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dam-l Maheshwar Update 20 May 1998
Dear Friends,
Here is the update on Maheshwar, where an early morning police action
has just taken place.
Shripad 20.5.98
POLICE TAKE BRUTAL ACTION ON PEOPLE'S CHECKPOINT IN MAHESHWAR
200 ARRESTED, MANY BEATEN UP IN EARLY MORNING ACTION
The police today came down brutally on one of the seven "people's check
points" located at Gandhinagar, Maheshwar, arresting over 150 women and
50 men, severely beating up many of the people in the process. One of
the activists Asit is badly injured and has been admitted in the
hospital. Another activist, Chittaroopa Palit, has been taken away by
the police in a jeep to an unknown location, separating her from the
rest of the arrested. The operation took place at about 6.30 in the
morning, and was personally supervised by the Superintendent of Police
and the District Collector. Following this, eighteen trucks of material
including cement were taken in to the dam site. The work on the dam had
come almost to a standstill since two days as the project had run out
of cement due to the blockade.
The people have reacted angrily to the arrests and have announced their
determination to continue the blockade. Hundreds of people have started
moving in towards the blockade site to replace those arrested.
It may be recollected that since 7 May 1998, the people have put up
"people's check points" (janata ka naka) on the roads leading to the dam
site, and have stopped the material-machinery-humans from getting in.
This unique method of protest against the dam has been hugely
successful, and with the initial four checkposts being increased to
seven, and with full support of the whole area, these check points had
succeeded in blocking cement and other essential inputs for the work. As
a result, from around 18 may, the work on the dam site had come
practically to a standstill. So successful has been this program, that
instead of the proposed occupation of the dam site, this itself has
become the major thrust of the struggle. Of course, people are ready and
determined to physically occupy the dam site also if required.
On 18th May, the checkpoint at Gandhinagar blocked the entry of about 15
trucks carrying cement. The police had then come in large numbers, but
had returned without any action. The trucks had moved to the nearby town
of Maheshwar. Today's police action seems primarily aimed at getting
these trucks in, as S.Kumars seemed desperate to start work again. Alok
Agarwaal, key activist of the struggle has responded by saying that
"Eighteen trucks do not a dam make. We know ours is a long struggle, and
we are determined to fight till the end. Today's action has however
once again confirms that the Government is not ready to stand by the
genuine demands of the people but will not hesitate to use the state
repressive apparatus to favour the national-international capital".
The people have already indicated their determination by starting to
assemble at Gandhinagar checkpoint to replace those arrested. They are
saying that we too will see how long the Government can continue the
repression.
It is becoming clear a major confrontation between the people and the
state is building up, and the work on the dam can be continued only
under the continuous use of the state repressive machinery.
Shripad Dharmadhikary
Narmada Bachao Andolan