New Delhi | June 07, 2017: Around 2 PM, Gujarat Police arrested well known social activist Medha Patkar, noted Goldman Environmental Prize 2017 winner Prafulla Samantara, international environmentalist Soumya Dutta, Dr. Sunilam and Aradhana Bhargava of Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, Jaswinder Singh of Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sabha, Madhuresh and Suniti SR of NAPM, Nita Mahadev of Lok Samiti Gujarat, Bhupendra Singh Rawat of Jan Sangharsh Vahini and hundreds of people from Narmada Valley and students from TISS, IIT, HCU, Jamia, Shivaji Vidyapeeth, Azim Premji etc. at the Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh-Maharashtra border, Rendha Checkpost in Chhota Udepur district. People of Narmada Valley were going to attend one public meeting at Jeevanshala in Chimalkhedi Village of Maharashtra. While they were crossing the Gujarat border to reach, they were stopped, detained and later on arrested without showing any orders from the State Government on the pretext of maintaining law and order in the state. Police officials dragged women protestors during arrest and brutally assaulted little children of Salsabeel Green School, Kerela. One of the police vehicles also ran over the leg of a women protestor and left injured another young activist of Narmada Bachao Andolan.
Meanwhile, the police also tried to separate the leader Medha Patkar from other participants of Rally for the Valley and deserted the remaining in the middle of nowhere. In the evening, all the protestors along with Medha Patkar were left at Nanpur Police Station, Alirajpur district where the complaints were registered against unlawful, unconstitutional and criminal action taken by Gujarat police.
After yesterday’s incident of murder of six farmers by Madhya Pradesh police, today Gujarat police shamelessly acted at the behest of State government. They did not show any copy of written orders and acted violently while arresting people. National Alliance of People’s Movements condemns this brutal attack by police officials and shameless behavior of Gujarat Govt. who are trying to suppress the dissenting voices of people from Narmada Valley. People are standing high and united to face any kind of violence perpetuated by state and police. We always stand strongly in support of Narmada Bachao Andolan and the people of Narmada Valley who were fighting for decades against submergence, unjust rehabilitation and now against unlawful eviction.
We appeal to human rights defenders, and citizens of this country to join the struggle and extend their support in difficult times.
For photos and videos of the incident, please see the facebook page of National Alliance of People’s Movements (https://www.facebook.com/
For more details contact 9818905316, 9867348307, 9971058735
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National Alliance of People’s Movements
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