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dam-l LS: 484 Arrested in Dhadgaon, Many Beaten
Narmada Bachao Andolan
Press Note 23 Sept. 1999
484 ARRESTED IN DHADGAON AS POLICE CLAMP SEC. 144 :
MANY BEATEN UP BADLY, DRAGGED, WITHOUT FOOD
Four hundred and eighty four people sitting on an indefinite dharna
in Dhadgaon (Maharashtra) were arrested today morning as the
authorities clamped Sec. 144. in this tehsil HQ. The police behaved
in a very bad manner, beating and badly dragging the people including
women. Medha Patkar, who is also among those arrested, was also dragged
by the police. Activists Ravi, Ashish were among those badly beaten.
The arrested people were presented before the Magistrate after the
arrest. The people unanimously refused to take personal bond for the
release but demanded that the police release them unconditionally as
they had committed no crime. The people have been charged under Sec.
144, 188 of the IPC and 37/1/35 of Bombay Police Act. It is not known
what orders the magistrate has made after the people refused personal
bond, but the police are taking them to some unknown place, possibly
Dhule or Aurangabad.
Just outside Dhadgoan, the police stopped for food but as there was not
enough food for everyone, the arrested people moved on to the roads and
blocked the road in protest. The people were still sitting on the road
block as this note was being written.
It may be recollected that Medha Patkar and 300 people were arrested and
brought to Dhadgaon, by the police late Tuesday night after an intense
fight by people of the Narmada valley, as the waters reached neck-deep
level of the Samarpit Dal at the Domkhedi Satyagraha House and as waters
entered villages destroying fields and homes, for the third time this
season. After these, hundreds of tribals started moving towards
Dhadgaoan, and even as Medha Patkar and others were released, had
started an indefinite dharna in Dhadgaon since yesterday evening.
The dharna was started with a demand that the Government initiate a
dialogue with the people and answer their questions and to protest
against the suppression of the real issues through the police actions
against the satyagrahis who have been challenging the increase in back
water due to the Sardar Sarovar Dam.
In a statement Medha Patkar had said "When people have been raising the
basic issues and have been challenging injustice, the response of the
State Government was to trivialize it with the police actions. This is
not at all a law and order problem but the situation has arisen due to
the wrong policies and actions regarding the dam and displacement on the
part of Maharashtra rulers. It is the question of tribals' rights."
The people arrested are demanding that the Government stop cat and
mouse game with them of arresting and releasing and rearresting. People
are serious on their demand and their resolve. The State Government
cannot shrink from its responsibility by hiding behind the police. They
demanded that the Chief Secretary or some such functionary of the State
Government must come to Dhadgaon where the people were detained and
answer their questions.
OTHER ACTIONS
Meanwhile, the water levels in the Jalsindhi Satyagraha centre in M.P.
receded today even as the tribals had braved and stood in 1.5 feet deep
water for 24 hours.
About 50 people from Kerala, Bangalore and other places have reached the
satyagraha centres today to express solidarity and support to the
struggle.
>From Thailand, the people affected by the Pak Mun dam, who have occupied
the dam site since April this year, setting up de facto township with
over 8000 people demanding that the dam be removed, have conveyed their
solidarity to the Narmada struggle and have said that everyday at 7.00
pm, the people sitting at the Pak Mun dam are offering prayers in
support of the Narmada struggle.
Nandini Oza, Sukumar M.K., NBA