Date: 23-SEP-1999
Author: Narmada Bachao Andolan
Four hundred and eighty four people sitting on an indefinite dharna in Dhadgaon, (Maharashtra) were arrested today morning as the authorities clamped Sec. 144.* in the this tehsil HQ. The police behaved in a very bad manner, beating and badly dragging the people including women. Medha Patkar, among those arrested, was also dragged by the police. Activists Ravi and Ashish were badly beaten.
* Sec. 144 is one of the vestiges of the British repression laws, a law that enables the police to arrest any group of more than 5 people who assemble publicly.
The arrested people were presented before the Magistrate after the arrest. The people unanimously refused to take personal bond for the release but demanded that the police release them unconditionally, as they had committed no crime. The people have been charged under Sec. 144, 188 of the IPC and 37/1/35 of Bombay Police Act. It is not known what orders the magistrate made after the people refused personal bond, but the police are taking them to some unknown place, possibly Dhule or Aurangabad.
Just outside Dhadgoan, the police stopped for food, but as there was not enough food for everyone, the arrested people moved on to the roads and blocked the road in protest. The people were still sitting on the road as this note was being written.
It may be recollected that Medha Patkar and 300 people were arrested and brought to Dhadgaon by the police late Tuesday night after an intense fight by people of the Narmada valley, as the waters reached neck deep at the Samarpit Dal at the Domkhedi Satyagraha House and as waters entered villages, destroying fields and homes, for the third time this season. After these, hundreds of tribals started moving towards Dhadgaoan, and even as Medha Patkar and others were released, had started an indefinite dharna (sit-in) in Dhadgaon yesterday evening.
The dharna was started with a demand that the Government initiate a dialogue with the people and answer their questions, and to protest against the suppression of the real issues through the police actions against the satyagrahis who have been challenging the increase in back water due to the Sardar Sarovar dam.
In a statement Medha Patkar had said "When people have raised the basic issues and have challenged injustice, the response of the State Government was to trivialize it with the police actions. This is not at all a law and order problem. The situation has arisen due to the wrong policies and actions regarding the dam and displacement on the part of Maharashtra rulers. It is the question of tribals rights."
The people arrested are demanding that the Government stop the cat and mouse game with them of arresting and releasing and rearresting. People are serious in their demand and their resolve. The State Government cannot shrink from its responsibility by hiding behind the police. They demanded that the Chief Secretary or some such functionary of the State Government must come to Dhadgaon where the people were detained and answer their questions.
OTHER ACTIONS
Meanwhile, the water levels in the Jalsindhi Satyagraha centre in M.P. receded today even as the tribals had bravely stood in 1.5 feet deep water for 24 hours.
About 50 people from Kerala, Bangalore and other places reached the satyagraha centres today to express solidarity and support in the struggle.
From Thailand, the people affected by the Pak Mun dam who have occupied
the dam site since April this year, setting up a de facto township with
over 8000 people and demanding that the dam be removed, have conveyed
their solidarity in the Narmada struggle. They said that every day at
7.00 p.m. the people sitting at the Pak Mun dam are offering prayers in
support of the Narmada struggle.
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This page last updated November 14, 1999
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