Gujarat grassroots leaders "amend" negative perception towards Medha Patkar, Narmada Bachao Andolan

NBA-led satyagraha of Narmada oustees in Madhya Pradesh:
finding supported in Gujarat?

By Our Representative
In an unusual development, some of the most well known Gujarat's grassroots leaders, many of whom were till now known for their inimical hatred towards the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) and its leader Medha Patkar, is beginning to change its perception. So far characterizing NBA and Parkar as "anti-Gujarat" because of their opposition to the construction of the Narmada dam, these activists have now given enough indication to suggest that, as times have change, so should the perceptions.
In a significant reply to a query on the social media site Facebook, Sagar Rabari, who has led several successful land rights struggles across Gujarat, has suggested that, since the country's situation has changed, there is a need for fresh thinking, and it no more necessary to share the past perception on NBA and Medha Parkar.
Rabari and his colleagues of the Gujarat Khedut Samaj and the Jameen Adhikar Andolan Gujarat (JAAG) led major struggles against the special investment regions (SIRs) in North Gujarat's Mandal-Bhechraji area, Bharuch district in South Gujarat, and Dholera area in Ahmedabad district.
While in Mandal-Bhechraji the Gujarat government was forced to downsize the SIR, in Bharuch it was forced to cancel it. As for Dholera, where the SIR is being proposed to be developed in order to implement Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream project of a smart city, the struggle is still on. A rally is already being planned against Dholera SIR as part of the fight against the anti-land acquisition Act.
Indicating that he would not hesitate in taking support from the NBA and Parkar, Rabari says, now that the Narmada dam has already been built, and water is flowing down the canals, "it is the collective duty to help the people who have suffered for sake of Gujarat farmers." Finding this an important development, Wilfred D'Costa of NGO Insaf, has commented on social media that Rabari's comment was "well said."

Sagar Rabari

Rabari says, so far, if anything has gone wrong in providing Narmada water to the farmers, it "is politicians' fault", and not of "the farmers or villagers." He underlines, "I have had good terms with Medha Parkar", even when the NBA was "high" in the agenda of those who opposed it.
"We have met many times in and outside Ahmedabad", Rabari says in his social media revelation, adding, though, he cannot vouch for a similar stance of leaders like Sanat Mehta, but as far as he is concerned, "differences do not mean separation." Hence, the "questions" related with continuing to oppose "Patkar or others", he suggests, are out of place.
Notably, Gujarat Khedut Samaj, led by Rabari, is being strongly supported by one of Gujarat's most well known opponents of the NBA and Patkar, veteran leader Sanat Mehta, former chairman of the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd (SSNNL), and an erstwhile Congress strongman.
Rabari's view about the need to take the support of NBA and Parkar in the "common fight" for farmers comes after he shared a photograph of NBA's satyagraha against submergence of Narmada oustees in Madhya Pradesh at Ghogal village in Khandva district. He was asked whether it means a "support to the NBA agitation" and if there is a change in favour of Patkar.

Comments

Call to support IIM-Bangalore professor, censured for seeking action against Uniliver

Counterview Desk
Sections of the Indian Institute of Managements (IIMs) across India have strongly reacted to the decision to censure Dr Deepak Malghan, a faulty at IIM-Bangalore. Prabhir Vishnu Poruthiyil, who is faculty at IIM-Tiruchirapalli, has sought wider solidarity with Dr Malghan, saying, "The administration has censured Deepak for merely suggesting a meaningful action against Hindustan Unilever for their abysmal environmental record" by “disinviting” it for campus placement.

Actionable programme for 2019 polls amidst lynch mobs, caste violence, hate mongering

Counterview Desk
Reclaiming the Republic, a civil rights network, has released a document prepared under the chairmanship of Justice AP Shah (retired) -- and backed, among others, by Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan, bureaucrat-turned-human rights activist Harsh Mander, economist Prabhat Patnaik, Right to transparency activist Anjali Bhardwaj and social scientist Yogendra Yadav (click HERE for full list) -- with the "aim" of putting forth policy and legislative reforms needed to “protect” and “strengthen” the Constitutional safeguards for India’s democratic polity.

Noam Chomsky, top scholars ask NRIs to take stand on human rights violations in India

Counterview Desk
Renowned world scholars, including Noam Chomsky, James Petras, Angela Davis, Fredric Jameson, Bruno Latour, Ilan Pappe, Judith Butler, among others, have issued a statement castigating the Narendra Modi government for allegedly creating an environment of fear through arrests, intimidation and violence.

India under Modi "promoted" crony business, protected financial fraudsters, fueled bigotry

By Sandeep* and Rahul Pandey**
Narendra Modi's ascension to power was accompanied with jubilation and expectation. His supporters were expecting an end to era of corruption and initiation of good governance which was described as Achche Din. His party's adherence to idea of nationalism was believed to make India a vibrant country and guide India to be a world leader. He gave the slogan of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' conveying that his government was for all.
Corruption The government system is infested with corruption. A minimum of 10% is siphoned off from government schemes and projects, some of which goes back to political party in power and remaining is pocketed by various administrative, executive and political functionaries. This corruption continues and has increased. Now an additional Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) person working as Official on Special Duty or some equivalent position in every government department also has a share in this booty.
The Narendra M…

Inviting Rajapaksa to India "insult" to 1,40,000 Tamils killed by Sri Lankan army

Counterview Desk
In the context of Sri Lankan opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa being invited in India, about 75 human rights activists*, claiming to be concerned about rights violations during the civil war in Sri Lanka, especially in 2009, have joined together to express their dissent through a statement.

A Godse legacy? BJP rulers have "refrained" from calling Gandhi Father of the Nation

By Dr Hari Desai*
What an agony! On one hand, the entire India is celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but on the other side, so-called Hindu Mahasabha members have been found mock-enacting the killing of the Mahatma and celebrating the murder by distributing sweets!

No aadhaar, no ration? Hard blow by Gujarat govt on poor and marginalized

By Pankti Jog*
Only those who have aadhaar registration and linked it with ration card will get ration from a Public Distribution System (PDS) shop. This decision of the Gujarat government has hit very badly thousands of poor and marginalized communities of Gujarat, especially during the drought year.

Not just Indian women engineers, men too face sexual harassment at workplace: US study

By Rajiv Shah
A recent research, carried out jointly by two US-based non-profit organizations, Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and Center for WorkLife Law (WLL), based at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, has found that 45% of women engineers as against 28% of men engineers complained that it was perceived as “inappropriate when women argued at work, even when it was work-related.”

Post-advisory, Govt of India appears reluctant to ban e-cigarettes, "harmful" to kids

By Rajiv Shah
Is the Government of India dilly-dallying over the issue of banning e-cigarettes, which have been declared by anti-tobacco activists across the world as providing “an entryway to nicotine addiction”, especially among the kids? It would seem so, if the latest developments are any guide.

Poser to Modi: Why is Gujarat not fulfilling Constitutional obligations to minorities?

Counterview Desk
In an open letter, Mujahid Nafees, convener, Minority Coordination Committee (MCC), a Gujarat-based civil rights organization, has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi on infringing upon MCC activists’ constitutional right to protest. Nafees says, they had no other demands except that the Gujarat government should move towards fulfilling the constitutional obligations towards minorities and international treaties to which India is a signatory.

Search This Blog