The Movement of India | Jul-Oct, 2018

The

MOVEMENT

of India

NEWS Magazine of the National Alliance of People’s Movements July - October 2018

Volume 12, Issue 04

₹ 40

Editorial Team Amit Kumar Ashish Ranjan Himshi Singh Madhuresh Kumar Meera Sanghamitra Rishit Neogi Uma Advisory Team Aruna Roy Gabriele Dietrich Medha Patkar Sanjay MG SG Vombatkere SR Suniti Cover Design: Musthujab Makkolath Layout: Maulshree Singh

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CONTENTS Editorial Feature

1-11

Dams Flood Kerala

1

Break the BRICS! Break it from Below!

4

The Misdirected Bullet

7

Expressway to Hell

9

NAPM

Himshi Singh

Nishant Rishit

Policy & Practices 1 12-18 Sardar Sarovar Project: Devastation in Downstream

12

An Open Letter from a Traditional Fishworker

14

RTI Amendments: Killing the Act and Activist

17

Fact Finding Team Report

NFF

NCPRI

Commentary

19-21

Statement on National Register of Citizens (NRC)

19

In focus

22-23

People’s Movements and Gender

22

Movements & Alliances

24-27

NAPM Organising Team

This State has Failed the Narmada…

Justice (Retd) Gopala Gowda and Justice (Retd) Abhay Thipsay

Upcoming events Samvidhan Samman Yatra NAPM

24

28-29 28

News & Notes

30-39

Obituaries

40-43

EDITORIAL Dear Readers, Farmers across the country are fighting battles over freedom from debt as well as appropriate prices for farm produce. The issue of MSP (minimum support price) is based on the recommendation by the M.S. Swaminathan Commission that the price of any farm produce should be 1.5 times the cost incurred. While MSP is common all over (with exceptions), we all know that the expenditure on production differs from place to place. It is necessary that farmers’ movements raise specific demand for MSP for every single agricultural crop including vegetables, fruits, grains, pulses etc. i.e. those for which MSP has been already declared or not. If only every farmer has a figure on his/her lips and fingertips it would make a huge difference.

A submission by Devendra Tomar, Jagdish Patel, Pema Bhilala and Medha Patkar of Narmada Bachao Andolan demanded the correct values of MSP computed with the Swaminathan formula of C2+FL+50 by presenting the real MSP for five agricultural produce including wheat, soya bean, cotton, maize and desi chana with a group of farmers belonging to marginal, small and large landholders’ categories in the districts of Badwani, Dhar, and Khargone in the Western Nimad region of Madhya Pradesh at the Jan Adalat held on 4 June 2018 in Bhopal where Retd. Justice Gopala Gowda (Supreme Court) and Retd. Justice Abhay Thipsay (Allahabad High Court, Mumbai High Court) presided as judges.

On the other hand, the government has announced MSPs on the basis of the formula A2+FL+50.

A2 is the cost that farmers bear as direct expenses towards seeds, fertilizers, water etc. C2 is the comprehensive cost calculated by adding rent and interest component to A2, and FL denotes the value of family labour. While C2 reflects the actual cost borne by the farmer, the government is hell-bent on computing MSP by including A2 costs only. This is in direct violation of the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission. As a result of this, government MSPs of various products is falling well below the actual costs borne by the farmers.

Apart from demanding the actual MSP for products, the submission also demanded no rejection of certain part of produce on ad hoc basis of quality, as is done today in almost every mandi in Madhya Pradesh and elsewhere.

The submission also tackled questions raised related to the implications in terms of rising prices of food grains and other eatables when the prices offered to farmers also increase. To this, NBA’s response is, if the prices of the agricultural inputs are reduced as needed, we will surely lower the demanded MSP. However, till then the government will have to pay the farmers their dues and also ensure through subsidies that the real needy families’ right to food is secured by keeping the food prices lower.

Unless the government takes affirmative action to secure the rights of farmers in this country instead of paying mere lip service, we can never recover from the agrarian crisis and the trauma of farmer suicides.

Best Regards, Editorial Team

THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | Editoral | Feature

FEATURE Dams Flood Kerala - NAPM The unprecedented floods in Kerala, affecting almost all the 14 districts partially but 12 districts, including Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Idukki, Wayanad with much more spread and intensity than others has caused devastation of life and livelihood of thousands of families, displacing not less than 20 lakh people. The small yet bountiful state that is Kerala, had to face not only high rainfall, compared only to 1924 but also the impact of water stored and released from at least 35 dams. The flood, therefore was, no doubt, dam-induced.

The story of dams, especially large and medium dams often poorly managed causing and intensifying floods, is not new to India. It is repeated from Ukai dam in Gujarat to Uttarakhand dams, Narmada projects and many others. Dams that stop the natural river flows and accumulate waters especially for power generation till the monsoon have to release the same suddenly to prevent dam breaks, are thus known to cause havoc. In Kerala, this is what led to flood from 110 years old dam Mullaperiyar after water got filled up to 142 feet against the people’s demand to limit it to 136 feet and from Idukki in the downstream to the 4 rivers Meenachillar, Manimalayar, Pamba and Achankovil draining into the creek waters/backwaters of Arabian sea in Kuttanad.

Adding to this, the other factors such as illegal or legalised occupation of floodplains, weak regulation and monitoring of cascade of dams, avoiding regular release of dam waters to make the reservoir capacity available for flood waters, to be anticipated as likely any year; and uncontrolled mining of sand to stone, causing landslides in Wayanad, Idukki, Thrissur, Nilambur and Malappuram.

We witnessed relief camps caring for nearly 13 lakh people spread all over, filled with men, women, children being given food, water and other basic materials. No doubt the government of Kerala has exhibited its capacity to manage relief therein with MLA to Ministers monitoring their constituencies round the clock. We witnessed colleges such as CMS College and Bharat Mata College to social institutions opened up for dam-affected, engaging their human to physical infrastructure and running the camps on their own. They need now to extend the period for camps and thus keep the schools and colleges closed beyond August 29, the festival of Onam.

The unmatchable selfless service by hundreds of fisher people has, no doubt, saved lives of thousands, not allowing the death toll as in Tsunami. They are remembered and revered by all. NAPM felicitated through Medha Patkar 300 fishworkers at the historic place of Arthunkal. The families returning back to houses, collapsed, devastated with no belongings left and flooded with mud, need to be cleaned before their entry, and face deprivation of food and drinking water.

Water, water, everywhere, the still existing poundage apart, there is a serious crisis of potable water which hundreds of women, men and children await for, on the roadsides in every colony in Chegannur and Kuttanad. They stop the vehicles bringing food packets and water bottles although with limited success. This pathetic scene can only be changed if more quantum of potable water is received. The Water Resource Minister of Kerala explained the efforts made with limited success since much of the water received, as a gift at the railway station is not potable; hence they could not distribute it. The families without bank balance, who have no cash at hand and sources of livelihood torn apart, seem to be facing a black hole with their future sealed. Detailed family/household-based surveys for a basic cash package are yet to reach the communities, with Adivasis in Wayanad or interior rural families in Kuttanad facing exclusion much more than others. The volunteers’ teams from various social organisations with different ideological colours and also others who are outside electoral politics, seem to have played their role yet many households still await help when their water, electricity to farm connections lie broken and houses yet to be made liveable. Much remains to be done even after extensive and intensive selfless service by civil society especially the fisher people having their mettle, as well as the LDF government, in the 1st to 3rd phase of the flood, from rescue to relief works, to attain rehabilitation of thousands. We appeal the volunteers to join the Kerala youths, local people, people’s organisations, rising beyond party lines and obviously beyond casteist and communal discrimination. We heard the stories of saffron brigades seeking entry into communities with political motives and the fake news are already blasted, exposing some vested interest that would like to capitalize the situation.

2 In this context, Kerala government and LDF, as well as their secular allies, should take the initiative to review the paradigm of damming rivers that has resulted in the intensification of the impact of flood and damned lakhs of people in Kerala. The people’s movements should be initiating and participating in the efforts for reviewing the present dams and the future development projects of Kerala, and mega projects such as National Highways or Sagarmala or Vizhijam port project itself. After Tsunami Medha Patkar’s visit during Kerala floods and Ockhi this calamity has devastated riverine population while the other projects guiding and playing a role in State-level situations, the may take the toll on people, nature and livelihood of central government ministries today are up against the coastal population of fish workers as well as others. the environmental laws and tribunals. It is almost an uncontrolled push to development projects with some It is no doubt necessary to give primacy to rehabilitation ecological solutions projected as a show cause. This at this point in time. We would, however, request the creates a funny situation as in the case of Nedumbasery bureaucrats and politicians of Kerala not to make a airport receiving a UN award on its solar project while statement which appears to be absurd such as one by the airport is now totally affected by flood exposing its KSEB chief claiming that Athirappilly project could violation of floodplain regulation. have saved much of the Chalakudi area from the flood. This is unjustifiable when six dams upstream of India is highly vulnerable to climate change because Athirappilly, with the storage capacity of 850 million of high physical exposure to climate-related disasters cubic meters could not control floodwater. How could (65% is drought prone, 12% is flood prone, 8% Athirappilly with 8 million cubic meter capacity, stop susceptible to cyclones). The Kerala State Action Plan it? Admitting flaws in management of dams, such on Climate Change identifies Allapuzha, Palakkad as as assessing the environmental impacts including well as the hilly districts of Wayanad and Idukki as cumulative impacts of all dams in a river basin as well Climate Change hotspots that will be most impacted by as defining and marking the floodplains and flood Climate disasters. A quick scan of the current situation levels both; the parties and the representatives should in the state shows that the predictions based on the be willing to listen to people’s voice, alternatives degree of climate-sensitive sectors, tribal population, and warnings such as was conveyed by Chalakudi impact on life, livelihoods and biodiversity etc. clearly River Protection Forum just a few days before the point towards these worst affected districts of Kerala. disaster. Where was and are the river management Whether in the Western Ghats or the Eastern Ghats, and disaster management authorities, we must ask. the coastal or forested areas or Himalayas and river How did they forget their own rules and goals apart basins, across the country, decentralised development from that the preventive measures of the National planning is crucial and central to sustain the ecology Disaster Management Authority has not stood up to as well as the economy of the communities residing in their own vision and goal such as a “safer and disaster or dependent on these. It is from this angle that the resilient India by a proactive sustainable development governance models being adopted by the Centre and strategy involving all stakeholders and fostering a states, across the country and across parties, needs a culture of prevention and preparedness”? Instead of THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | Feature

3 serious review, within the constitutional framework.

We think that preserving the ecology and sustaining people’s livelihoods and access to resources are deeply intertwined and public policy must be crafted and implemented in ways that sustain both of these ends.

We fully stand with the people of Kerala and Karnataka in this time of extreme crisis and distress. Considering the extent of devastation; economic as well as livelihood-loss faced by the people, we call upon the Central government to: 1. Declare the situation in Kerala a severe and grave national situation requiring immediate as well as long-term holistic interventions.

2. Allocate the Rs. 2,000 crores interim relief requested by the Govt. of Kerala to speed up the relief operations at the earliest and additional financial resources as required by the State.

3. Fairly Implement Section 9.2 of the National Disaster Management Plan to permit the goodwill support of 700 crores by the UAE Govt. as well as support by Thailand, Japan and other nations.

4. Allocate appropriate relief to the Govt. of Karnataka, as requested for providing necessary support to flood-victims in Kodagu.

5. Provide requisite resources to enable rebuilding of roads, bridges and other necessary public infrastructure in both the states, in keeping with ecological concerns.

6. Provide appropriate technological and technical expertise to help restore communications throughout the state as well as support for hiring additional relief workers, vehicles etc. to speed up the relief process.

7. Provide adequate sustenance support to the farmers, workers, fisher people and forest-dependent communities who have lost their livelihoods due to the calamity, including waiver of agricultural loans.

