Kidnapping charge against Patkar even though Madhya Pradesh official denied any such thing: Digvijay Singh

Digvijay Singh outside Dhar jail

By A Representative
In a surprise move, senior Congress leader and ex-chief minister Digvijay Singh met Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar in Dhar jail, Madhya Pradesh, describing her as a "great social worker who has dedicated her entire life to fight for the cause of Narmada dam affected people of the state."
Singh's move comes amidst the Congress high command wary of aligning itself with Patkar or NBA because of the sensitivity involved on Narmada dam in Gujarat, which goes to polls this December. Even though the Narmada dam oustees' problem is politically sensitive in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP is steadfastly taking the view that all of them have have been resettled, which is seen as a support to the BJP in Gujarat ahead of the polls.
Meanwhile, in two of the three cases -- pertaining to assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty (Section 353 of IPC) -- instituted against her, the local court granted Patkar bail. NBA now plans to move the Madhya Pradesh High Court over refusal to grant her bail in the third case, regarding alleged kidnapping of revenue department staff by the NBA activists (Section 365 of IPC) on August 1.
Coming out of the jail, Singh told reporters that the FIRs in the cases in which Patkar has been arrested don’t even bear her name, but still, warrant was issued against her. “She has been arrested for alleged kidnapping of government staff, despite the concerned government official telling the Dhar district collector over the phone that he wasn’t kidnapped,” he said.
The day Patkar and others broke their 17 day indefinite fast on August 12, the Madhya Pradesh police foisted cases of disturbing peace, kidnapping and charges on 55 named and 2,500 unnamed NBA activists and its supporters. An NBA source said, most of the cases are related to the incident on August 7 when 2,000 strong police force "violently attacked the fasting protesters, injured 42 and forcibly hospitalised 10 of them in Dhar and Indore Hospitals."

Patkar and her supporters, Dhurji Bhai, Vijay Bhai and Santu Bhai, have completed five days in different jails following their last arrest. NBA says, "All these fabricated cases have been imposed so that movement against the illegal and unjust forced eviction of 40,000 families in the Narmada Valley can be crushed."
In a statement, NBA says, "Police vehicles are roaming around the villages all day and is creating fear in the minds of people", adding, "According to the compiled information, FIRs have been registered against 72 people in 9 cases in Barwani, and FIRs have been filed against 94 people in 12 cases in Kukshi, District Dhar. There are also many other serious charges and non-bailable warrants pending."

"Today, the world recognizes the 32 years of non-violent struggle and Satyagraha of NBA. But the Madhya Pradesh Police, at the behest of the Government, is charging them in cases, such as under section 307, accusing them of being involved in murder and kidnapping", the statement alleges.
A video issued by NBA on August 15 of a song written by Patkar titled "Can we be proud of such independence?" (click HERE) wonders: "When the forests, the life and culture,/
Nurtured for centuries are destroyed forcibly/ Can we be proud of such independence?", insisting, "We shall fight, we shall win!"

Comments

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

CFA flags ‘welfare retreat’ in Union Budget 2026–27, alleges corporate bias

By Jag Jivan The advocacy group Centre for Financial Accountability (CFA) has sharply criticised the Union Budget 2026–27 , calling it a “budget sans kartavya” that weakens public welfare while favouring private corporations, even as inequality, climate risks and social distress deepen across the country.

From water scarcity to sustainable livelihoods: The turnaround of Salaiya Maaf

By Bharat Dogra We were sitting at a central place in Salaiya Maaf village, located in Mahoba district of Uttar Pradesh, for a group discussion when an elderly woman said in an emotional voice, “It is so good that you people came. Land on which nothing grew can now produce good crops.”

'Big blow to crores of farmers’: Opposition mounts against US–India trade deal

By A Representative Farmers’ organisations and political groups have sharply criticised the emerging contours of the US–India trade agreement, warning that it could severely undermine Indian agriculture, depress farm incomes and open the doors to genetically modified (GM) food imports in violation of domestic regulatory safeguards.

When free trade meets unequal fields: The India–US agriculture question

By Vikas Meshram The proposed trade agreement between India and the United States has triggered intense debate across the country. This agreement is not merely an attempt to expand bilateral trade; it is directly linked to Indian agriculture, the rural economy, democratic processes, and global geopolitics. Free trade agreements (FTAs) may appear attractive on the surface, but the political economy and social consequences behind them are often unequal and controversial. Once again, a fundamental question has surfaced: who will benefit from this agreement, and who will pay its price?

Why Russian oil has emerged as the flashpoint in India–US trade talks

By N.S. Venkataraman* In recent years, India has entered into trade agreements with several countries, the latest being agreements with the European Union and the United States. While the India–EU trade agreement has been widely viewed in India as mutually beneficial and balanced, the trade agreement with the United States has generated comparatively greater debate and scrutiny.

Trade pacts with EU, US raise alarms over farmers, MSMEs and policy space

By A Representative A broad coalition of farmers’ organisations, trade unions, traders, public health advocates and environmental groups has raised serious concerns over India’s recently concluded trade agreements with the European Union and the United States, warning that the deals could have far-reaching implications for livelihoods, policy autonomy and the country’s long-term development trajectory. In a public statement issued, the Forum for Trade Justice described the two agreements as marking a “tectonic shift” in India’s trade policy and cautioned that the projected gains in exports may come at a significant social and economic cost.

From Puri to the State: How Odisha turned the dream of drinkable tap water into policy

By Hans Harelimana Hirwa, Mansee Bal Bhargava Drinking water directly from the tap is generally associated with developed countries where it is considered safe and potable. Only about 50 countries around the world offer drinkable tap water, with the majority located in Europe and North America, and a few in Asia and Oceania. Iceland, Switzerland, Finland, Germany, and Singapore have the highest-quality tap water, followed by Canada, New Zealand, Japan, the USA, Australia, the UK, Costa Rica, and Chile.

Michael Parenti: Scholar known for critiques of capitalism and U.S. foreign policy

By Harsh Thakor* Michael Parenti, an American political scientist, historian, and author known for his Marxist and anti-imperialist perspectives, died on January 24 at the age of 92. Over several decades, Parenti wrote and lectured extensively on issues of capitalism, imperialism, democracy, media, and U.S. foreign policy. His work consistently challenged dominant political and economic narratives, particularly those associated with Western liberal democracies and global capitalism.

Search This Blog