[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
dam-l LS: PR: 350 Arrested At Maheshwar, Chittaroopa Palit Starts
Indefinite Fast
Sender: owner-irn-narmada@netvista.net
Precedence: bulk
Press Release
8 March 2000
NARMADA BACHAO ANDOLAN
MP Government Arrests Peaceful Demostrators at Maheshwar
NBA Condemns Undemocratic Stand of MP Government
Over 350 people affected by the Mahehswar project, who have sitting
on a peaceful dharna (demonstration) outside the gates of the dam
site since 24th Feb. 2000 were dragged, beaten and arrested today by
the Madhya Pradesh police. The NBA condemns this attempt by the MP
Government to suppress the fundamental right of the people to protest
peacefully guaranteed by the Art. 19 of the Indian Constitution. This
arrest of people sitting on peaceful protests is nothing short of the
murder of democracy.
It may be recalled that the people affected by the Maheshwar
hydropower project, organised under the banner of NBA have been
sitting on an indefinite dharna (sit in) in front of the main gate of
the dam site. They have been demanding that the clearances given to
the project by the Central Electricity Authority and the Ministry of
Environment should be revoked on the basis of the findings of the
field visit report by the Ministry of Environment team which has
found serious violations of the conditions under which the clearance
has been given. The M.P. State government should abandon the
Maheshwar project and take up the implementation of the alternatives
proposed in the report of the Task Force set up by the Government
itself.
Yesterday night, the District administration announced that Section
144 of the Indian Penal Code (a
provision which effectively prohibits the holding of meetings and means that
protestors and activists can be arrested for holding a gathering of
four or more persons) would be extended up to a distance of 5 km from
the dam site. The oustees were on the dharna in a private field
outside the dam site. Before arresting the people, the Additional
Collector told the people, giving reason for the arrest that the
satyagraha (demonstration) by the affected people was disturbing the
school children in their studies! Whereas the demonstration was going
on in the middle of wheat fields and there is no school or college
for a distance of 3 km from there. In this manner, the administration
has resorted to spreading lies and trying to defame the NBA while
denying its fundamental rights.
32 women who have been arrested have been lodged in the jail at
Khargone and 58 men in the jail at Badwani. Over 250 others were
picked up and then released as the administration wants to play down
the number of arrested persons. These 250 are sitting in protest in
front of the police station in Mandeleshwar, the tehsil HQ. One of
the main activists, Chittaroopa Palit, who is among the 32 women
arrested has refused to take any food or water and started an
indefinite fast without water in protest against the actions of the
administration.
The State administration which tried to portray itself as a champion
of freedom of speech by asking the "Water" film team to continue its
shooting in Madhya Pradesh (at Maheshwar!) is suppressing the rights
of the people of the very same area! It may be noted also that the
National Commission on Women was to hold a public hearing at the site
on the 15th of March. These arrests may be because the administration
wants to prevent this public hearing and does not want to answer the
people who are raising the issue that the power from this project
will be costing over Rs. 7 -10 per unit.
The NBA has declared that its peaceful protests will continue and the
fight against this destructive project which will destroy the lives
and culture of the oustees as also drive the state to bankruptcy will
be intensified.
Alok Agarwaal
(NBA)