8. Formally appeal to the United Nations to grant humanitarian aid to Kerala.

9. Ensure that ‘disaster-management’ is carried

out not in a top-down, infrastructureintensive manner, but in a decentralized way, responsive, participatory to the local needs and ecological concerns of the affected areas.

10. Ensure particular attention be paid to the rights and concerns of marginalised sections including Dalits, Adivasis, women, children, elderly, disabled and transgender persons in the relief and rehabilitation works, ensuring fair access to relief and non-discrimination.

We urge the Prime Minister, through the Union Environment Ministry, proper implementation of environmental laws in order to protect the fragile ecology of the Western Ghats and seriously consider the recommendations issued by the Western Ghats Ecology Expert Panel, 2010 by inviting and involving multi-disciplinary experts, scientists, sociologists, environmentalists, diverse people’s organisations and Save Western Ghats Movement, representatives of farmers’ and workers’ organisations and representatives of all political parties, through a series of public interactions and hearings that could evolve into an action plan to conserve the ecology and people’s economy in the Western Ghats.

National Alliance of People’s Movements napmindia@gmail.com

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4

Break the BRICS! Break it from Below!

- Himshi Singh

The 10th BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit was held in Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa from 25-27 July 2018. Set up in 2009, in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis, with four countries and then expanded to South Africa in 2010, the emergence of the BRICS was seen in many circles as a concrete step towards constructing a multi-polar world. This was soon underlined with the setting up of the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB), the China-led Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA) that were supposedly direct challenges to the hegemony of western-dominated institutions such as the World Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF).

official process for engagement with civil society was also initiated during Russia’s chairmanship in 2015.

Titled ‘Civic BRICS’, it saw representatives of certain civil society organisations prepare position papers on social issues through working groups on peace and security, trade, healthcare, education, culture, and sustainable development. The Indian Presidency in 2016 decided to continue and institutionalize this process through the CSO Forum on BRICS. These are largely provisional and government-led and controlled spaces. The BRICS Trade Union Forum was also set up in 2012 in Moscow to encourage dialogue and cooperation on workers’ issues and add a social dimension which is informed by the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) decent work concept.

However, it was soon evident that these new initiatives, while allegedly eroding the dominance of the Bretton Woods Institutions, would in reality work in a complementary and collaborative fashion with the latter, in part because the new BRICS institutions are influenced by these countries’ most neo-liberal reformers. The BRICS’ record at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and at the United Nations Climate negotiations has also been one of strategic accommodation with western powers.

However, the progressive movements, trade unions, and those from Left have often viewed these with suspicion and only a process of seeking legitimation from civil society. This has led to the formation of parallel forum led by movements and unions in BRICS countries. BRICS from Below, a network of activists and scholars from the BRICS countries was founded in 2013 during the Durban summit of BRICS, that continues to engage critically from an anti-capitalist viewpoint. Peoples’ Forum on BRICS, a similar kind of platform was formed in 2016 during the Goa summit of BRICS, organised by people’s movements and unions in India. A peoples’ forum to analyse the contradictions within policies of the BRICS governments and their institutions put forth alternatives emanating from people’s struggles, and built solidarity with struggles and groups of other BRICS countries.

Together, the BRICS countries control a quarter of the earth’s landmass but 42% of its population. The BRICS countries are relatively inward-looking economies; although they host 46% of the global workforce, they are responsible for just 14% of the world trade and 19% of the world Gross Domestic Product (although this rises to 27% if measured in purchasing power parity terms – in which per capita term is also low, with only Russia enjoying an income higher than the world average of $11,800)1 . The 2018 BRICS Summit was hosted by South Africa, ruled by African National Congress (ANC), where the adoption of neo-liberal policies by the Government has faced intense resistance from labour unions and community groups. South Africa has one of the highest unemployment rates in the world (close to 40%), and an employment-income inequality Gini coefficient of 0.77, the world’s highest.

Along with official Head of the State BRICS summit, an 1 Bond, Patrick. 2018. “What are the BRICS?” BRICS Politricks: new subimperial power plays, page 1.

THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | Feature

This year, as the BRICS summit was taking place in Sandton, Johannesburg, and BRICS from Below organised a 2-day meeting at the Wits School of Governance from 23-24 July followed by a protest at NDB office and outside the BRICS meeting venue. It was participated by activists and scholars from different parts of South Africa, India and Russia. Activists from Brazil and China were connected through Skype for the meeting. The meeting was divided into sessions like the challenge to BRICS investment strategies in oil, gas and nuclear; geopolitics, economics and human rights; investment strategies in coal and in Africa; feminists and ‘extractivism’ critics, social resistances across the BRICS etc. The different reasons for ‘Why

5 should we break the BRICS?’ like their cooperation with destructive multilateral agencies such as G20, World Bank, WTO, IMF etc., promoting pro-capitalist mega-projects and the loot of natural resources leading to environmental destruction, their agreement to destructive climate policies at the UNFCCC meetings in Durban (2011) and Paris (2015), the setting up of New Development Bank (NDB) which works with and applies the same standards for assessing countries seeking a loan as the IMF, moving towards the creation of an unequal society, less democracy and more repression, were discussed.

The first day of the meeting started with the revolutionary songs of the struggles that are going on in different parts of South Africa and slogans of ‘Phansi BRICS Phansi’ that means ‘Down BRICS Down’ against the land grabbing, resource loot and human rights violations that the BRICS countries are doing. There were sessions on the investment of BRICS in oil and gas with Speakers like Desmond D’Sa (South Durban Community Environmental Alliance), a Goldman Prize Awardee, Fracking with Francois DU Toit (Project Africa) and affected communities, nuclear energy with Makoma Lekalakala (Earthlife Africa), a Goldman Prize Awardee and affected communities. There was a session on ‘The world in turmoil thanks to BRICS and US/EU chaos’ and ‘Human rights and wrongs’ in which

the speakers like Dale Mckinley (R2K) from South Africa, Priya Dharshini and Himshi Singh from India, Ilya Mateev from openleft.ru, Russia, Folo Alona from Congo, Salman Khan from Kashmir Action Group and many others from different BRICS countries spoke about the situation and the atrocities in their country and how this combo is using this platform against the objectives with which they came together.

The second day of the meeting was followed by a session where 5 Goldman Prize Awardees from South Africa came forward and spoke about how to unite against this hegemony and raise multiple issues in a single voice in terms of international solidarity. A session on feminists and ‘extractivism’ critics was organised

by Albertina Almeida, a Human Rights lawyer from Goa, India, Marion Cabrera (Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development) and Trusha Reddy (Womin) in which the discussions on how women are being affected and fighting against the coal power plants in Africa, gender issues in BRICS countries and globally, why it is very much important to look at our own movements and reflect on how much do we take up the gender issues instead of pointing the finger every time at the state.

Apart from these discussions, the South African activists shared their experiences of how organisations

People from various BRICS countries protesting outside 10th BRICS Summit (2018) in South Africa

6 like Oxfam, Economic Justice Network (EJN) control the Civil-BRICS process and the way they function by writing position papers on different issues does not represent the voices of the grassroots activists and affected communities. In explanation to that, Bandile Mdlalose (Durban Community Activist) shared her experience of power plays in Civil and Academic BRICS. The ‘Pre-Civil BRICS’ meeting, held in late April, was well attended by a wide spectrum of grassroots activists and movements, and BRICS INGOs and NGOs (including African delegates). Tellingly, it was

even though they have found it hard to represent their communities in ways that scale up their concerns.

Activist criticisms of the recommendation formulation process have included the technical language used to make recommendations across sectors, with one participant stating “... we need to use language which is understood by communities and not misinterpreted by them.” The ‘wait and see’ approach from academics and NGOs involved in Academic and Civil BRICS process, as well as the BRICS Trade Union Forum and Youth BRICS, may not deliver results, and may instead just

People from various BRICS countries protesting in front of New Development Bank (NDB), Sandton, South Africa not attended by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) or National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences (NIHSS) officials (despite their names being on the programme). Activists were left with an impression of tokenistic, box-ticking participation, followed by an even more confident bureaucratic dismissal of their grievances around their role in agenda setting. As a result, the 2018 Civil BRICS process has been criticised by the activists and social movements involved. The grassroots activists on the SA Civil BRICS steering committee have experienced the space as primarily managed by the NGOs on behalf of DIRCO, leaving them unable to influence the process of agenda setting.

Until recently, the grassroots activists and movements coordinated by the steering committee have adopted a ‘wait and see’ approach to the outcome of Civil BRICS THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | Feature

legitimate the BRICS governments and corporations.

The activists felt a very high need of building solidarity across the BRICS countries – a solidarity that comes from BELOW, from the grassroots, from the affected communities and not from a bunch of organisations who claim to represent the affected communities and the grassroots reality. Through the discussions everyone felt that it is important to situate the 2018 BRICS summit within this global, regional and national context, to work for a just and equitable world and to think of the alternatives that are emerging out of the peoples’ movements.

Himshi Singh is a researcher and campaigner with NAPM himshi@napm-india.org

The Misdirected Bullet

Transport Planning Perspective on Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR)

Mumbai-

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Railway (MAHSR), also called the ‘bullet train’, is a vanity project ludicrous in scale. It seems that the rationale of planning a high-speed rail project is only the keen interest of the state. Why is the state interested in this project, that too at the cost of public spending on other sectors of importance such as education, health, and social security?

The latest development is that affected farmers are protesting against the stakeholders’ meetings that, allegedly, are not following due process. This resistance is getting stronger day by day and the government is becoming increasingly restless to meet the deadline of the land acquisition process1. Now that the genie has been let out of the bottle and the bullet train has progressed from being an idea to a commitment, it is important to critically examine every aspect of the proposed plan – transportation planning, economic and financial consequences, and social-environmental impacts.

The feasibility report of MAHSR is quite detailed but interestingly four key chapters of this report are missing.

The report is based on a joint study conducted by JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) and Ministry of Railways, GoI. It has comprehensive details on all the aspects of MAHSR project. But strangely the report is missing 4 chapters (12 to 15) that contain details on project cost, implementation plan, financing options, and most importantly economic and financial analysis. These chapters could have shed some light on the calculation of costs and estimated direct/indirect benefits of the project.

Only these chapters could help in eliminating citizens’ suspicions related to the burden of debt and financial viability of MAHSR. This curious case of missing chapters hints at bad planning and bad implementation.

It is also disappointing that the aim of the study appears to ‘justify’ the project rather than objectively assess the viability and relevance of this project.

Where are the users?

The report claims a daily ridership forecast of 40,000 passengers in the year 2023. This is ridiculously 1 thewire.in/political-economy/modis-bullet-train-project-runs-intoinitial-lannd-acquisition-trouble

7 - Nishant

optimistic if one goes by the present day passenger traffic data used by the study itself (daily air traffic on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad route was 4700, as reported by the study). All available evidence suggests that the current boom in domestic air traffic is likely to keep the fares at much lower levels than the proposed fare of Rs. 3000 for a bullet train ride between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. The feasibility study uses outdated airfare input of 4100 rupees while these days the fare ranges from Rs. 1500–4600 with a month-long average of nearly Rs. 2000. The key question is: to what extent will speed enhancement draw richer income classes away from air travel?

Traffic contributed by other modes of transport is even more difficult to convert. Around 5000 people travel by trains run by Indian railways while another 15,000 people travel by personal automobile between Mumbai and Ahmedabad daily, according to the feasibility study. Also, it is predicted that from each mode of transport 60% of passengers will switch to the bullet train from the first day of operation. A survey had been conducted among the rich passengers only – air travellers, passengers in AC coaches of a train and in AC buses, and car users. Thus the feasibility study itself testifies that MAHSR is an elite project.

All this warrants a fresh, well-designed, and closely supervised survey. Before proceeding any further, these serious gaps must be addressed. Before making a decision on whether to spend public money on a project of this scale, the government must order a rigorous enquiry and make the feasibility study data public and open-access.

