Jiji and other comrades withdraw the fast to
wage ‘an all out war against the demonic dam'. Organisations all over India assured
to carry on the fight against the SSP in their region and co all India level.
With
an unsurpassable vigour and elan on the twenty second day of fast, Medha Patkar vowed
to fight against the dam, now, ‘with twenty one fold energy and determination'.
Hereafter no demands and no appeals; nor will we ask for any review. New we will
protect ourselves, cur right to life ccoferred by the Constitution. We will fight it
cut, despite the dam work going ahead. New, no more will we care for whether the dam
is complete or not. We will see flow they dare drown us; we will see hew they will
build the dam.
The fierce defiance was in the air as Medha, Meghnad, Khajabhau,
Devrambhai, Laxmibai broke the fast on 28th January.
On 30th Jan., representatives from the valley went inside Gujarat boundary and
brought back their Baba Amte to wage the war in the valley.
‘On the death
anniversary of the Father of Nation, all his values and principles are murdered in
Gujarat', they declared.
They resolved to rejuvenate these values in the Narmada
valley with the slogan - ‘Cur Village - Our Rule''. Accordingly, no dam-related
work, officials, surveyors, no such construction will be allowed in the valley. No
census in the damr-affected villages arid no land tax will be paid. Girishbhai Patel,
their ccmrade from Gujarat declared that be will leave his thriving legal practice
and will henceforth settle in the valley.
Dr. Sharma assured them of helping them
till the valley decides to fight out. Medha Patkar reiterated her plain to further
consolidate the base in tribal area of Maharashtra as she will be making village
ffemrnx as centre of her activities.
Pfcople in Narmada valley, with bruised sullenness seem to ask, ‘We will see new hew
will build the dam. We will see.'
The storm is gathering. The petty
politicians will have to pay the price of neglecting a democratic, non-violent
people's movement.
What they have done in all parts of India, they are doing in
Narmada valley today.
The valley is ready to take them on.
Yatra aevealed govts true
■ The iron lady of Ferkuva—is how Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar has come to be known.
Even after a 22-day-long fast at Ferkuva in protest against the proposed Sardar Sarovar Project and
government repression, Patkar’s determination to fight against other similar dams has only increased. She
spoke to Ranvir Nayar on various aspects of the agitation
Pragmatism is not to be
an organisation. Gujarat chief I two. It was also symbolic of
measured
in
terms
of
JAN VIKAS YATRA: The
minister Chimanbhai Patel’s' .coming together of various
compromises on issues but on
political intentions were also!\l?|ribal organisations with focus
government’s
true colours
our ability to frame strategics to
Io ,ir
life,
and
were revealed during the
exposed in the tactics used by , du rigid ~ -information
--------.counter such situations. A
Challenging
the
existing
agitation.
The
Gujarat •, him.
government, indulging in a ■
of the natural
government used its might
For our supporters, the yatra exploitation
c,\ui^uuuu
political stunt, cannot break
has posed a big challenge. Wc piffeources.
against unarmed people while
away from the people’s feelings.
........ ............. loMk/tunnt
ABn^lln
' After
Harsud, the stir picked
the
Madhya
Pradesh
must1 feel encouraged
at the vast '»•
But, wc have to break the
government
remained
and varied response. The yalra up momentum. The WB had to
myth in Gujarat and also use
indifferent to theirsufferings.
did what 100 public meetings produce piles of reports on SSP
external
pressures
as :
and their decision to threaten
Wc had decided not to resort
could not have achieved.
non-governmental
to violence or confrontation
The most important gain was
government with deadlines was organisations,
eminent ,
with the people, brought by the
the feeling of self-reliance and
unique.
The
independent
persons, media, WB, other 1
Gujarat government. Wc also
confidence that it gave to the
review by Conable was also one.
governments,
etc.
This
activity
wanted to look inwards and see.
dam affected. Wc have to light
FUTURE
STAREGY: will increase in the next phase.
if our people were ready for the
the government on all fronts if Self-rule, which has begun in
We will also have to generate
final struggle which will begin
we truly claim to represent the
the valley, is not an extreme step a pressure group Io match the
now.
people. We must slop weighing
as taken by the Naxalitcs in
one built by the government
This yalra took the agitation
the
agitation
vis-a-vis
other parts of the country. MP is propaganda and counter the
into a different moral plane and
government policy, politics,. a highly heterogenous society
strategy of the vested interests.
indicated that the struggle was
bureaucracy etc. We have
but lias come a long way from We also have to reach out to the
indefinite and a question of life
liberated our supporters from
1987.
People
have
been
common man and middle class.
and death for the tribals. 1 was
these constraints and they will
prepared to overcome social .
Compare the situation in
fed up after six years of
stop reviewing our strategy in
and community differences.
1985, when 1 joined the
mobilisation al al) levels and
relation to.the adverlisments of
Now the focus will be on
movement. Till 1986, I had no
needed a stop to review nty
tiie government.
obstructing work related to the
confidence that wc could raise ’
work.
