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Date: Wed, 8 Mar 2000 12:30:59 -0800 (PST)
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Subject: dam-l LS: Police Atrocity against Peaceful Agitation of Maheshwar Affected
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Wed, 08 Mar 2000
Police Atrocity against Peaceful Agitation of Maheshwar Affected
Government Suppressing the Rights of Citizens
Chittaroopa Palit on Nir Jal Fast (Fast without food and water)
inside Khargone Jail
At around 12 pm today, over 350 dam affected people - including over
200 women, who were observing a peaceful dharna at the gate of the
dam-site since February 24th, were forcefully removed by the police,
injuring over a dozen. The arrested include senior activist of NBA
Chittaroopa Palit, Urmila Patidar, Jagdishbhai Patidar, Patlen,
Kamalaben Patidar and others. Narmada Bachao Andolan strongly
condemns the arrest and mishandling of the peaceful agitators by the
Government. By stripping off the Right to Assemble and Right to
Protest, which is guaranteed by the Constitution of India under
Article 19, the Government has murdered Democracy in letter and
spirit. We assert again that the truth of the disastrous Maheshwar
dam will be exposed to all countrymen and with the support and
participation of all like-minded people and organisations, we will
not let the dam go ahead.
According to the reports received just now, Chittaroopa Palit have
started nir-jal fast (fast without food and water) inside the jail,
protesting against the barbaric injustice meted out to the peaceful
agitators today.
One may remember that since last 24th, Narmada Bachao Andolan - men,
women and children, who are affected by the monstrous Maheshwar Dam -
is on a peaceful dharna at the gate of dam site. The demand of the
people on the indefinite sit in includes the stoppage of the work on
the project and revoking the environmental clearance to the project.
This demand is based on the recent report of the Ministry of
Environment and other Ministries, which clearly accepts that there is
no land for rehabilitation of the project-affected people. This
report of the Ministries recommend that in order for the ministry to
take a decision on whether to revoke the environmental clearance, the
project authorities must be asked to identify and demonstrate
sufficient agricultural land for the rehabilitation of the oustees
within three months. We also demand that the Government of Madhya
Pradesh should cancel the project and implement the alternatives
recommended by the Task Force constituted by the Government itself,
some months back.
Late yesterday night, citing the reason that the dharna is causing
disturbance to the students, the administration clamped Sec. 144.
However, the dharna was going on in a private field, in front of
dam-site gate, surrounded by fields. While arresting the agitators,
they were badly beaten by the men police, by lathis and they were
badly dragged. While arresting, Chittaroopa Palit was very badly
beaten and misbehaving with her, her cloths were torn. By letting the
police to misbehave with the women on the Women's Day, the Government
has made a mockery of the women's rights. Every right thinking
citizen of this country and around the world should condemn this
barbaric act. The pandal of Satyagraha and the utensils were
destroyed and was taken off by the police.
Over 300 people were kept in front of the Maheshwar jail for long
hours, refusing to take them in the jail and sending the injured to
the hospital. They all are on dharna now in front of the Mandaleshwar
police station. 58 men are brought to Badwani jail and 32 women are
put in Khargone jail.
Government, for appeasing the national and international capitalists,
has abused all norms and law of the land. If the team of film 'Water'
is invited to the state, under the justification that the Freedom of
Expression should not be suppressed, doesn't the people who lose
their lives and livelihood have right to express their grievances in
a peaceful, Gandhian way? This has exposed the duality of the Chief
Minister, Shri.Digvijay Singh and his inability to address the
issues, the people are raising. It was just yesterday that the
Government was informed that they should present their case before
the National Women's Commission, who will be in Mandaleshwar for a
Public Hearing on the 15th of this month. But it is clear, that the
government doesn't want the common people to know that the cost of
power generated by the Maheshwar project will come to Rs.10; the
power will not be available when there is peak demand; and even then
the public will have to pay Rs. 500 - 600 crores to S.Kumars and
others multinational companies. Violent repression is not the way, if
the Government and S.Kumars cannot rehabilitate the 40,000 affected
people.
We will raise this issue of suppression of basin human rights in all
fori - including the legislature and judiciary. We affirm again that
the indefinite actions started on the 11th of January will be
continued and with much more strength and vigor, we will fight till
the land and houses of thousands are saved and the state and country
is saved from the clutches of national and international forces.
We appeal to you to send faxes to the Chief Minister of Madhya
Pradesh, Shri. Digvijay Singh (Fax No. 0755-540501), condemning the
incident and remind him that the people and the law of the land will
come before the national and international capitalists. Please demand
immediate release of all and ask him to address the issues we are
raising.
In solidarity,
(Alok Agrawal)
==========<medhapatkar@vsnl.com>==========