How will the bullet train earn back?

The claim that Indian bullet train will be cheapest in the world is definitely a lie. Turkey and China both have cheaper fares on similar distance ranges. Even the feasibility report admits that fares will be higher than HSR fares in Taiwan, Turkey and China in PPP terms. Taiwan HSR had to be shut down because of low ridership that was less than half as predicted. For similar distance range (500 km), a ride on Chinese bullet trains may cost 200–300 Chinese Yuan, which translated in PPP terms, becomes around 1000–1500 INR. If lower fares have not been able to pull off HSR experiments in developing economies, the viability of

8 Indian HSR experiment is quite bleak.

A study by scholars of IIM-Ahmedabad (Indian Institute of Management) showed that 100 daily trips at full occupancy would be required with a fare of 5000 rupees between Ahmedabad and Mumbai to make the bullet train financially viable. Recovery of capital cost and maintenance cost – both of which are quite large – is not possible only through fare-box revenue (fare-box revenue is that part of total expenses which is met by the fares paid by the users). It is not clear how these costs will be recovered to keep the project economically viable.

Myth of time-saving and the idea of transport In a study of Chinese HSR train journeys, researchers found that overnight sleeper trains (conventional trains) are preferred to the low-fare trains as well as the costlier high-speed trains. In case of MAHSR, will working people value 8 hours of daily travel while sitting in a chair (or in a car, or standing in an urban rail) more than living near their work location? Bullet train will not run in the night, so why would people not take a cheaper rail ticket in sleeper classes (AC or nonAC) and complete the journey while not disturbing their sleep.

Over the years, it has been realized that speed is not the only parameter of interest in transport planning.

Enhancing people’s accessibility to destinations is equally important. Therefore, appraisal of transport projects must be in terms of increase in access. People do not live at stations and terminals. People have to travel to these nodes. These parts of a journey can be called access (coming to these nodes from the starting point of the journey) and egress (from node to the final destination). Access and egress times play a really important role in people’s choice of travel mode. A speedier network connecting two nodes can reduce the time spent on that segment while the overall time that people end up spending on travel may not reduce, or worse – it may actually shoot up.

That is why high-speed rail (bullet type) is not competitive against personal automobile or conventional railway for distances less than 150 km2.

The average speed of an HSR with stoppage at every 20 miles will be similar to that of a conventional express train if operated properly. HSR with speed more than 2 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tra.2015.09.012

THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | Feature

250 km/h is advantageous only in the distance range of 500–1000 km. Existing suburban railway and urban/ inter-city bus services have an enormous scope of improvement with comparably minuscule investment.

While evaluating the competitiveness of HSR against conventional railways, this fact must also be taken into consideration. Efforts should be made that trains like Gatimaan Express, the newly inaugurated “semi-high speed” train on Delhi–Jhansi route that is achieving average speed of 90 km/h, are operated on other routes where these are needed.

The Government of India had set up a high-level committee named National Transport Development Policy Committee (NTDPC) with the objective of developing a long-term national transport policy. In its report submitted in the year 2012, the committee had recommended that priority should be semi-high speed rail (160-200 km/h), not HSR: “Thus, given the substantial funding required from government to implement HSR projects, a programme for raising speed to 160-200 kmph on selected existing routes should be undertaken till the time the HSR projects are found commercially justified or operationally required to cater to the country’s growth and mobility needs.”

Why is the HSR project being taken up even when it is not aligned with the national transport policy? Why has the NTDPC report failed to find recognition in the decision-making of this government? On what basis does this government disagree with the recommendations of the NTDPC? Has this government or NITI Aayog come up with any other policy document equivalent to or superior to the NTDPC report? If not, shouldn’t a democratically elected government rethink the bullet train project? The least that a government can do is to be transparent and accountable to its people in all its decisions. Unfortunately, that’s what is missing in case of bullet train project.

Nishant is Doctoral Candidate at Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Delhi and volunteers with Institute for Democracy and Sustainable Action nishaant@protonmail.com

Expressway to Hell

*

While most road construction projects seem innocuous, often even desirable, a closer look at the proposed Mumbai-Vadodara Expressway project exposes the inherent violence in complex workings of modern capital. Cutting through verdant landscapes, this expressway threatens to unsettle traditional land relations and upset occupational patterns practised by rural, agrarian, tribal and pastoral communities just so that requirements of global neoliberal capital are met.

The 380-kilometre-long, six-lane, controlled-access

9 - Rishit

expressway will connect the business cities of Vadodara, in the state of Gujarat and Mumbai, in the state of Maharashtra in western India. The National Highway Authority of India expects to spend about Rs. 44,000 crores (US$ 7 billion) for its implementation through a PPP (Public Private Partnership) on a “design, build, finance, operate (DBOT)” basis. It means that the expressway will be constructed by paying taxpayers’ money to a private contractor who will operate it in future and reap profits as well.

“The thrust on these projects can be explained by the fact that global financial institutions that control the flow of finance have now chosen to lend money exclusively to ‘infrastructure’ that can reduce the distance between raw material deposits, industrial manufacturing sites and the consumer market. Future profits will depend on truncating such ‘economic distance’ through better roads, ports and railways. Thus, the priority is constructing a global network of interconnected infrastructure corridors, logistics hubs and new cities aimed at speeding up the circulation of commodities between sites of resource extraction, production and consumption.”

- Nicholas Hildyard. Licensed Larceny. Infrastructure financial extraction and the Global South.

Manchester University Press and Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF): 2016.

The agrarian, pastoral and forest communities whose land the expressway will pass through are facing the brunt of a plethora of such urban infrastructure projects. Apart from the Expressway, the Ahmedabad– Mumbai Railway Line, the six-lane National Highway, the Tribal Highway, Dedicated Freight Corridor and the much-hyped Bullet Train projects are planned in the same region that will completely upturn life of these communities.

Apart from “transport infrastructure”, projects like Kalpasar Dam project, Dholera Port, Nuclear Power Plant in Bhavnagar, Barrage on the Narmada at Bhadbhoot, Petrol and Petrochemical Industrial Complex are also planned or running in the neighbouring regions around the Gulf of Khambhat in Gujarat with serious environmental consequences.

The Project and its Impacts In the first phase of construction 3,445 hectares of land will be acquired, 90% of which is multi-crop, irrigated and fertile agriculture and related use land 3,125 ha.

producing sugarcane, rice, banana, saffron mango etc.

221 thriving villages will be directly impacted across 8 districts of Gujarat. In addition to private lands belonging to small and medium farmers, community lands will also be acquired. Compensatory afforestation will shoot up the land requirement to 8–9 times than proposed. No details of land identification of this have been provided.

According to the 2011 Census, the total population of this region is more than 28 million (2 crores 80 lakh).

In the last 6 years, all these regions have registered 20–50% growth in population density. New population figures have not been consulted while preparing the plan for the project. Districts like Valsad and Raigarh are inhabited by indigenous communities who make up for more than 50% of the population in these areas.

The proposed expressway will irreversibly alter the geography of the region. Traditional pathways used by communities will be blocked and they will have to use longer diversions to reach their destination or use vehicles in the new road that will involve undesirable

* This article was originally published as an academic collaboration between India and Mexico, in the dossier Dispossession and Resistance in India and Mexico edited by Bastian Duarte, Angela Ixkic and Vasundhara Jairath on 14 May 2018. The project can be found on the following link: https://www.ritimo.org/Dispossession-and-Resistance-in-India-and-Mexico

10 economic burden for all their life and for succeeding generations. It will also affect approach of cattle, animals and insects that are critical for agricultural breeding. The total forest area to be diverted by the project is 96.403 hectares. The expressway will cut through the eco-sensitive zone of Dahanu Taluka in Maharashtra and will pass dangerously close (less than 10 km) to the Dadra and Nagar Haveli Wildlife Sanctuary which itself is not permissible by law.

The Environment Impact Assessment report (prepared by a private consultant on behalf of NHAI) mentions that 30,786 trees (excluding plants) will be cut which includes flora like orchards of mango, gooseberry and cashew and other precious hardwood deciduous species. However, the report leaves many environmental impacts unaddressed. The number of trees itself is a doubtful figure. The Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is likely to get affected by the expressway finds no mention in the EIA. 95 hectares of pristine forest between Vasai (Thane district) and Palgarh (Talasari district) in Maharashtra will be diverted engulfing 50–70 villages. In areas around Mumbai that are losing green cover at a very fast rate, the project will damage mangroves. NHAI has justified this by citing geometrical constraints.

The expressway will also pass through river basins of Narmada, Tapi and Daman Ganga deteriorating and diminishing natural drainage patterns and creating flood and flood prone zones on the east side of the proposed project leading to chronic and irreparable damage to ecology, population and agriculture & flora and fauna. Daman Ganga is also one of the most polluted Indian rivers.

Apart from directly impacting agricultural production (both food and cash crops), hundreds of co-operatives that are active in the area and provide thousands of jobs to local people will be impaired. The villages proposed to be affected by the expressway are famous for their milk production and were instrumental in creating the “White Revolution”. Cattle undoubtedly are one of the important means of livelihood in this region. The loss of community-owned pasturelands that will be acquired by the project without any compensation to the community will also hamper the livelihood of the pastoral society.

During pre-operative, construction as well as operational phase, the proposed expressway will result THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | Feature

in emissions of harmful and pollutant gases as a result of the vehicular movement, damaging fertility of the nearby soil.

Twisting Laws Central and State governments in India are blatantly overlooking their social and environmental responsibilities by twisting laws to suit financial interests. The Forest Department in 2013 allowed diversion of forest land for linear projects like roads without even taking the mandatory consent of local bodies like Gram Sabhas guaranteed by Forest (Conservation) Act 1980.

In spite of its own suggestion of constructing elevated corridor across the length of the project citing difficulties in land acquisition and rising costs due to the implementation of the new land act Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013 and putting land acquisition on hold, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in 2016 upgraded the earlier Vadodara-Mumbai National Highway project to the status of an Expressway.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2012 exempted Highway projects involving mining of soil/ earth from ‘borrow areas’, or land belonging to local farmers along the alignment of the highway projects, from seeking separate environment clearances. Other projects like Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor which threaten to engulf huge swathes of agricultural land have also received tacit state support in the form of laws like Special Investment Region Act 2009 and changes to Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013 in the form of Land Bill 2015 and changes in State land acquisition rules.

Resistance In May 2012 about 12,000 farmers and other affected people registered their protest for land acquisition as a part of Land Acquisition Consultation Process in Navsari District. At the same time, the Environmental Impact Assessment report which serves as the blueprint for permitting the maximum level of ecological and social damage that can be allowed by a development project mentioned consent of local community on the basis of only 17 consultative meetings in Gujarat

11 with an average of 10 participants and thus ensuring that only 1 or 2 persons were consulted from each village. The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has failed to conduct a cumulative environmental impact assessment for the area despite several demands made by people’s representatives again and again through representations, memorandums and protests.

Rehabilitation & Resettlement plan has not been prepared and published. People who are expected to suffer due to this project have not even been identified and surveyed so far. The R&R budget worked out for the proposed VME-Phase-I corridor is Rs. 3305 crores which include the cost of land, the replacement cost of religious and community structures and R&R assistance to the affected people. R&R is less than 7% of the total budget of the expressway.

People’s organisations like Khedut Samaj have protested in all the Environmental Public Hearings held during 2014 in various districts for this and have alleged violations of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 and to the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification 2006.

In 2016, villagers of Kebada (Navsari district, Gujarat) tried to stop the land measurement process conducted

by NHAI officials without their consent. NHAI officials continued their measurement work amidst heavy police security. 35 people were detained out of which 26 were women.

Civil Society Organisations like Adivasi Ekta Parishad fear that original resident tribal communities will be driven out after losing their land, livelihood to roads, industries and other urban infrastructure.