LANDMARKS
OF dam. Seif suffiency is very '; so many basic issues on the '
Our avowed target was to slop
NARMADA STIR: The yalra
difficulttoday and only self : dam. Even the WB is forced to I
the dam work at the site without
was a recharging experience.
reliance is possible. Use of respond to each and every i
resorting to violence. The
However, there have been
natural resources, if agreed
statement of the NBA. If |
original plan was to stage a
many landmarks before this.
upon by villagers, can give us j government is so confident then
peaceful satyagraha. We had to
We had already mobilised the
strength to talk with the why does it ■ spend crores of :
change the plan midway but
tribals in Maharashtra whose
outsiders.
i rupees to tackle ouragilalion.
that is normal as there is always
complaints were placed before
We. have to use tactics
BABA AMTE’S ENTRY: Il
space to be filled in depending
the
highest
authorities,
acceptable to all. But to draw a
has
not
weakened
the
upon the response of the
including the World Bank.
middle between the extreme
organisation. When he wrote of
government. Wc had discussed
Another landmark was May tribals of Satpura and the
his desire to come here it was a
all ' probabilities, including
15,1988, when we had prepared
urbanised people of Nimar.
clear
indication
of
his ;
being stopped
~
rr al the border,,and
----- , our charter of demands and
PRAGMATISM OF NBA: ■ committment. There was no
even the last resort to indefinite
submitted it to all chief
The
government
can
be
reason to fear Ute entry of any ■
fast.
secretaries of three states and
compelled
to
slop
their I supporter because you feel lie |
Although , wc may not have i lOp level of the Narmada extravaganza to oppose the stir.
i would take total charge of the .
achieved the target we got more ; ControiAuthorily.
l am not sure if Saurashtra will I movement and leave you i
than expected in terms of the
*
April 16,1987;
when 1 moved
not rise against the project. The
behind. If someone is powerful
impact
........ of the .yatra — opening
...
to Madhya Pradesh was also government cannot drown the
enough to shoulder the entire
t.r the
up
‘ issue
'
to
' a ’lot’ of pcoplc. It
" _jmimrtanLa>ld..il.J.ed
.
to Niinar
tnith in Narmada for ever. Its, movement, what’s the harm?
also convinced people that it
standing up against the dam.
propagangda
is
so
unreallsite
There, was an attempt by the
was their movement.
llarsud meet last year made
nowadays that it has started
government to break the
The programme has also
Narmada an issue of opposition
exposing
it.
Time
is
the
only
movement
by creating a rift
helped us expose the. nature and
to present development model
factor. We have a pragmatic
and
the
between
Amte
spirit
behind
pro-dam
sunoorters
They the
admitted
that and, ,
. alternative
approach, our strategies should
organisation.
supporters^ im.yjimiuucu uiui mo(]els. It earned Narmada a
work.
they .were not a united forum or ■ plflce
among
(
leading
The challenge for us is to plan
movements in India, brought •- ou|,
mobilising
and'
together tribals and human
confrontation strategics. Only
rights activists and made' then can wc change the end
common goals between the
results ofthcagitation.
NAFMADA BACHAO ANDO-AN at Ferkuwa, M.P.-Gujarat border
10.2.1991
Villages in Narmada Vai ley Boycott Census as Fart of NcnjCooperation■
Several villages in the Narmada valley boycotted the census as a
part of the non-cooperation with the state.
The decision was
taken while returning from the thirty seven days old Jan Vikas
Sangharsh Yatra by the villagers affected by the controversial
Sardar Sarovar project.
Boycotting the census is a part of the
wider programme of non-cooperation and the 'our village-our rule'.
As the officials arrived in the villages for the census, cn the
first day the villagers refused to talk, to them and peacefully
told them to leave the village.
They argued, "while the census is
meant for planning and development, the state has the plans to
destroy the Narmada Valley.
Therefore, the census is
meaningless." As the first reports reached Badwani, people
boycotted the census in Anjad, Chhota Badada, Kundia, Kasaravad,
Bhavanriya, Kadmal, Kavathi, Sondul, Palya, Avalda, Bhamta,
Katora, Chikhalda and other villages in Madhya Pradesh.
Total
boycott was observed in the thirty three tribal villages in
Maharashtra. The police tried to intimidate the people in
Narmadanagar and Chikhlda though it is held that the census is to
take place without any duress.
Baba Amte told the census officials, who went to register his name
that "the Narmada valley peacefully but resolutely boycotts the
census.
Census operation is meant for planning for development
and in the national interest.
But the government is planning the
destruction of Narmada Valley. For thirty seven days, we this
people from Narmada valley were co tlie roadside for our rights.
But no power—bolder cared to treat us as the member of the
nation."
Meanwhile, the villages in the Narmada Valley are handing over the
resolutions about the decision of ncn--cooperation to any of the
government acts regarding the Sardar Sarovar Project to the subdivisional magistrate.
r i io
Ml
Awomangf substance
his week I would like to pay tribute to a
remarkable woman. Medha Patkar.
Who wins or loses the battle over the Narmada
dams is another matter. Neither truth nor justice
has any role in such decisions. The compulsions
of politics— and the lure of big money—■ has its
own inevitable logic. And not even prime
minister Chandra Shekhar can afford to ignore
that, much as he knows how ill-conceived the
project is and how dearly it will cost the nation
eventually.
The battle is unequal.
On one hand, you have Chiman Patel's hired
hordes demanding that work on the dams must
carry on. On the other, you have the displaced
tribals led by Baba Amte determined to fight till
the bitter end, to stop what must be the biggest
planned environmental disaster in the history of
free India. At a cost that w’ould make the nation
bankrupt.
- iVvUiK NawJx,
easily go through must be given to the
indefatigable Patkar, who has waged a bitter
war against the desecration of the magnificent
river. For months she has gone around, met the
tribal leaders, brought them together: to create
a fighting machine that could take on the
might of the state and, of course, the World
Bank which has now become a symbol of the
first world's exploitation of poorer nations.
Even if this battle is lost. Medha's efforts
would not be in vain. For she has proved that
however tough the odds may be. and however
venal the politicians, it is still possible for us to
stand up for our rights and fight.
A setback here or a defeat there can no longer
stop people from catching eco-criminals and
lynching them, however rich or powerful they
may be, however much support they may derive
from a corrupt and heartless state machinery
mortgaged to the interests of big business.
WeeKlxj
IL
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