It has been claimed by the people and members of Narmada Bachao Andolan that a large scale corruption has taken place in the name of resettlement and rehabilitation for which High Court of Madhya Pradesh had appointed Justice Jha Commission. The Report was submitted to the High Court but the government tried each and everything to stop the report from getting public or going into the hands of the petitioner, NBA.Whereas at the other end the construction for raising the height of the dam, which will again submerge more than 40,000 families in Madhya Pradesh only, is going on rapidly. It was mandated that before submergence the government must rehabilitate the project affected people following which the government declared ‘Zero Balance’ (i.e. No one is left for rehabilitation), which was proved wrong with earlier fact finding report. Now the Jha commission report was going to expose the government claims and make the corruption public. It is still in the hands of the government and they fear from making it public.
Representatives of Communist Party of India; AITUC; All India Bank Employees Union; Akhil Bhartiya Siksha Adhikaar Manch; BHEL, Bhopal; Madhya Praesh Kisaan Sabha; Swaraj Abhiyan; Bhu-Adhikaar Abhiyaan; Peace; Asli Azaadi; Saili, came strongly in support and to express solidarity with the demands of Narmada Bachao Andolan and the people to make Jha Commission report public and punish the guilty.
In solidarity with Chetavani Upvaas, National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) and Delhi Solidarity Group (DSG) has protested on 28thApril in Delhi, and submitted a memorandum to Commissioner of M.P. Bhavan.
Supporters of Narmada Bachao Andolan along with Sham Patil from Dhule and 15 other supporters from Salsabil Green School, Kerala conducted Signature Campaign and made aware the people of Pune about the illegal construction to raise the dam height without complete rehabilitation. They are going to send the signatures and the appeal to the CM of Maharashtra through the Collector of Pune.
Representatives of Toko-Roko-Thoko Kranitkari Morcha, Seedhi, M. P. also protested in solidarity with the Chetavani Upvaas and submitted memorandum to the Governor of M.P. State.
Representatives of Kisaan Sangharsh Samiti and NAPM, Madhya Pradesh along with people observed fast at Chicholigarh on 28th April in solidarity to the Narmada Bachao Andolan and the people struggling against the threat of submergence and alleged corruption in rehabilitation by officials.
Representatives of Lok Shakti Abhiyaan, and NAPM, Odisha and concerned citizens also demonstrated standing protest at Master Canteen Square, Bhubaneswar in solidarity to people struggling against the raising of dam height and alleged corruption.
Representatives of Mumbai Solidarity Group and people in Mumbai and people in Hyderabad along with NAPM, came out in support to Narmada Bachao Andolan and staged a peaceful demonstration against increase of dam height which will submerge more than 40,000 families.
As again no Govt. Officials have come to hear the demands of people affected, it was decided with the end of Chetavani Upvaas that the people and NBA will travel nationwide in June month with the slogan of “Narmada Bachao Desh Bachao” to aware the whole country about the social injustice happening with the people, How the people are being forced to submergence and brutality of development? The Yatra will also be aimed to bring people together against social injustice happening in the different parts of the country.
An open letter has also been submitted by Narmada Bachao Andolan and the affected people, to the Chief Minister, Madhya Pradesh and Chief Secretary, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Please find the open letter attached.
Tags: Chetavni Upwas, Interview of Medha Patkar, Jha Commission, Satyagraha, Speech by Medha Patkar