In Gujarat, non-violent agitations and demonstrations against displacement are often met by brutal police crackdowns. Democratic rallies and marches are denied permission by the administration to deter political resistance. Every year, during the Vibrant Gujarat Summit (a mega-affair which brings together Indian and Gujarat government along with international financial institutes, private investors and industrialists often at the peril of the masses) political leaders are put under preventive detention and the city is cordoned off by heavy security to prevent the protesting rural/ agrarian/pastoral or tribal people from reaching the venue. President of Khedut Samaj Gujarat, Jayesh Patel

in an open letter to Japanese PM Shinzo Abe alleged this human rights abuse when Abe visited India on PM Narendra Modi’s birthday to inaugurate multiple projects including the highly controversial Sardar Sarovar Dam and Bullet Train.

Conclusion The much-touted Gujarat model of development works on a series of denials. The government eager to please investors projects these processes as completely frictionless. While the voices of resistance against such government backed private projects are relegated to the background by an effective nexus of politicians, administration, police, local hegemony and media. But for people whose very lands these projects threaten to engulf, this is a matter of their very existence. Inspite of threats, intimidations and the practical impossibilities of organizing people spread across forests and villages, on 9 August 2017, over 1 lakh people from agricultural, pastoral, fishworkers and tribal communities gathered in Talasari (Palgarh, Maharashtra) on the occasion of August Kranti Day to resist against these multiple projects (DMIC, Bullet Train, Expressway, Nuclear Power Plants and Dams).

Inspite of threats, intimidations and the practical impossibilities of organizing people spread across forests and villages, on 9 August 2017, over 1 lakh people from agricultural, pastoral, fishworkers and tribal communities gathered in Talasari (Palgarh, Maharashtra) on the occasion of August Kranti Day to resist against these multiple projects (DMIC, Bullet Train, Expressway, Nuclear Power Plants and Dams).

Environmentalists have taken the legal route to challenge the fraudulent Public Hearings in the National Green Tribunal and the forced land acquisition through Public Interest Litigation in the Gujarat High Court. The courts are hearing these cases and have a put a stay on the environmental clearance. The government is adamant on its pursuit of “development infrastructure” by ignoring all social and environmental warnings. Lakhs of people are looking uneasily at an uncertain future.

Rishit is a member of editorial team of Movement of India and is a student of Ambedkar University. neogi.rneogi@gmail.com

POLICY & PRACTICES Sardar Sarovar Project: Devastation in Downstream - Preliminary Investigative Report of Fact-finding Team: 19 May - 21 May 2017 A team comprising of academics, students, activists and journalists from Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi undertook a fact-finding mission in the downstream areas of Sardar Sarovar Dam, following the news reports of extreme water shortage and distress faced by farmers and fishworkers. The team was constituted by National Alliance of People’s Movements and received logistical and technical support from Narmada Bachao Andolan, Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti and PAIRAVIDelhi. The team started their journey from the dam site in Kevadiya, Navagam and moved southwards to Bharuch where the river meets the sea. The team conducted extensive interviews with people on both sides of the river who depend on the river for drinking water, irrigation and fishing. Both men and women from SC, ST and OBC communities complained of severe impacts caused by the stoppage of water by the dam and by the reluctance of government authorities to ensure minimum water flow as mandated by the founding principles of the Sardar Sarovar Dam. The team collected environmental data using

state-of-the-art equipment to assess changes in the air, water and soil.

The river has suffered unprecedented environmental damage due to the dam. Excessive diversion of water from its natural flow to urban use and industries has dried huge patches of the river; killing its natural vegetation and living species. The team observed no conservation measures by government authorities.

The life of fishworkers dependent on the river has been pushed to such peril that there is not enough food on their plates. The team observed no relief measures by government authorities. Salinity ingress from the ocean has reached dangerously upstream. The balance of fresh and saline water has altered with many more ramifications to ecology. Excessive deforestation and industrial pollution hasve contributed to the lack of natural rain. The objective of the FFT was to observe and record the plight caused by the destructive large dam project that has faced much criticism and resistance from people for the last 32 years without any redressal by the government.

The decreasing water level of river Narmada is affecting the lives and livelihood of fisherworkers.

THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | Policy & Practices

The area around the dam is ecologically destroyed. Villages like Vagadiya and Navagam in Narmada district of Gujarat have still not been compensated or rehabilitated fully for the lands they lost in the earlier phases of building of the dam.

Most farmers have lost their agricultural land and are reduced to the status of daily wage labourers with little or no job security. The area has lost its forest cover and health standards are exceptionally low.

To make matters worse, more trees are being cut to widen the road,

13 Adivasi lands are being grabbed to make a tourist complex and the construction of the grand Statue of Patel is going on unceasingly making air pollution worse. The village Gora is seething with protests over a bridge and road that will cut through Adivasi lands.

Again no permission was sought from Gram Panchayat and hardly compensation offered. Further, the village Indravarna is sieged by the construction of a massive weir in Garudeshwar that further dams the river and alters its natural flow. The villagers of Indravarna are fighting for compensation of their lands that were acquired for the weir. Towards Bharuch district, in the river Bhalod, about 800–1000 families of fishworkers are struggling to meet their daily needs as the fish population in the river Narmada has plummeted.

Whereas earlier they could catch fish worth lakhs, now they can hardly make Rs. 10,000 in monsoons.

Due to drying of the river, a pilgrimage spot for Hindus, Kabirvad – Mangleshwar is completely ruined. The boat business is stopped due to low water levels and shop vendors are bearing huge losses due to the low number of pilgrims.

Water from the half-dried river Narmada in the downstream of the dam is being further pumped from various locations like Rundh, Angareshwar, Nikora, Jhanora and Nandgaon. A series of intake wells are operational in this area that pumps water from the river directly and supplies it to towns and industrial estates to the range of 8–22 MGD (Million Gallons per day). In Nand Gaon alone there were four water pumping stations belonging to Reliance, ONGC, CLP (China Light and Power) and GNFC (Gujarat Narmada Fertilizer Corporation). Industrial plants are releasing effluents and wastewater at multiple locations in the river.

Furthermore, a barrage has been proposed near Bhadbhut in Bharuch district that will further destroy the ecosystem. Already the Dahej Petrol and Petrochemical Complex I and II affect this area and once upon a time this estuary, the meeting place of the river and the sea was known for its fish catch including the highly famed Hilsa and Prawns. Today, the quantity of the fish catch has reduced to such levels that small and medium fishworkers and businessmen have abandoned their traditional occupation and are working as daily wage labourers. Even the quality of fish has been affected (bio-pollution) and often the fishes reek of chemicals and pollutants and are unsafe

for human consumption. The Fisheries Department of Gujarat has been sitting mum on this issue and gradually people’s resentment has turned to anger.

In 2012–13 water depths in the Narmada were 60–70 feet and it has now reduced to 15 feet in the village Maktampur. People complained of boils appearing on the skin after taking a bath in the river, due to high chemical pollution from nearby chemical factories.

One of the immediate collective demands from areas downstream of the dam in river Narmada is to increase the amount of water released from the dam to the downstream river to 6000 cusecs.

As a part of an earlier agreement, 600 cusecs were to be released daily to maintain the minimum water flow of the river. Due to drought, the Gujarat government has been releasing lesser and lesser water. Further, the water is again being pumped out from downstream areas to feed industrial production. As a result, the ecosystem of downstream Narmada is facing the onslaught of invasive species of plants (both land and aquatic) and; due to lack of fresh water, the sea is entering into the river. If this is not checked, we will make the death of a river Narmada complete.

Members of Fact-finding Team: Himshi Singh (NAPM), Rishit Neogi (NAPM), Sneha Gutgutia (KALPVRIKSH), Ravina (PAIRVI), Priya Dua (Student, TISS, Mumbai), Shiba (Student , Geology, St. Xaviers College, Mumbai), Parth (Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti) and Shailaja (Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti), Anand Mazgaonkar (NAPM and Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti), Madhuresh (NAPM), Swati Desai (Mozda Collective) and Michael Mazgaonkar (Mozda Collective) and Prof. Neha Kabir, (L. J. Institute of Management Studies, Ahemdabad) and others.

Read NAPM Marathi Magazine Andolan www.andolan-napm.in

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An Open Letter from a Traditional Fishworker - NFF

We, the traditional communities, are the defenders of the coast and the seas. However, during the past fifty years, both the coast and the traditional fisherfolk have been devastated across Goa by wrong policies and bad laws. Destruction of our sand dunes, coastal fields and water bodies, displacement of our communities by tourism projects and hotels, and pollution and loss of fish stocks have been the result of greed and short-term profits, disguised under the false label of ‘development’.

I had hoped to see new Coastal Regulation Zone laws that would now accept the obvious truth and protect our coasts and communities, but I am totally dejected and depressed to find that the Draft Notification is completely anti-nature, anti-people and anti-development and is written for the short-term profit of private companies and industry (resulting in accelerated destruction of CRZ) rather than for protection of the coast.

I am sure that all the changes in the draft notification that reduce the protection to the environment are known to educated people like you. I am quite certain that you are aware of the reduction in No Development Zone, dropping of Hazard Line, removal of protection to Goan khazans, relaxation for 5-star and other hotels, removal of restriction of uses in various zones (including new zones defined under the draft Notification) and other dilutions of the protection of CRZ proposed in the draft Notification. I am sure that the principles of legislation do not allow the laws to be changed to serve interests against the objectives of the law itself.

What shocks me is that the authors of the draft don’t seem to know the difference between the way forward and the way backwards, or, even worse, are knowingly compromising the objectives of the law. I will share some facts regarding the practical performance of the CRZ law over the past twenty-seven years below, so that you may understand its failings: The fish in the seas is fast reducing in numbers from the infinite abundance a few decades back to scarce numbers left now. Where we used to regularly see thousands of dolphins, only a few are left – to be hunted by tourism boats as if the sea is a private zoo. Most of the unique marine species have already disappeared, and those that were so abundant earlier are also difficult to find. The reason for this reduction in fish is that the THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | Policy & Practices

CRZ laws have failed to save them.

The CRZ laws have been mercilessly misused to only demolish the houses of traditional fisherfolk, while allowing rich people and companies to destroy sand dunes, fields and coastal ecology to build hotels, in open and blatant violation of the laws. Please see the files of Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority to see how homes of thousands of fisherfolk have been demolished though they were legal and genuine, while totally illegal projects of rich persons and companies are quickly permitted. As typical examples please see the cases of the fisherfolk of Baina being displaced to make way for coal handling by Adani and Jindal in contrast with the permissions given to Triumph Realty in complete disregard to the CRZ law.

The tourism industry has completely destroyed Goa’s economy, society and environment. All our traditional coastal economies of fishing, farming, toddy tapping, rearing cows and buffaloes, traditional crafts and trades, etc. are destroyed by tourism. We have seen how 5-star hotels abuse and exploit the people and the lands. Goa is so badly affected by too much of tourism that there is no room for more hotels or tourists.

We had such beautiful communities and people on Goa’s coasts, that it wouldn’t be wrong to claim that many sensitive and good foreign tourists would come to Goa only to spend time with us. We had the best values and culture and were the most hospitable, content people, welcoming one and all to our crimefree, giving and loving villages. But, all the hotels and real estate on our coasts have turned us into violent, greedy competitors, with families fighting among themselves and with neighbours – only for the crumbs that tourism offers, instead of the abundance of nature that has been snatched from us. Even today, there are so many of our children and brethren that work abroad or on ships, that our economy is many times more dependent on foreign remittances than on tourism.

Every day we lose more, often forever. Our communities have been guarding the coast for tens of thousands of years, and the infinite wisdom, knowledge and skills of our community are the greatest wealth of humanity and our country, but sadly this draft CRZ Notification seems to be created to permanently destroy all that we have, and all that we are.

15 I know for certain that the world is fast getting hotter and the sea is slowly rising, a few cms. every year, as I am in the sea or on the coast for most of the year. But those who wrote the Draft CRZ Notification seem to know nothing about what is happening to the world.

