Narmada Valley Hunger Strike Attacked: Medha Patkar And Four Others Arrested

narmada-protest

New Delhi | August 07, 2017 : In response to Indefinite fast led by 11 Sardar Sarovar Dam affected people and Medha Patkar in Chikhalda, Dhar District, Madhya Pradesh, India, Govt of Madhya Pradesh send police forces in thousands and attacked the peaceful meeting going on there around 6 PM Today. There was no attempt to talk to the protesters sitting on fast against the illegal and unjust drowning and forceful eviction of more than 40000 families in Narmada Valley residing there without complete and just rehabilitation. For last 12 days govt made no effort to have any dialogue and started raising panic about their deteriorating health, no attempt at any dialogue.

Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Uma Bharti, cabinet minister, Ministry of Water Resources have been saying only one thing, to break the fast, but no attempt at initiating serious dialogue regarding the issue of rehabilitation.

Today since morning, the administration has been mobilising heavy police force and in the evening they just started breaking the Pandal and initiated the baton charge in a desperate bid to arrest the fasting protesters. Is this violent response justified in a democratic country? Shivraj Singh government is anti farmer, anti adivasi and a government known for killing their own people, they have blood on their hands as said by Medha Patkar just before the violence began.

Medha Patkar, 4 other women and one man has been arrested from the protest site. While the arrest is not going to suppress the movement, now the remaining 6 people are continuing their fast even after brutal violence. Nearly, 2000 police force was mobilised who came down heavily on the peaceful ongoing meeting. The majority women crowd was beaten and manhandled by male policemen, a serious but common human rights violation under the Govt. of Madhya Pradesh and Govt. of India, which the people of Narmada Valley have faced earlier too. Several have suffered injury. As we write this we are still trying to admit injured people to the hospital and provide them medical relief.

Narmada Bachao Andolan strongly condemns this action and resolves that the agitation will continue. Medha Patkar will continue to fast and so will others. We are not going to be cowed down by the violent attempt of any Government. We will fight till the justice delivered.

We urge our supporters to Spread the message far and wide and call NOW / send message to CM Madhya Pradesh asking them to wake up and talk to her /others on fast on their demands for complete and just rehabilitation. Also demand that they all must be released immediately and initiate action against the police officers who ordered this. People are watching the Government.

Telephone No. : +91-755-2442231, 2442241, 2540500
Twitter @ChouhanShivraj

If the above numbers are not working call / message the following numbers NOW:
Komal Singh OSD – +91-9425014946
Prashant Srivastava PS – +91-9425150380
Santosh Sharma PA – +91-9425029827

for further update or details, please contact, Himshi Singh 9867348307, Amit Kumar 8486944483
Also check Narmada Bachao Andolan facebook page for videos and latest updates..

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National Alliance of People’s Movements
National Office : 6/6, Jangpura B, Mathura Road, New Delhi 110014
Phone : 011 24374535 Mobile : 09818905316
Web : www.napm-india.org | [email protected]
Facebook : www.facebook.com/NAPMindia
Twitter : @napmindia

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