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dam-l LS: ToI, A. Roy prevented from speaking in Gujarat

from The Times of India
Saturday 10 July 1999


                   Fearing backlash club declares Arundhati
                   persona non grata

                   By A Staff Reporter

                   AHMEDABAD: A prominent city club has dropped its plan to
invite Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy next week to speak on the Narmada
Project. The decision was reportedly taken due to apprehensions of trouble
from pro-dam activists during the function.

                   The Rotary Club of Ahmedabad, Metro, had extended an
invitation to Ms Roy to speak on the Sardar Sarovar Project in the city on July
15. Sources said that air tickets had also been despatched to her to attend the
function and the announcement had been made in the club's news-letter.

                   However, at a meeting held in Ellisbridge Gymkhana Club
on Thursday, where prominent Gujarati novelist Ashwini Bhatt was invited to
speak on Gujarati literature, certain members objected to the invitation
extended to Ms Roy. "This girl knows nothing about Narmada, look at what
she has
written, she wants to convert the dam into a monument," one agitated member
said.

                   Incidentally, the invitation to Ms Roy had been extended
through Ashwini Bhatt who, like her, is also a supporter of the Narmada Bachao
Andolan. "There was a lot of shouting at the meeting , some members were
opposed to the idea of calling an anti-dam activist, others feared that
organisations
like the Bajrang Dal would resort to violence and break up her lecture," Mr
Bhatt
told The Times of India.

                   A meeting of prominent club members was convened on
Friday where Mr Bhatt was also invited to discuss the issue. However, Mr Bhatt
said, "I did not attend the meeting as I have no locus standi, it was
entirely up to
the club to decide what to do." He expressed his ignorance about the programme
having been called off.

                   However, club members were tight-lipped about the issue
as they had already received angry calls from pro-dam activists and were
reportedly also under pressure from the state government. A prominent club
member Dr Mukesh Bavishi, who initiated the plan to invite Arundhati,
said "The programme is not on." He refused to speak further.

                   Club secretary Rajesh Dave said, "I am not aware of what
decision was taken at the meeting because I left the meeting early". Club
president Rajesh Shah confirmed the programme had been cancelled but
refused to specify
reasons . "It is a an internal matter of the club," he said. Asked whether air
tickets had already been issued to Ms Roy, he said "They may have been, I
am not
sure, but that hardly matters now."

                   The cancellation of the programme, according to anti-dam
activists, was along "expected lines" because similar meetings have been
disrupted in the past by staunch proponents of the project which arouses
considerable emotions in Gujarat. Noted lawyer and anti-dam activist Girish
Patel said,
"There is always a fear of  violence when we are invited to such functions,
there
are attempts to deny the people views opposed to the dam."

                   In the past, public functions of Medha Patkar, including
press conferences, have been disrupted by angry demonstrators and protests have
also been held at the  residences of sympathisers of the Narmada Bachao Andolan
in the state.