Who else but an ignorant person could dilute the CRZ protection when the environmental and socio-economic problems on the coast are increasing every day?

The draft Notification is only designed to destroy all the good that exists on our coasts and allow all the bad that is desired by the greedy. It is essential that this draft CRZ Notification 2018 be scrapped and a new CRZ law be proposed, which will: • Increase protection to the traditional fishing communities, including mapping and protecting all the lands and resources that we use for housing, fishing, keeping our boats, nets, etc., mending our nets, fish drying, etc.; • Increase protection to all the Coastal Regulatory Zones and drastically reduce the uses permitted in each zone; • Remove all provisions allowing new hotels, resorts, real estate, industries, ports, power plants, Sewage Treatment Plants and other non-traditional uses in the CRZ completely; • Severely punish all the individuals, companies and officials involved in setting up or giving permissions to hotels, resorts, real estate, industries, etc in the CRZ against the CRZ Notification 2011 or involved in the demolition of fisherfolk homes; • Provide for restoring sand dunes, agricultural lands, low-lying lands and water bodies in the CRZ, including demolition of hotels, industries and resorts, where necessary; • Study of the rising sea levels, loss of fish stocks and other global threats from the perspective of local impacts and mitigation measures; • I assure you that the present Draft Notification will not only displace us and destroy the coast of Goa but will also be another nail in the coffin of mankind.

In view of the above, this Notification is rejected by us and we demand a comprehensive CRZ Act in consultation with the small and traditional communities of Goa.

We hope that common sense and love for our children will prevail over greed.

Open letter was written as part of a campaign by National Fishworkers Forum demanding rejection of the CRZ Notification issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change nff@nffindia.org National Fishworkers Forum rejects the Draft Coastal Regulation Zone Notification 2018 on account of the following points and demands its withdrawal.

1. Preamble: The draft CRZ, 2018 notification changes the entire essence of the notification by changing the preamble of the Notification.

This is totally unacceptable and clearly shows that the draft Notification has been prepared to dilute the protection afforded to the CRZ in the earlier Notifications.

2. Changes in Zoning: By using a combination of new baselines, a reduction in No Development Zone limits, changing of zone definitions, and addition of new zones and the elimination of the Hazard Line, the draft CRZ, 2018 notification effectively allows for more development to be permitted in the coastal stretches and thus dilutes the protection given by the earlier Notifications.

3. Reducing Environmental Protection: The draft CRZ notification of 2018 is a focused, schemed dilution of the existing CRZ Notification 2011, meant for protecting coastal ecology and livelihoods of coastal fisherfolk. The draft notification ought to have reflected that the remit of the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change is environmental protection. However, the draft notification is intended to facilitate development, industrialization and urbanisation by reducing the environmental protection.

4. Removing Special Considerations: The CRZ 2011 provided special considerations to the CRZ Areas like Goa and Kerala, including provisions that restricted setting up structures on the beach; in this draft, the coastal areas

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of Kerala and Goa have been opened up for “development”. These considerations were put in place keeping in mind the unique coastal ecosystems in these areas. By removing these special considerations, the responsibility of the government to prepare special protection plans has been eliminated.

Permitting Prohibited Activities: The CRZ Notification was originally brought in to protect the coastal ecology and the unique features of the coast, protect coastal livelihoods and to prohibit detrimental activities to the same. However, the draft 2018 notification brings in a number of relaxations to the clause defining prohibited activities under the CRZ 2011.

Relaxing Restrictions: The draft CRZ 2018 notification relaxes a number of restrictions on the setting up of coastal industries such as Thermal Power Plants, Desalination Plants, Waste Treatment Plants, Non-Conventional Energy Generation etc. that were regulated by the CRZ notifications of 1991 and 2011.

Giving Special Consideration to undefined “Defence and Strategic” “Public Utility” and “Security” Projects: The 2018 draft CRZ notification provides a lot of scope for permitting projects that fall within the “Defence” “Strategic”, “Security” and “Public Utilities” categories. However, no definitions for any of these words have been provided.

The MoEF&CC utilizes this ambiguity to allow a range of exceptions for these projects.

The draft notification does not distinguish between operational and non-operational activities.

Promoting Tourism: The draft CRZ 2018 notification plays into the coastal tourism agenda of the government by permitting the development of year-round tourism facilities in all coastal states. The intent of the government to shift coastal areas from being livelihood spaces of the fishers and safety buffers for the inland to recreational space for the rich is evident and ill-advised.

Changing Governance/Clearance Procedures:

THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | Policy & Practices

The 2018 draft notification has overturned the entire clearance procedure by granting powers to the state CZMAs and other local authorities, which were till now only a clearance appraising authority at the district and state levels to grant CRZ Clearances.

10. Promoting development without an understanding of fisheries: The water and bed area of the sea and tidally influenced water bodies and coastal commons serve as the primary livelihood and food security for over 14 million people in India, as enumerated by the National Livestock Census, 2003.

The attempt by the GoI to promote coastal industries, coastal tourism and coastal real estate turns a blind eye to the fate of millions of fisher workers dependent on the sea and the coast for their lives and livelihoods.

The 2018 notification allows for reclamation of water and bed areas in CRZ IV for construction of industries, ports, memorials, monuments etc.

The protection measures that were mandated by the CRZ 2011 including restrictions on development, and mapping of livelihood spaces, fishing grounds, land use and community infrastructure etc. have been done away with.

The environmental impact of the draft CRZ Notification will be significantly negative, especially since the draft permits encroachment of water areas and intertidal areas along the sea and in estuaries and creek without any understanding of its overall impact on coastal surface water or groundwater hydrologies, biodiversity, fishery habitats and resources or the fisheries economy. Reclamation of coastal wetlands for “strategic” projects will catalyse the collapse of the small-scale fisheries economy, leading to widespread social disharmony.

Instead of strengthening the law and securing the life and livelihood spaces of the fisherfolk, the MoEF&CC is partaking in large-scale Ocean Grabbing, promoting the blue economy by bringing in legislative changes, such as the draft 2018 notification that redefine the primary user of the seas.

RTI Amendments: Killing the Act and Activist The BJP came to power on the plank of ensuring a Bhrashtachar-mukt (corruption free) Bharat. However, the last four years of the Modi government have been characterised by attacks on institutions and legislation of transparency and accountability.

The government is planning to surreptitiously amend the Right to Information Act, which has empowered millions of people across the country to fight corruption and arbitrary use of power. The proposed amendments seek to fundamentally weaken the autonomy of information commissions by allowing the central government to decide salaries and tenure of information commissioners.

Scores of RTI users and whistleblowers are being regularly attacked and murdered for exposing corruption and wrongdoing. The government has, however, refused to operationalize the Whistleblowers Protection Act passed in 2014.

Not a single Lokpal has been appointed till date and in a move that will facilitate corruption and crony capitalism; the government has introduced electoral bonds, which curtail peoples’ right to know who is funding political parties.

The National Campaign for Peoples’ Right to Information (NCPRI), in collaboration with various campaigns and groups including the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), the National Right to Food Campaign, Anti Corruption Team, and the National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), organised a rally and Jan Manch in Delhi on the 18th of July 2018, to: • Oppose amendments to the RTI Act • Demand immediate operationalization of the Whistleblowers Protection Act and the Lokpal law • Oppose electoral bonds People from more than 10 states joined the rally and Jan Manch, including families of whistleblowers who have been killed (Rajender Singh and Valmiki Yadav of Bihar, RTI activists who were recently murdered for exposing corruption).

The text of the RTI Amendment Bill was finally

17 - NCPRI

made available one day before Parliament’s Monsoon Session was to commence. The secrecy around the amendments has prevented any meaningful debate or public engagement with the proposed changes. It is a matter of grave concern that the government does not value the opinion of millions of people and information seekers whose fundamental right to information will be impacted through this amendment. The government is in flagrant violation of the Pre-Legislative Consultation Policy of 2014 that mandates public disclosure and consultation on draft legislation.

The proposed amendments to the RTI Act will completely destroy the autonomy of Information Commissions set up under the RTI Act to adjudicate on appeals and complaints of people who have been denied their rights under the RTI Act. The amendments seek to empower the Central government to decide the tenure and salary and allowances of Information Commissioners of the Central Information Commission and also of State Information Commissions through rules.

This will fundamentally weaken the institution of the information commissions, as it will adversely impact their ability to function in an independent manner.

The information commissions are the final authorities to adjudicate on claims of access to information that is a deemed fundamental right under the Constitution.

The status conferred on commissioners under the RTI Act is to empower them to carry out their functions autonomously and require even the highest offices to comply with the provisions of the law. Further, the Central government usurping for itself the power to decide even the tenure, salaries and allowances of information commissioners of the State Information Commissions, raises key issues of federalism.

The rationale provided by the government for the amendments is that treating information commissioners on par with functionaries of the election commission is incorrect, as the latter is a constitutional body while information commissions are statutory bodies.

This contention is inherently flawed. The principle of according a high stature, and protecting the terms of

18 service by equating it to functionaries of constitutional bodies, is routinely adopted for independent statutory oversight bodies, including the Central Vigilance Commission and the Lokpal.

As the RTI Act stands today, the salaries, allowances and other terms of service of the chief of the Central Information Commission are the same as that of the chief election commissioner. Those of the central information commissioners and state chief information commissioners are on par with election commissioners.

The chief and other election commissioners are paid a salary equal to the salary of a judge of the Supreme Court, which is decided by parliament. Further, the RTI Act provides for a fixed tenure of 5 years for information commissioners (subject to the age limit of 65 years).

The status of information commissioners was extensively discussed during the formulation of the law, including by the Standing Committee. In fact, the Standing Committee opined, “… Information Commission is an important creation under the Act which will execute the laudable scheme of the legislation …It should, therefore, be ensured that it functions with the utmost independence and autonomy.” It recommended that to achieve this objective, it would be desirable to confer on the central chief information commissioner and

information commissioners, the status of the chief election commissioner and election commissioners respectively. The committee’s recommendation to elevate the status of information commissioners was accepted and passed by parliament.

Therefore, the rationale put forth by the government to amend the RTI Act is completely fallacious.

In fact, there are several issues which require urgent attention of the government to ensure proper functioning of the RTI Act, including making appointments to fill a large number of vacancies in information commissions, addressing the issue of attacks on information seekers by implementing the Whistleblowers Protection Act, addressing poor implementation of proactive disclosures. It is inexplicable that instead of addressing these issues, the government’s sole focus appears to be to weaken the RTI Act. We urge political parties and Members of Parliament to strongly oppose this regressive move of the government to amend the Right to Information Act. National Campaign for Peoples’ Right to Information (NCPRI) ncpri.india@gmail.com

3 Murders in 2 Months.

RTI Activists Demand Protection in Bihar More than 100 RTI activists participated in the Public Dialogue organised by NAPM Bihar in A.N. Sinha Social Research Institute on 4 August 2018. Noted social activist Nikhil Dey who was instrumental in the framing of the RTI Act and retd. Justice Rajendra Prasad also joined the meeting.

Activists demanded the right to information, grievance redressal, participation and protection and rejected dilution of the RTI Act. They demanded a more stringent complaints mechanisms and demanded “special audit” in the event of murder of any more RTI activists.

Family members of murdered activists Rajendra Singh (East Champaran) and Valmiki Yadav (Jamui) also joined the meeting. In last two months, 3 RTI activists had been brutally murdered in Bihar including Dharmedra Yadav (Jamui). All of them were keeping an eye on the development plans at block and panchayat level and had received multiple threats.

