Challenge by Congress MLAs to the MP Government on the Issue of Displacement in Narmada, a Welcome Step
Denial of Debate in Assembly by People’s Representatives and their Arrest is anti-democratic
Development and Sardar Sarovar, need to be debated, Narmada Andolan is ready, why is the government not ready ?
Badwani, Madhya Pradesh, 26 July 2017: In the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, the opposition Congress MLAs today raised their voice on the important issue of submergence and forced evictions due to Sardar Sarovar dam in Narmada Valley. We expect that Modi Ji or Shivraj ji, who don’t believe in democracy in Narmada valley or elsewhere, will not sit as mute spectators, but will respond. Dialogue, which the MP government should have done when they passed through these villages during Seva Yatra, now has to be conducted on the political platform, because that’s the only way out.
The denial of the permission by the Vidha Sabha speaker to debate the issue is completely undemocratic and a contempt of the people’s mandate. In the Rajya Sabha too, Mr. Digvijas Singh ji (former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh), Mr. D. Raja (Communist Party of India), Mr. Ali Anwarji and Sharad Yadavji of JD (U) etc. raised the issue during question hour and requested debate under call attention, which was rejected by the deputy Chairperson, but atleast it should have been allowed in the State assembly, after all it is the biggest issue today facing the state.
We welcome the initiative taken under the leadership of Shri Ajay Singh, along with MLAs Bala Bachan, Surendra Singh Baghel, Ramesh Patel and others, who raised the issue affecting 40,000 families to be displaced and evicted for a project, which is not going to give neither water nor electricity to the people of Madhya Pradesh.
In the name of development, and to quench the thrust of drought areas of Gujarat, how can we sacrifice the most fertile land, live villages and age old civilization, can we justify that ? Madhya Pradesh today doesn’t need electricity, since some of the government power houses are closed, then what benefit is there from the Sardar Sarovar to the state today ? We need to ask that.
There is massive flooding today in Gujarat, as if nature is saying do you need more water ? Massive destruction, hundreds of deaths has raised the question on water management in Gujarat. In Gujarat, the rainwater, if better managed is enough to quench the thrust of the dry areas of Gujarat. Decentralised water management is the answer. After all, how can we justify the water taken in name of farmers and people, being given to coca cola and car industries ? We are ready to debate this with Shivraj Singh Chauhan or CM of Gujarat or even Prime Minister of India on any democratic platform. But those in power are they ready ? This is the question, we are asking. The people of Narmada valley are asking today.
Rahul Yadav, Balaram Yadav, Pema Bhilala, Medha Patkar
Contact 91796-17513
