Skip to main content

How Vimal Bhai organised, educated displaced Khori settlers, termed 'encroachers' by SC

Counterview Desk 

The Khorigaon Team Saathi, formed following the massive demolition drive in Haryana's Khori village in which a few thousand houses were razed last year after a Supreme Court order calling the 50-year-old settlement an encroachment on forest land, in a glowing tribute to activist Vimal Bhai, has said, "He was the force behind our determination to fight for justice against the demolition of our homes."
A senior social and environmental activist with the National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), Vimal bhai, unwell with fever and fatigue after suffering from Covid-19 complications, was admitted first in Delhi's Safdarajang hospital on August 10, and the same evening was admitted to the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi, owing to his deteriorating health situation. He passed away on August 16.
In a glowing tribute to Vimal Bhai, known to be a top associate of top social activist Medha Patkar, the Khorigaon Team Saathi said, "We will continue the journey started by Vimal Kaka."

Text:

Our Vimal kaka is no more with us. He was the force behind our determination to fight for justice against the demolition of our homes. His demise has left a big void in our hearts and homes. But his words, methods and vision will continue with us. We, Khori saathis, are gradually finding the strength to continue the movement.
Kaka had been unwell for a few months due to Covid-related complications. When his health condition further deteriorated, we took him to Safdarjung hospital and based on their doctor’s advice, we shifted him to AIIMS the same evening. Kaka’s situation was already very critical, but he fought till 15th of August. He passed away due to complications related to the kidney, lungs, liver and reduced immunity.
From 10th Aug to 15th August, many of Vimal Kaka’s friends and family came and stood with us. We are very grateful to them. Their support was crucial for Vimal Bhai’s medical care and our mental strength. Kaka was our family during the last 13 months, and we were his.
During these few days, we realised he had made families everywhere he went and worked. When we read the messages people have shared for him, we are overwhelmed with pride and gratitude. Vimal kaka was a towering personality, a social and environmental activist unparalleled.
Kaka came into our lives when all roads seemed to have ended after the 7th June 2021 court order. We were imprisoned within our settlement through the declaration of section 144 and threatened every day by the police for a month before the demolition started. Kaka came to meet us in the evenings after the police left to give us strength, educate us and organise.
He was aware we did not have property papers, and many even did not have the correct government documents for rehabilitation. He taught us how to create a record of the people and what type of documents we had in such difficult times. It is because of this list that he forced us to put together quickly we are able to continue the fight for rehabilitation.
The public hearing organised by Kaka while the demolition was underway was another such step that has had a lasting impact. In the hearing, we got a chance to speak to academics, lawyers, journalists and other activists.
We realised we were not alone. Some of the associations we made that day continues to date. He has been the link between the ground struggle and the legal and rehabilitation processes with the state. Even though he is not with us now, his writings and voice messages – Khori updates, will continue to give us strength.
Vimal Kaka was an institution in himself. However, during the last 13 months, there were many moments when he struggled to find solidarity for Khori Gaon’s movement. But during the time in the hospital, when others came to take care of us, we realised how his strategies and thinking had broken barriers and united us. We are confident these associations will continue.
Kaka has been celebrating all major events and festivals with us for the last 13 months, and we would have done something together this year too. But he had grander plans. He wanted all his many families to come together and celebrate his life.
We will continue the journey started by Vimal Kaka.

Comments

TRENDING

'Draconian' Kerala health law follows WHO diktat: Govt readies to take harsh measures

By Dr Maya Valecha*  The Governor of Kerala has signed the Kerala Public Health Bill, which essentially reverses the people’s campaign in healthcare services in Kerala for decentralisation. The campaign had led to relinquishing of state powers in 1996, resulting in improvement of health parameters in Kerala. Instead, now, enforcement of law through the exercise of power, fines, etc., and the implementation of protocol during the pandemic, are considered of prime importance.

Reject WHO's 'draconian' amendments on pandemic: Citizens to Union Health Minister

By Our Representative  Several concerned Indian citizens have written to the Union Health Minister to reject amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) of the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted during the 75th World Health Assembly (WHA75) in May 2022, apprehending this will make the signatories surrender their autonomy to the “unelected, unaccountable and the whimsical WHO in case of any future ‘pandemics’.”

A Hindu alternative to Valentine's Day? 'Shiv-Parvati was first love marriage in Universe'

By Rajiv Shah*   The other day, I was searching on Google a quote on Maha Shivratri which I wanted to send to someone, a confirmed Shiv Bhakt, quite close to me -- with an underlying message to act positively instead of being negative. On top of the search, I chanced upon an article in, imagine!, a Nashik Corporation site which offered me something very unusual. 

Bihar rural women entrepreneurs witness 50% surge in awareness about renewal energy

By Mignonne Dsouza*  An endline survey conducted under the Bolega Bihar initiative revealed a significant increase in awareness of renewable energy among women, rising from 25% to 76% in Nalanda and Gaya. Renu Kumari, a 34-year-old entrepreneur from Nalanda, Bihar, operates a village eatery that serves as the primary source of income for her family, including her husband and five children. However, a significant portion of her profits was being directed toward covering monthly electricity expenses that usually reach Rs 2,000. 

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.

Work with Rajasthan's camel herders: German scientist wins World Cookbook Award 2023

By Rosamma Thomas*  Gourmand World Cookbook Awards are the only awards for international food culture. This year, German scientist  Ilse Kohler Rollefson , founder of Camel Charisma, the first of India’s camel dairies, in Pali district of Rajasthan, won the award for her work with camel herders in Rajasthan, and for preparing for the UN International Year of Camelids, 2024. 

Why is electricity tariff going up in India? Who is the beneficiary? A random reflection

By Thomas Franco*  Union Ministry of Power has used its power under Section 11 of the Electricity Act, 2003 to force States to import coal which has led to an increase in the cost of electricity production and every consumer is paying a higher tariff. In India, almost everybody from farmers to MSMEs are consumers of electricity.

'Very low rung in quality ladder': Critique of ICMR study on 'sudden deaths' post-2021

By Bhaskaran Raman*  Since about mid-2021, a new phenomenon of extreme concern has been observed throughout the world, including India : unexplained sudden deaths of seemingly healthy and active people, especially youngsters. In the recently concluded Navratri garba celebrations, an unprecedented number of young persons succumbed to heart attack deaths. After a long delay, ICMR (Indian Council for Medical Research) has finally has published a case-control study on sudden deaths among Indians of age 18-45.

'Pro-corporate agenda': Odisha crackdown on tribal slum dwellers fighting for land rights

By Our Representative  The civil rights network Campaign Against State Repression (CASR), even as condemning what it calls “brutal repression” on the Adivasi slum dwellers of Salia Sahi in Bhubaneshwar by the Odisha police, has said that the crackdown was against the tribals struggling for land rights in order to “stop the attempts at land-grab by the government.”

Deplorable, influential sections 'still believe' burning coal is essential indefinitely

By Shankar Sharma*  Some of the recent developments in the power sector, as some  recent news items show, should be of massive relevance/ interest to our policy makers in India. Assuming that our authorities are officially mandated/ committed to maintain a holistic approach to the overall welfare of all sections of our society, including the flora, fauna and general environment, these developments/ experiences from different parts of the globe should be clear pointers to the sustainable energy pathways for our people.