Activist Anjali Bharadwaj highlighted the key issues with the RTI Amendment Bill 2018 and Nikhil Dey questioned the lack of transparency that government is showing in the name of Data Protection. NAPM’s Ashish Ranjan, Kamayani Swami, Shohini, Amrita Johri, Mahendra Yadav, Ujjwal Kumar and others jointly organised the meeting along with NCPRI, Digital Empowerment Foundation and Video Volunteers. napmbihar@gmail.com THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | Policy & Practices | Commentary

COMMENTARY A Statement by Tribal Intellectuals and Activists of Assam on National Register of Citizens (NRC) We have heard about NRC since the last few days and from so many commentators that it has become difficult to make sense. Everything seems to be repeated ad nauseam that opening newspapers or any social media site or to look at figures, raises confusions for most people. Some of the commentaries are coming from experts, but many are coming from people who are merely concerned. Some of these concerns are misplaced, some genuine and some malicious.

There is no doubt that under the current political regime suspicions of malpractice are tremendous.

Also, in any enumerative exercise of this magnitude, the issues of error coupled with official chaos can and has led to fears. One is reminded of the reactions of people to an early census, when they were anxious about losing children, wives, castes, professions and land. So, let us be clear that NRC is a much more complicated process, which stems from a long struggle, but it is not an exercise done by a community. It is an exercise by the state that has been sanctioned by the top judiciary of the country.

We cannot let our history to be charted by communal forces, and likewise, we cannot allow our voices to be buried by the liberal din of concerns suddenly overflowing from the globe that buries all historical understanding of a situation.

As a part and parcel of a colonial administrative policy of maximising revenue by ‘developing’ what colonial capitalism viewed as ‘non-productive land’, the Commons of indigenous tribal communities of Assam were converted into an open sanctuary for ‘industrious’ peasants from East Bengal. In this process of opening up the Commons of indigenous tribes, the colonial authority found an ally in a section of caste Hindu Assamese landed elite who were too eager to get rid of the revenue burden that had come upon them because of Zamindari Land Settlement in the western part of Assam, i.e., the erstwhile undivided Goalpara district.

Paperwork can be a dangerous thing. Colonial India generated this concept of paperwork for everything – land, people, communities etc. Such legal structures were alien to the local peasantry, especially the tribal communities. The legal rigmaroles of land revenue regimes resulted in colossal land dispossession

throughout the twentieth century.

The continued loss of tribal Commons compelled their nascent middle class to form their own organizations demanding restrictions on migration, and there lies the genesis of tribal lobbying and later formation of political bodies like the Tribal League in Assam. With increased lobbying and demands from tribal political organisations the colonial administration had to introduce provisions like the Line System and later Tribal Belt and Block system to contain encroachment of the tribal Commons. These systems enacted to safeguard the tribal lands proved to be inadequate and to further compound the problem, the migration of East Bengal peasantry continued. We cannot call them illegal immigrants at that point since Bengal constituted a part of British India. Like many communities who were assisted in their movements by the British, like the Nepalis, Bengali Babus, these peasantries were offered easy terms for settlement and cultivation of the valley.

The history of colonialism accommodating migrant communities in its regime is also a brutal history of land dispossession and loss of Commons.

The situation got further compounded with waves of migration of refugees from East Pakistan that reached a mammoth proportion between the partition of India in 1947 and formation of Bangladesh in 1971. The decision of Government of India to settle refugees in Assam was in spite of the fact that the government’s own survey conducted in 1956 showed that there were 12,00,000 absolutely landless indigenous peasants.

However, while other regions of India didn’t see largescale migration except for the immediate aftermath of the partition, continued migration, to varying degrees, into Assam even after the creation of Bangladesh is a reality that cannot be wished away.

Today, some might argue that the existence of the tribal is well protected with all the Autonomous Councils, reservations etc. The fact that a good many tribal belts and blocks meant to protect the tribal have already been made open is not known to many or willfully ignored.

Even the rules governing the existing belts and blocks have loopholes galore. For example, theoretically, a non-tribal from any region of India can become the Chief Executive Member (the top executive) of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council just by continuously

20 staying 12 years there due to a faulty archaic rule made in 1952. Attempts to correct the rules are always thwarted by the Governor of Assam, which practically means the Government of Assam.

The Indian mainland, beset with their own conundrums, is generally not bothered with the myriad problems faced by the tribal in Assam and the rest of the Northeast. The ruling establishment or rather the Indian state has always been apathetic to the area beyond the Chicken’s Neck. This continuous negligence on the part of the Indian state has naturally bred resentment in the minds of the people in the Northeast. This resentment has made the whole region into a continuous playing field of conflict situation.

The people of Assam, both tribal and non-tribal, now have disparate histories converging on the claims of citizenship of a modern state. Is the modern state equipped to deal with the pressures generated from such aspirations?

In this historical context, NRC has addressed the underbelly of migration issue in India. Where else in India has a mass of people been granted citizenship after 1949? Lakhs of people who came to Assam between 19 July 1948 to 24 March 1971, were included in the NRC draft list as per Assam Accord (Article 6a of Citizenship Act). It has been designed to allay the fears of many groups within Assam. Is it a perfect solution to an issue that has been plaguing a region for decades?

No, it is not. What it can do is give dignity to many who have lived with the slur of being an ‘illegal migrant’.

According to the Census of 2011 the total population of Assam 31,169,272 and out of that, 40 lakhs do not figure in the NRC. As per the 2011 census the Bengali Hindu population of Assam is 91 lakhs that is about 29 percent of the total population, and it is the second largest community. They form a part of the majoritarian Hindu population of the state. According to the 2011 census, there were 10,679,345 Muslims in the Indian state of Assam, forming over 34.22% of its population.

It is apparent despite what some sections of public intellectuals and media have selectively focussed that lakhs and lakhs of people with ‘alleged migrant status’ have not been incorporated in the list. Does that mean that somehow each and every individual of majority community and indigenous communities have been incorporated in the list? Whatever reports have been THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | Commentary | In Focus

received, many people, irrespective of language, religion or ethnicity, are not in the list. How is it that when people from a certain linguistic community or religious community being left out is seen as a part of a large malicious scheme and while others being left out is seen as a simple bureaucratic error?

A section of people is trying to play the Bengali sentiment against the Assamese sentiment. Hence stories are about Bengali Hindus and Bengali Muslims whose names got left out. Among others are those who are expressing angst over the issue, equating it with the experience of Nellie. Or worse, it is being equated with Nazi Germany by anyone who has an inkling of global history but none about Assam. The tribals again remain left out of the entire discourse around NRC. The ongoing process of updating of the NRC was not borne out of state benevolence; it is an outcome of a long drawn struggle, a demand for justice in face of what appeared to be the loss of homeland for its own people. However, a section of national media and commentators have painted a picture that NRC is all about allaying the fears of mainstream Assamese people. We want to draw attention to the fact that it is not about the mainstream Assamese people only; the state has numerous small and big tribal groups of people who want their land, resources and livelihood to be secured within a certain legal structure.

Though political schisms exist between tribal political subjectivity and forces representing Assamese ruling elites, yet both tribal and non-tribal people of Assam consider continued migration into Assam as a shared problem that must be adequately addressed.

There is no correct political position to be assumed on this issue, except the one that aims at addressing long-standing historical demands without resulting in mass displacement and injury to anyone. More than anything, at this particular juncture, one has to be careful about the BJP and the communal forces it is willing to unleash.

It is clear that there are no ways people can be deported, especially since there are no negotiations that have happened between Bangladesh and India regarding this issue. ...continued on page 26

IN FOCUS People’s Movements and Gender - NAPM Organising Team on Gender Issues

“Though the constitution guarantees gender equality, it has not been implemented in the country, in spite of more than 60 years of independence.”

– Justice (retd.) V. Gopala Gowda This statement by Justice Gowda seems relevant even 7 decades after India’s political independence. Not only in India but gender inequalities throughout the world are among the most all-pervasive forms of inequality.

Data from the World Bank itself indicates that globally, even to this day, 150 countries have at least one law treating men and women differently (e.g. applying for a passport, conferring citizenship to their children, having their testimony carry the same evidentiary value in court etc.). 112 countries, including India, shockingly do not criminalize marital rape. There is no specific law against domestic violence in 49 countries and no legislation to address sexual harassment in 45 countries. The statistics with regard to social, economic, political and legal indicators of the rights of persons of diverse genders including transgender persons, gender fluid, gender queer, gender non-confirming persons, intersex persons as well as persons of diverse sexual orientations identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer etc. would undoubtedly be grimmer.

Gender inequality in India, especially amongst the majority Hindu population has its roots in the Manu Smriti, which is an epitome of patriarchy by itself.

Manu’s diktat that “a woman is supposed to be in the custody of her father during childhood, her husband when married and her son in old age or as a widow binds a woman into the patriarchal institutions of family and marriage, defines her role and status in the society and does not tolerate a woman asserting herself independently. It is precisely this unjust hierarchy, both of gender and of caste that warriors like Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai sought to challenge and change.

Since the 1920s, Indian women entered into a new era with the creation of localized women’s associations that worked on issues of women’s education, livelihood strategies for working class women, as well as national level women’s associations such as the All India Women’s Conference. Women began playing an important role in various nationalist and anti-colonial struggles from

the Civil Disobedience movements in the 1930 to India’s Independence in 1947. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar who staunchly stood for rights of women also supported efforts of women’s participation in the socio-economic, political and cultural life of the country.

Over the past seven decades, armed with the Constitution as well as increasing political consciousness, women in India have organised themselves in numerous ways, asserting and achieving their right to vote, right to education, right to participate in public affairs, right to property, right to equal wages, freedom from violence etc. and have been instrumental in the enactment of many legislations on dowry prohibition, rape, sexual assault and harassment, domestic violence etc. even as many other struggles for criminalization of marital rape, women’s reservation in the Parliament continue.

All along, women have also been integral to and at the forefront of countless movements to save their natural resources, ecologies and livelihoods (land, forests, oceans, rivers, mines) from destructive forms of development, imposed on them without the consultation with their communities. The struggles of women as farmers, workers or in other professions for dignity, equality, recognition, space and voice have been far too many. Women from communities facing a different and acute kind of oppression from the ‘mainstream’ and ‘within’ including adivasi, dalit, muslim, disabled women, women in areas of perpetual conflict, as well as transgender persons have also had to, along with the regular battles, fight caste discrimination, atrocities, islamophobhia, transphobia as well as state violence and neglect. Many of these struggles have been part of the autonomous women’s movement, and in the past decade, newer and vibrant forms of assertion from younger women, students in universities and hostels, transgender persons is adding a fresh breath and energy to the movements against patriarchy.

While issues of gender inequality, gender-based and sexual violence, ownership, access, control

22

Consultation on Deepening Engagement with Questions of Women’s Rights and Gender Justice within ‘People’s Movements’ at NAPM National convention in Mumbai. over resources, caste oppression, oppression with institutional structures be it family or religion, sexuality, recognition of women as equal workers, bodily integrity, political participation, role in leadership and decision-making, sexual harassment within working and even progressive spaces etc. have been highlighted by feminist struggles and discourses from time to time, there continues to be an intense need to constantly and effectively understand and address these within our movement spaces as well as in our engagement with other actors and agencies. It was in this context that the National Alliance of People’s Movements organised a two-day Consultation on Deepening Engagement with Questions of Women’s Rights and Gender Justice within ‘People’s Movements’, on 26–27 June, 2018 at Mumbai.

activists from different organisations, through their personal and political narratives, discussed their journeys, status & challenges of women in organising, resistances & leadership in movements.

The Consultation also had a rich, participative session on challenges before the feminist movements in times of fascism. On Day-2, speakers from various social locations spoke sharply on the need for deepening understanding of diversities and multiple marginalizations, particularly in the context of struggles of dalit, adivasi, minority women, transgender & queer persons within our Movement Spaces. The session on the responses to sexual violence and harassment within movements, at work places as well as from the State agencies brought forth the nuances of the struggle by women at multiple levels.

