Narmada dam oustees threaten indefinite protest fast starting July 27 ahead of month-end eviction deadline

Narmada oustees' rally on July 22

By A Representative
Following the “deadline” for resettling Narmada dam oustees, July 31, nearing, anti-dam oustees, backed by the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA), have threatened to begin an indefinite collective fast on July 27 till their demand not to be uprooted from their houses is fulfilled. The fast will be led by NBA leader Medha Patkar.
The indefinite fast action will follow the relay fast, currently going on at 21 different spots in Madhya Pradesh for the last 17 days. The July 31 deadline is based on a Supreme Court order dated February 2, asking the Madhya Pradesh to complete the resettlement of all oustees by July-end, so that Gujarat could take advantage of the dam’s FRL.
Explaining the need for intensifying the protest act, NBA said in a communiqué that the rehabilitation sites are still not ready for the oustees, yet the dam’s height is sought to be taken to the full reservoir level (FRL), 138.64 metres, from 121.92 metres, as part of the “political game” in Gujarat ahead of the state polls in December 2017.
“There has been good rain across Gujarat, therefore the state does not need Narmada waters at leat this year”, NBA said, adding, “As for Madhya Pradesh, it is not going to get any water from the dam. In any case, it is not interested in power from the dam’s power houses. Hence there is no reason why dam’s 30-odd gates should remain closed, endangering the oustees’ lives.”
The decision to go in for indefinite fast has been taken even as the Madhya Pradesh police stepping up its campaign, asking the Narmada dam oustees to vacate villages situated next to the river, as with the closure of the gates during monsoon would massively submerge a large number of villages.

In Badwani town, situated next to the Narmada river off Gujarat border, the cops with guns in their hands, undertook mock drill, asking oustees to immediately vacate their villages on or before July 31.

NBA leader Medha Patkar briefing political leaders on July 22

Massive rains generally take place in Narmada catchment areas in August-September, and waters rise by several metres every 10 to 20 days, and this said lead to a dangerous situation by October for those living next to the river.
NBA activists allege, the oustees are being offered 180 square metres of temporary tin sheds to settle down, far from sufficient for an oustee family with all its belongings to live in. “The authorities have decided to dump them there”, said an activist, adding, “The government appears ready to adopt violent means against the oustees after July 31.”
The Madhya Pradesh government has officially admitted, through a notification dated May 25, that 18,386 families 141 villages would have to “leave” houses by July 31. Disagreeing, NBA says, nearly 40,000 families of 192 villages and one town would be affected.
The decision of indefinite follows fast follows massive support in Badwani district to NBA on July 22, where leaders of several political parties, including Congress, Communist party, Janata Dal (United) and Aam Aadmi Party, interacted with the oustees. Around 50,000 people are claimed to have spontaneously gathered for the NBA’s show of strength.

Meanwhile, in a statement, Communist Party of India general secretary Sudhakar Reddy has said that the February 2 Supreme Court order clearly talks of "complete rehabilitation" Narmada dam oustees before evicting them, underling, the Madhya Pradesh government is "violating" the order,putting at risk 40,000 oustees.

Comments

From plagiarism to proxy exams: Galgotias and systemic failure in education

By Sandeep Pandey* Shock is being expressed at Galgotias University being found presenting a Chinese-made robotic dog and a South Korean-made soccer-playing drone as its own creations at the recently held India AI Impact Summit 2026, a global event in New Delhi. Earlier, a UGC-listed journal had published a paper from the university titled “Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis,” which became the subject of widespread ridicule. Following the robotic dog controversy coming to light, the university has withdrawn the paper. These incidents are symptoms of deeper problems afflicting the Indian education system in general. Galgotias merely bit off more than it could chew.

Covishield controversy: How India ignored a warning voice during the pandemic

Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD * It is a matter of pride for us that a person of Indian origin, presently Director of National Institute of Health, USA, is poised to take over one of the most powerful roles in public health. Professor Jay Bhattacharya, an Indian origin physician and a health economist, from Stanford University, USA, will be assuming the appointment of acting head of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA. Bhattacharya would be leading two apex institutions in the field of public health which not only shape American health policies but act as bellwether globally.

The 'glass cliff' at Galgotias: How a university’s AI crisis became a gendered blame game

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* “She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and in her enthusiasm of being on camera, gave factually incorrect information.” These were the words used in the official press release by Galgotias University following the controversy at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi. The statement came across as defensive, petty, and deeply insensitive.

Farewell to Saleem Samad: A life devoted to fearless journalism

By Nava Thakuria* Heartbreaking news arrived from Dhaka as the vibrant city lost one of its most active and committed citizens with the passing of journalist, author and progressive Bangladeshi national Saleem Samad. A gentleman who always had issues to discuss with anyone, anywhere and at any time, he passed away on 22 February 2026 while undergoing cancer treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He was 74.

Growth without justice: The politics of wealth and the economics of hunger

By Vikas Meshram* In modern history, few periods have displayed such a grotesque and contradictory picture of wealth as the present. On one side, a handful of individuals accumulate in a single year more wealth than the annual income of entire nations. On the other, nearly every fourth person in the world goes to bed hungry or half-fed.

From ancient wisdom to modern nationhood: The Indian story

By Syed Osman Sher South of the Himalayas lies a triangular stretch of land, spreading about 2,000 miles in each direction—a world of rare magic. It has fired the imagination of wanderers, settlers, raiders, traders, conquerors, and colonizers. They entered this country bringing with them new ethnicities, cultures, customs, religions, and languages.

Thali, COVID and academic credibility: All about the 2020 'pseudoscientific' Galgotias paper

By Jag Jivan* The first page image of the paper "Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis" published in the Journal of Molecular Pharmaceuticals and Regulatory Affairs , Vol. 2, Issue 2 (2020), has gone viral on social media in the wake of the controversy surrounding a Chinese robot presented by the Galgotias University as its original product at the just-concluded AI summit in Delhi . The resurfacing of the 2020 publication, authored by Dharmendra Kumar , Galgotias University, has reignited debate over academic standards and scientific credibility.

Conversion laws and national identity: A Jesuit response response to the Hindutva narrative

By Rajiv Shah A recent book, " Luminous Footprints: The Christian Impact on India ", authored by two Jesuit scholars, Dr. Lancy Lobo and Dr. Denzil Fernandes , seeks to counter the current dominant narrative on Indian Christians , which equates evangelisation with conversion, and education, health and the social services provided by Christians as meant to lure -- even force -- vulnerable sections into Christianity.

Sergei Vasilyevich Gerasimov, the artist who survived Stalin's cultural purges

By Harsh Thakor* Sergei Vasilyevich Gerasimov (September 14, 1885 – April 20, 1964) was a Soviet artist, professor, academician, and teacher. His work was posthumously awarded the Lenin Prize, the highest artistic honour of the USSR. His paintings traced the development of socialist realism in the visual arts while retaining qualities drawn from impressionism. Gerasimov reconciled a lyrical approach to nature with the demands of Soviet socialist ideology.

Search This Blog