Narmada dam oustees of 3 states to begin protest march on May 27, reach Bhopal for public hearing on June 4

By Our Representative
Starting along the banks of Narmada river off the Sardar Sarovar dam in Gujarat, the dam affected people of three states – Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra – will begin a week-long on May 27. Seeking to highlight the plight the displaced people, the march will reach Madhya Pradesh capital
Bhopal on June 4, where a public hearing is proposed to be organised.
To pass through Khalghat on May 29, Indore on May 31 and Sehore on June 2, rally organizers, the anti-dam Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), which has been fighting for resettlement and rehabilitation (R&R) of the dam oustees for three decades, has said that, apart from the farmers who have been uprooted because of the Sardar Sarovar dam, fishworkers and forest workers too would take part in the rally in large numbers.
“Farmers, including people dependent on nature and animal husbandry, fishworkers and forest workers will demand for debt free status and to get right the price for their produce. They will also demand withdrawal of false cases foisted upon farmers in the aftermath of Mandsaur killings”, the NBA said.
The rally is being organized a year after farmers' protest at Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh, which began on June 1, took a violent turn on June 6, when five persons were killed in police firing.
NBA said, “Once again crisis looms large over land, agriculture, water and forests of the Narmada Valley. After uprooting millionsby building dams like Bargi, Indira Sagar, Omkareshwar, Maheshwar and Jobat, destroying fertile land, centuries old traditional villages, adivasis, farmers-agricultural workers, fishworkers and artisans have not been rehabilitated even until now.”
It added, “Sardar Sarovar oustees after struggling for 32 years have managed to get a few benefits but thousands of affected people of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh have still not gotten justice. To challenge the unprecedented displacement in the name of development, once again, thousands of people will set out from the Valley.”
Among the demands the NBA-led rally has decided to put forward include restoration of the “rights of the gram sabhas of those displaced” to choose the type of development they want, an “independent, transparent and unbiased study” of the socio-economic effects, as also financing and long-term benefits of big projects, and “justifiable share from progress” to the affected people.
The statement said, the conditions of all rivers of the country are in the same condition as Narmada: Destruction of forests, attack of big dams and illegal sand mining, making the rivers die, denial of farmers and workers their right to resources and livelihood.
The statement said, “The impending elections have prompted chief minister Shivaraj Chauhan to promise enough water for Malwa along with 70 other cities”, at a time when “in downstream areas in Gujarat (areas below the dam) the youth are in anguish for deprived of land, water and jobs.”
“After pushing the three states into quagmire in the name of development, the Modi government and state governments of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh have only tried to gain political mileage in the name of Narmada waters”, hence the need to save Narmada, or “Narmada Bachao”, said NBA.
It further said, “Farmers, agricultural workers, fishworkers, cattle rearers, tribals and forest dwellers sustaining on forest produce, who will participate in the rally, will be demanding complete loan waiver”, adding, “In Madhya Pradesh, five farmers commit suicide every day. The state which gives loan waivers worth crores to corporates bears the moral responsibility to extend its support to farmers.”
“We demand minimum price of farm output as 1.5 times of cost, in food grains as well as cash crops and on vegetables, on fish and forest produce, and on milk. Cost should be fixed taking into account value of land and natural resources along with family labour that goes into farming”, NBA added.
Also taking exception to the Chutka Nuclear Plant and 13 thermal power plants, being built along Narmada, NBA said, “This means more diversion of waters and choking the river with ash.”

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