The purpose of this Consultation was to brainstorm on ways to collectively raise many of these issues in a robust way, discuss the difficult questions of breaking hierarchy and bringing equity within the different social structures that exist among us and strengthen further the process of building leadership of women and persons from oppressed communities, castes and genders within and across movements. The Consultation consciously attempted to understand issues/challenges/problems faced by women especially from oppressed communities within social movements, which has been left unaddressed for far too long or is subsumed within the overarching cause of the movement.

Addressing the challenges before women, many speakers emphasised that ‘women’s issues, concerns, perspectives, participation in decision-making and leadership roles’ becomes secondary within many movements and the space for raising concerns of and by women marginalised by caste, disability, class, diversity of gender etc. is always much less and has to be fought hard for. It was agreed that gender sensitisation within various movements and progressive spaces is still quite limited and there is a need to strengthen the same through a combination of activities of political education, dialogue and engagement. It was agreed that this process needs to be conducted at the state and regional level and within movement areas as well.

On Day-1, Participants from grassroots movements in rural, urban, adivasi areas as well as other feminist

National Alliance of People’s Movements napmindia@gmail.com

THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | In Focus | Movements & Alliances

MOVEMENTS & ALLIANCES This State has Failed the Narmada - Justice (retd.) Gopala Gowda and Justice (retd.) Abhay Thipsay We have heard the victims of the land losses and the farmer leaders from four states: Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan We have presided this people’s court to hear the grievances of the farmers who are affected by the acquisition of their land for the Narmada Project.

Me and my colleague, Mr Justice Abhay Thipsay are very happy to preside this people’s court after our retirement from our office. We thought that this would be a great service to the farming community of this part of the country. I have worked as a judge for 19 years and 4 months in the High Court, as the Chief Justice, and in the Supreme Court. My brother Judge had worked in the District judiciary, and in the High Court as a constitutional functionary. He has worked as a judge for 30 years. But we confess before you that the judgments we have rendered in the constitutional courts did not give satisfaction though we have rendered Historical judgments to sub-serve the people of this country. But today after listening to your agony and woes we thought that we are rendering good service to the victims of land losses of these four states.

Though today we are having very warm weather (40° Celsius), we sat continuously for more than 4 ½ hours, as you have been suffering for the last 40 years.

You are the anna datas, protectors of the humanity of this universe, and your service to the humanity in particular is greater than our service. Therefore, we feel extremely happy to preside this people’s court for four hours listening to witnesses who have been examined regarding your woes, difficulties and grievances.

After 200 years of colonial rule of this country, the Britishers, who came as businessmen to our country, have exploited our material resources and human resources. Sacrifice of the farming section, the youth, the teachers, the intellectuals, students community under the leadership of the Late Sri Mahatma Gandhi Ji and the great leaders from different walks of life led us to achieve independence of our country on 15 August 1947. We became a Republic on 26 Jan 1950.

We have got a great Bhagavad Gita, Quran, Bible and other religious texts. We have also got a very good

written constitution under which the people of this country are governed. That parliamentary democracy in India is vibrant, is what has been advertised by our politicians and statesman. We have listened to the problems of the 40 years and the pain and the suffering of the Narmada Bachao land loosers and workers, who have been affected by the environment. We have also carefully listened to the problems that are confronted by the farmers of the four states whose lands are acquired for the Narmada Dam projects. The misery and hardship faced by the landless and land loosers is unexplainable.

Seventy four percent of the population of the country, consisting of farmers and agricultural labourers, live in rural areas. Out of this 74% of the population in rural India, 50% are women. Majority of the gathering before this people’s court are women. The industrialists and the corporate sectors rule the people of this country in the name of Democracy. You are all anna datas unlike people living in the metropolitan cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Madras, Bangalore, Calcutta, Bhopal and other urban areas and capital cities. If you don’t supply milk, vegetables, silk, and cotton; can these 24% of the people who reside in urban areas live peacefully and happily in this country? Making use of the illiteracy and ignorance of the people, the State Governments and their Authorities and officers have been exploiting farmers, agricultural labourers, workers, women and unemployed youth. Through Parliamentary democracy, the governance of the people is under the political document of the Indian constitution written by great jurists and statesmen under the chairmanship of Ambedkar. Under the Late Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership, we got independence to our country. Under the chairmanship of Dr Ambedkar, we got our written Constitution. Equality and equal opportunity to the citizens of this country is provided in the Constitution.

The right to life includes the right to livelihood of the people, and is guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. Right of residence is guaranteed to the people under article 19(1)(e). Right of occupation is guaranteed to the people under article 19(1)(g). Life without a source of income amounts to deprivation of the right to life of the people of this country. Can

24 this farming section of the nation live in this country and supply food grains to the 24% of population who have been living in the urban areas and metropolitan cities? The great melodrama is going on in this country.

Where is the governance of the people of this country as per the federal features of the constitution? The Chief Ministers, Council of Ministers and Executive officers of the States are not aware of the woes and hardships in the States of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. For the last 40 years, Narmada Bachao Andolan in going on to save the farming section of the people of the above-mentioned states.

The laudable objective of constructing the Narmada Dams is to see that the rainwater should not be allowed to go to the Arabian Sea, but instead the same should be utilised by farmers and others. In the name of construction of the Narmada dams, today, what is happening is that fishermen have lost their livelihoods in parts of the country, Workers have lost their wages and farmers have lost their right to grow food grains in their small holdings of lands as the same have either been acquired or inundated. What is the Narmada dam development authority doing? What is the Grievance Redressal Authority doing for the land loosers to whom certain rights have been given in the Award passed by the Water Disputes Tribunal? We have heard 30 witnesses. The Tribunal took nearly 10 years to pass the award with certain terms and conditions to protect the farming section of the above four states.

Today, witness after witness have repeatedly deposed before us that their lands have been submerged and they are not being paid compensation for which they are entitled. The rehabilitation scheme in terms of the Award and Judgment of the Apex Court has not been implemented till today. The century mill worker witness had deposed before us that he has been fighting against the management of the above mill because 1 lakh 25 thousand litres of Narmada water is drawn per month for the purpose of running the century mill however the mills are closed for last one year. He does not have the money to pay the school fees of his children. This is the factual position. It is not rehabilitation or resettlement to the land loosers alone.

The compensation of lakhs and lakhs of rupees are not paid to the landless for their agony and hardship. I have listened to Medha Patkar, who has given her leadership to the Narmada Bachao Andolan. In the Awards and Judgments of the Supreme court in 2000, 2005 and 2017, directions are issued by the Apex Court to all THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | Movements & Alliances

the concerned officials of the respective states. The same are not implemented till today in their entirety.

To hear the grievances of the land losers, to compute and pay the compensation, and grant land to them, to rehabilitate and resettle the landless, to rehabilitate them, provide civic amenities, provide infrastructure to the land loosers is the direction given to the States and their Authorities.

In a democratic country like India, governance of the people is under the constitution - what is happening in the above states in respect of the land loosers? There is no rule of law for the above state governments.

The above States have been continuously violating rule of law. The thousands and thousands of people’s compensation money is required to be paid as per the directions contained in the Awards and Judgments of the Apex Court. The same is deprived to them, their children’s education is deprived, their livelihood is deprived, what should be done to the chief ministers and the cabinet ministers who have ruled and are ruling in the above states of this country? What is the answer they would give to the affected people? That is why Medha Patkar and her colleagues and other affected persons are before the people’s court. As retired judges, we have got a social obligation to the people of this country, as we are part of the system. I myself am the son of a farmer. I know, the pain and suffering of a farmer to earn 1 rupee per day to cultivate paddy, to cultivate maize, to cultivate cotton, to raise dal crop.

How much hard work you have to put for that purpose.

The persons who are at the helm of affairs are silent.

People work hard to earn their livelihood. If they are not going to protect the farming section, whom else are they going to protect in this country? If the People under the Constitution of India are not protected, is it a democracy? Is it good governance?

For want of time, I have to leave Indore to travel back to Bangalore to attend another programme tomorrow.

We have to leave. After listening to all the witnesses and their leaders from different States, Smt Medha Patkar, has summed up all woes, problems, grievances of the victims from the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. We have carefully listened to each one of them. We have understood the problems and grievances. It may take some time for us to record our findings on the relevant issues which have been raised before us and to pass an Award. Me and my brother Abhay Thipsay have deliberated and we

25 are of the prima facie view that it is an undisputed fact that where submergence of the land of the land loosers has occurred, the resettlement and rehabilitation has not taken place to the full extent. Fishermen’s rights in respective areas have been deprived, water is being diverted from the dams to industries, and civic amenities are not provided; We are of the prima facie view that all the grievances of the land loosers must be redressed, if not already redressed by the Grievance Redressal Authority in so far as the Madhya Pradesh government and other state governments are concerned. They must redress the same soon. We hope and trust the chief minister of this state of Madhya Pradesh, will take note of these problems of the farming section, agriculture and other labourers and displaced persons and persons who are affected by the environment because the industrial effluent is being leaked into the Narmada dams on account of which chemical reactions have occurred, the agricultural crops are destroyed, the drinking water is polluted and not fit for drinking purpose. We have got the report in such valleys, particularly Kaveri & particularly Ganga basin. I visited along with the environmentalists last year, five hours aerial survey was conducted of Bihar State. The Chief Minister was present in a conference held in New Delhi in the year 2017. He said the effluents of industries discharged into the Ganga water affected millions of people of Bihar state. People got cancer and died. So, if effluents of the industries are allowed to be discharged even into the Narmada dam and Narmada River, it will affect the life and livelihood of the people of this part of the country. It requires some time for us to go into details to write our detailed reasoned Award. We are expressing our tentative prima facie view that there is blatant violation by Narmada river development authority, Grievance Redressal Authority of the Award and Orders of the Supreme Court. We hope and trust that the respective authorities, state government, and concerned state ministers will take note of it. We hope and trust that persons who are the representatives of the government, who are here, will inform the concerned authorities of the same.

The intelligence cell of the government may be here.

I request them to please give a brief note to the chief minister, the irrigation minister, and the environment minister. Please save the affected people. If we don’t save the farming section, 74% of the people of this country, we have seen in the history of this Nation that kingdoms have fallen in this country, and the emperors have lost their thrones.

In a parliamentary democracy, exercise of vote by you t If you grow vegetables, wheat, paddy, or cotton, all of which are important for survival, there is no fixed price. Prices have been fixed for lipstick and toothpaste.

Without food grains no human being will survive, please remember this hard reality. In the private bill which has got the support of 21 political parties presented by the Farmers’ Association to his Excellency, the President of India, this aspect has been highlighted by Singh ji, who is a fighter. I have met him in Bangalore and in the Vijaywada Farmers Convention. The Bill, after discussion in the Parliament, should be passed.

2 lakh 53 crores worth of Non Performing Assets (NPA) have already declared by the Central Government in respect of public sector banks. The collateral furnished by industrialists is also waived. The Swaminathan report was presented in the year 2010. Why has the Central Government kept it pending for the last 8 years without implementation? The report is in favour of the farming section. The Central Government has found time to revise the pay and dearness allowance to its employees and officers. However, the loans of hard working people, farming section who are Anna Datas and saviours of this country are not waived, which are negligible when compared to the NPA and the benefits given to the industrial sector. The Central Government has to pay them prices on the basis of the Swaminathan report.

Further, I wanted to tell you that don’t stop fighting for the redressal of your grievances. As a result of your relentless fight, you have seen some results. If the ruling governments ignore the farming section they will lose their battle, they will not regain the power, this kind of pressure must be given to them, for that you must be united, and choose your representatives who will think of you, we will protect you. Now, if there is any violation of this SC order, any violation of the high court order, any violation of the terms and conditions of the Award, individually, collectively through Narmada Bachaoa Andolan, then Ms. Medha Patkar will lead you, people like us are there to guide you. They are people who will appear for you in the SC, we will request some lawyers, either in the Supreme Court, Indore bench, or Jabalpur bench or wherever, we will request them to guide you to get you the relief. Don’t get tired. Go ahead with your fight for redressing your legitimate grievances.

