The Hindu, Aug 28 2017, Madurai: About 18 organisations in Madurai participated in a protest held in support of activist Medha Patkar in her campaign against Madhya Pradesh government which “has failed to rehabilitate and compensate all those affected by Sardar Sarovar Project”.
About 100 protesters shouted slogans and condemned the allegations levelled against Ms. Patkar, who was released on bail recently. They said the charges against her – abduction and wrongful confinement of government servants in Kukshi town in Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh – were false.
Sardar Sarovar Project submerged 192 villages where 40,000 people lived. “These settlements existed for ages. As per the original plan, the submergence of the area was to take place only after two acres of land and ₹60,000 were provided to the citizens before July 31. The reported number of people compensated by the State government is false. Judges must rise up to the occasion,” said Henri Tiphagne, executive director of People’s Watch.
Several protesters, including D. Gabriele, president of Penn Urimai Iyakkam, said in her speech that the Supreme Court had recently passed some landmark judgements in order to build a more progressive society. She said widespread protests would continue till the Narmada issue was resolved.
I. Aseervatham, the coordinator of the protest, said most people fighting for human rights lacked the requisite security. “The government has been inactive on one of India’s most burning issues,” he said.
The protesters stressed that people in power should try to resolve the crisis faced by farmers and fishermen of the area immediately.
Web: http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/protest-in-support-of-medha-patkar-madurai/article19576498.ece
