Oustees' massive anti-Narmada dam bullock cart rally, joined by fishermen, women protests absence of rehab sites

By Rahul Yadav*
People displaced due to the Narmada Dam in Gujarat, including farmers, labourers, and potters, took out a bullock carts rally on May 25 in Badwani, Madhya Pradesh, joined by fishmen and women, to protest against the absence of rehabilitation sites, on one hand, and massive corruption in compensation offered to the oustees, on the other.
The bullock carts were turned into a stage after three kilometers’ long rally, from where representative of the valley, Bhagirath Dhangar, Pemalbehen, Shyama Sonavarbi Mansuri, others, talked about “false affidavits” submitted by the Madhya Pradesh government to the Supreme Court about rehabilitation of the oustees having been completed.
“Is it justified for the government, in the name of sacrifice for development, to use police force to evict the people? Will they destroy our centuries old ancestral villages, temples and mosques? The government doesn't have the capability to rehabilitate, it is only capable to indulge into corrupt practices”, said Mansuri, considered a symbol of women’s power in the valley.
Wahid Bhai told the gathering that the government representatives that have accepted the river as a living entities shouldn't act like animals themselves. Pemal Behen, a labourer, asked farmers and labourers to come together to fight injustice, adding, the offer of Rs 1.20 lakh “in lieu of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act is nothing but a plan to cheat them as this amount is not even sufficient to make the plinth for their houses.”

Mahesh Patel and Bhagirath Dhangar, representing farmers who have been in this struggle in the last three decades, said that this rally was an expression of determination that people will not move out till all their rights are met. “The intimidation tactics of the government and also their strategy to divide and rule on the party lines, needs to be understood by one and all”, they added.
Providing contradictory figures of those to be rehabilitated, they said, “On one hand the government said 8,177 families from Kukshi tehsil, 2,601 families in Manavar tehsil, 338 in Dharampuri tehsil (all in Dhar district) would be declared as displaced, yet the Dhar district collector provides a figure of 6132 families.”
Among those who joined the rally included Kukshi MLA Surendra Singh Baghel and Badwani MLA Ramesh Patel “Why has the chief minister never talked with any of the farmers in the last 13 years?”, they asked.
Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar, who led the rally, said that the government couldn't make houses for the displaced persons, hence is now offering Rs 40,000 as rent and Rs 20,000 for food expenses, adding, “This is nothing but mere drama. It is an insult to people of Nimad that they are being offered a meagre sum Rs 20000 for food after displacement.”
“When these farmers have the capacity to feed the country, how can they tolerate being reduced to the status of beggars with such an insulting amount?”, she wondered, adding, “The government’s decision to give Rs 1,50,000 to those who had accepted special rehabilitation package under pressure is peanuts.”

---

*With Narmada Bachao Andolan

Comments

Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan raises concerns over Jharkhand Adivasis' plight in Assam, BJP policies

By Our Representative The Loktantra Bachao Abhiyan (Save Democracy Campaign) has issued a pressing call to protect Adivasi rights in Jharkhand, highlighting serious concerns over the treatment of Jharkhandi Adivasis in Assam. During a press conference in Ranchi on November 9, representatives from Assam, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh criticized the current approach of BJP-led governments in these states, arguing it has exacerbated Adivasi struggles for rights, land, and cultural preservation.

Promoting love or instilling hate and fear: Why is RSS seeking a meeting with Rahul Gandhi?

By Ram Puniyani* India's anti-colonial struggle was marked by a diverse range of social movements, one of the most significant being Hindu-Muslim unity and the emergence of a unified Indian identity among people of all religions. The nationalist, anti-colonial movement championed this unity, best embodied by Mahatma Gandhi, who ultimately gave his life for this cause. Gandhi once wrote, “The union that we want is not a patched-up thing but a union of hearts... Swaraj (self-rule) for India must be an impossible dream without an indissoluble union between the Hindus and Muslims of India. It must not be a mere truce... It must be a partnership between equals, each respecting the religion of the other.”

Right-arm fast bowler who helped West Indies shape arguably greatest Test team in cricket history

By Harsh Thakor* Malcolm Marshall redefined what it meant to be a right-arm fast bowler, challenging the traditional laws of biomechanics with his unique skill. As we remember his 25th death anniversary on November 4th, we reflect on the legacy he left behind after his untimely death from colon cancer. For a significant part of his career, Marshall was considered one of the fastest and most formidable bowlers in the world, helping to shape the West Indies into arguably the greatest Test team in cricket history.

Andhra team joins Gandhians to protest against 'bulldozer action' in Varanasi

By Rosamma Thomas* November 1 marked the 52nd day of the 100-day relay fast at the satyagraha site of Rajghat in Varanasi, seeking the restoration of the 12 acres of land to the Sarva Seva Sangh, the Gandhian organization that was evicted from the banks of the river. Twelve buildings were demolished as the site was abruptly taken over by the government after “bulldozer” action in August 2023, even as the matter was pending in court.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual.

Will Left victory in Sri Lanka deliver economic sovereignty plan, go beyond 'tired' IMF agenda?

By Atul Chandra, Vijay Prashad* On September 22, 2024, the Sri Lankan election authority announced that Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) alliance won the presidential election. Dissanayake, who has been the leader of the left-wing JVP since 2014, defeated 37 other candidates, including the incumbent president Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party (UNP) and his closest challenger Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.

Will Bangladesh go Egypt way, where military ruler is in power for a decade?

By Vijay Prashad* The day after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina left Dhaka, I was on the phone with a friend who had spent some time on the streets that day. He told me about the atmosphere in Dhaka, how people with little previous political experience had joined in the large protests alongside the students—who seemed to be leading the agitation. I asked him about the political infrastructure of the students and about their political orientation. He said that the protests seemed well-organized and that the students had escalated their demands from an end to certain quotas for government jobs to an end to the government of Sheikh Hasina. Even hours before she left the country, it did not seem that this would be the outcome.

A Marxist intellectual who dwelt into complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape

By Harsh Thakor* Professor Manoranjan Mohanty has been a dedicated advocate for human rights over five decades. His work as a scholar and activist has supported revolutionary democratic movements, navigating complex areas of the Indian socio-political landscape. His balanced, non-partisan approach to human rights and social justice has made his books essential resources for advocates of democracy.

Tributes paid to pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, who 'dodged' police for 60 yrs

By Harsh Thakor* Jagjit Singh Sohal, known as Comrade Sharma, a pioneer of Naxalism in Punjab, passed away on October 20 at the age of 96. Committed to the Naxalite cause and a prominent Maoist leader, Sohal, who succeeded Charu Majumdar, played hide and seek with the police for almost six decades. He was cremated in Patiala.

Search This Blog