Thank you very much for giving this great opportunity

26 for us to meet you all. I know you are all tired. From 29th onwards, you have been walking in the scorching sun for hundreds of kilometres, which is very difficult.

You have all left your houses, your family members.

But you have got the fighting zeal. If our people had not fought like this, we would not have got independence to our country.

also you must file a public interest litigation. You must see that these industrialists should not be allowed to exploit the water reserve meant for irrigation and drinking purpose of these 4 states.

Thank you very much, our tentative view that there is blatant prima facie violation of the Award, SC orders, and resettlement is not done, rehabilitation is not done, civic amenities are not provided. Citizenship rights have been affected, and the environment has been affected. Industrialists have acted without authority, that also you can challenge. Industrialists’ power generating stations, where surplus power is there, why is this kind of power generating station is allowed to make money at the cost of the people alone? For that

This interim judgment by Justice Gowda was delivered on behalf of the Panel at Jan Adalat held at the conclusion of Narmada aur Kisaani Bachao Jung on June 4, 2018 at Bhopal, M.P.

Thank you very much.

Online Link of the speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtSmkeA3se8

Page 20 continued...

The state, the government in power, must work constructively work towards bringing a closure to the issue, rather than attempting to reap political mileage by claiming to resolve a decade-old issue.

When it is clear that there are no ways people can be deported, then people in Assam should have an informed opinion about it rather than indignation.

The Indian government has initiated this process of updating the NRC yet without considering the situation ‘what after NRC’. Neither deportation nor detention camps can be seen as methods of resolution. So, we appeal to all concerned people of Assam, the country and the world to recognise the peculiar predicament of Assam, all its people by trying to arrive at ways in which justice prevails with a regard for its history.

Sd/Indibar Dewri (eminent intellectual and veteran trade unionist), Holiram Terang (Karbi tribal leader and former Minister, Government of Assam), Lal Sing Madar (President, Tiwa Sahitya Sabha), Dhiren Ingti (veteran Karbi tribal leader), Amrapali Basumatary (Asst. Professor, University of Delhi), Dr. Manas Bordoloi (Tiwa Historian), Nirmala Timungpi (Executive member, Karbi Women’s Association), Dr. Bidyut Bikash Senapati (Secretary, Tiwa Sahitya Sabha), Biren Totla (Rabha tribal activist and social entrepreneur), Jeetumoni Basumatary (Asst. Professor, Cotton University), James Daimari (Research Scholar, IIT – Guwahati), Rajya Teron (Karbi filmmaker)

THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | Movements & Alliances | Upcoming Events

UPCOMING EVENTS Samvidhan Samman Yatra: 2018

For Democracy, Secularism, Diversity, Equity and Justice Against Hate, Inequality, Violence and Loot of Resources Nation-wide Yatra from Dandi to Delhi October 2 – December 10, 2018

National Alliance of People’s Movements (in solidarity with groups and struggles across the country) People of any democracy are called upon to assert themselves once in a while. That assertion has to be more active than mere voting at elections. It has to ensure that the core values that we all cherish, those that the generations that fought for our freedom gave us through our Constitution are protected and nurtured to make the various pillars of democracy accountable to We the People. Over the past 70 years, our democracy based on our Constitution has survived numerous elections as well as social, economic and political upheavals and has managed to sustain to this day, despite being beseeched with numerous challenges. However, the last four years of political journey and churning in this country has in numerous and fundamental ways shaken the ethos and fabric, which many of us probably took for granted as secure.

In order to invisiblize its draconian, corporate-friendly, anti-people economic and political policy and to drown out popular awareness, questioning and resistance to the burning issues, the present Government and its ‘Parivar’ have used slogans, statements, diversion, obfuscation, brute force, troll armies, lynch-mobs etc. to misguide, dis-empower, attack, arrest, loot and even kill people, in particular muslims and dalits, repress farmers, workers, women, students and other sections, silence & jail (also shoot) academia, activists, writers, thinkers and anyone who dares question. All this, even as multi-crore scams kept surfacing, multi-millionares keep fleecing and fleeing the country under the nose of the Govt and thousands of crores of loans waived off for large corporates. Every Day Has Thus Been and Become an Undeclared Emergency! The blood and bruises of our people in Mandsaur, Toothukoodi and elsewhere is fresh in our minds! It is indeed a time of alarming fascist onslaught with lawlessness and impunity!

The agricultural distress is so over-whelming, the injustice against dalits and adivasis so gruesome, violence and mob-lynchings of muslims so ubiquitous, the crackdown from primary education to universities and students so brazen, privatization of health, education, assault on reason and dissent and complete neglect and sell out of social sector, the persecution of women and transgender persons so atrocious, the big promises about jobs and black money so hollow, the supposedly big-bang attempts such as demonetisation and GST so upstartish and the attempts at destroying the pillars of democracy, our Constitution, our basic values and social fabric so systematic that, in spite of a pliant, sold out media and pressurised judiciary, the tide had to turn, and it has already started turning.

The Vibrant Gujarat Model has Utterly Failed. It is now increasingly becoming clear that neither bribe nor bullet nor bullet train can silence people for too long or prevent the harsh reality from expressing itself.

The challenge before all sane and sensible people and groups of this country is to be able to cohesively forge a spirit of coming together, fight for alternatives in a concerted manner to the destructive, divisive and distorted regime ruling us, ruining us.

We have been witness to foul politics at play, bending democratic electoral processes and violation of constitutional norms in states of Uttarakhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, Delhi and Goa; subversion and hijacking of judicial processes, misuse of the investigating agencies and systematically eroding the credibility and legitimacy of every autonomous institutions in the country, even as every institution, every space is sought to be communalized. The once reliable public banking system is no more bankable, they have been looted of crores of rupees by white

28 collar criminals who are now safely out of the country and are leading a life of luxury in foreign countries.

The textbooks, syllabus and the plural history is being re-written to build a vicious Hindutva narrative and the seeds of lies, disbelief, disdain and enmity are being sowed. The progressive and people-oriented laws, enacted after decades of struggles by people’s movements whether on land, forests, environment, labour, right to information, anti-corruption, etc. are being amended to facilitate corporate loot, plunder of community resources and promote crony capitalism.

The government is becoming the biggest violator of the parliamentaryand constitutional democracy today and usurping the power, space of local governance bodies as well as smaller parties.

We are standing at crossroads and passing through a critical juncture in India’s history and have a historical responsibility to save and salvage the ethos of this country, to fulfil the dreams of social, economic and political justice that Dr. Baba Saheb Ambedkar envisioned. We all have an immediate responsibility to safeguard the constitutional values and principles of humanity, based on social justice, liberty, equality, fraternity, scientific and rational thinking in the social psyche to deal with all these political, economic, social, cultural challenges. The need of the hour is to create understanding and tolerance in society, by peaceful, democratic and constitutional means. It is equally vital to aim for economic equity, social parity, environmental protection, sustainable development, and establishment of people’s rights over access of resources and annihilation of caste and patriarchy.

It is with this urgency and spirit that National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has, after numerous discussions, planned a Samvidhan Samman Yatra – a nationwide tour to restore and protect the core values of our Constitution and democracy. The Yatra shall commence on 2nd October 2018 from Dandi, Gujarat the place where Gandhi led his famous salt march in 1930. It will travel through various States in the country holding meetings, discussions, public events, supporting struggles, sharing grief of victims of the violence and hate and spreading message of plurality, love and peace and shall culminate in Jan Sansad in Delhi on 10th December, 2018, the International Human Rights Day. Representatives of peoples’ movements, prominent activists, thinkers, academics, cultural activists, students and others will participate. We

invite other comrades, sathis, movements, institutions, organisations and forums to come along with us and endorse the yatra. Everybody who subscribes to the core values of the Yatra is welcome to participate either for the full period of the Yatra as well partially.

The Yatra would be undertaken in the following phases: • Phase-I: From 2nd October to 15th October 2018 – Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Vidarbha Gadchiroli & Chhattisgarh • Phase-II: 20th October to 5th November 2018 Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh & Telangana • Phase-III: 11th November to 10th December 2018 – Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, North Eastern states, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana & Delhi.

Kashmir Phase: Proposed to be undertaken between Phase-I and Phase-II We urge you to join the Yatra and contribute your utmost towards this effort. You can help in one or more of the following ways: I. II. III. IV. V. VI.

VII.

Endorsing the yatra.

Joining the yatra partly or fully and volunteering during yatra.

Offer to organise programmes in your area.

Volunteer to help in planning, coordination and logistical support.

Volunteer in dissemination of materials and publicizing the yatra.

Sending us notes, photos etc. of the struggles in your area, so that we can include it our state-wise notes.

Provide financial contribution and raise resources for the yatra. Get in touch with us to know how you can extend support.

For more information and participation details contact: National Alliance of People’s Movements National Office - 6/6, Jangpura B, Mathura Road, New Delhi 110014 Mobile: 9867348307 | 9971058735

THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | Upcoming Events | News & Notes

NEWS & NOTES May 3, Jaipur: Swasthya Adhikar Manch and Rajasthan Nagrik Manch highlights the unethical clinical trials conducted on more than 20 healthy people without their consent resulting in adverse health conditions at the Malpani Hospital incident.

Manch files a complaint about the unethical drug trials on 21st May 2018 to the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Secretary to Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Drug Controller General of India and National Human Rights Commission. Victims of the unethical drug trial – Sohanlal, Omaram and Kaluram clearly state that they were made part of this trial without being given any information, nor there was any form of informed consent on their behalf. Some of the victims of the trial are yet to recover from the adverse side effects. Drug Controller (CDCSO) is investigating the Malpani Hospital incident but the report is yet to be made public. This incident brings forth the violation of Drug and Cosmetic Act, Ethical Guidelines for Bio-Medical Research in Human Participants, ICMR guidelines of 2006, Medical Council of India Professional Conduct and Ethical Guidelines 2002, and the conditions listed in the Approval Letter issued by CDCSO to Glenmark.

Rajasthan Government in its affidavit to the Supreme Court has acknowledged that there were 386 adverse health events (there were 95 deaths and 291 serious adverse events SAEs) due to clinical trials that took place between 2005 and June 2012 in the state. RTI and information received various sources indicate that there have been a total number of 24117 cases of deaths (4534) and serious adverse effects (SAEs-19583) due to the clinical trial conducted between January 2005 to September 2016 around the country. Presently, 214 trials are being conducted in the state, mostly in Jaipur and Bikaner districts. The Manch demands; immediate suspension all the trials being conducted by Glenmark in India, cancellation of the license of Malpani Hospital and immediate stop to all the clinical trials being conducted in that hospital, immediate treatment to the victims and compensation, filing of FIR against all the guilty doctors, hospital management, Glenmark officials and other officials associated with this trial (CTRI/2018/01/011109) and to start criminal proceedings against them, independent inquiry against all the “Ongoing trials’ in the state, so that no one in future becomes a victim of the unethical clinical trial, all trials conducted in the state from 2005 to April 2018, to be made public. Swasthya Adhikar Manch will present this case in the ongoing PIL that it had filed in the Supreme Court against unethical drug trial.

May 3, New Delhi: National Alliance of People’s Movements unequivocally condemns the recent series of killings of Adivasis by the CRPF and C-60 elite anti-Naxal force of the Indian State in the name of ‘encounters’ at Gadchiroli (Maharashtra) and Bijapur (Chhattisgarh). Various news reports have revealed that at least 39 people, including 19 women were killed on 22nd – 23rd April at Gadchiroli and 8 people, including 6 women were killed on 27th April at Bijapur.

Some of those killed and/or have gone missing are, reportedly minors. Barely a month ago, Telangana’s elite anti-Naxal force Greyhounds gunned down 10 suspected Maoists, including 6 women. Estimates point that in the past four months alone, the toll of alleged Maoist killings has risen to 108. Killings of this scale, which should have shocked and shaken the ‘collective conscience’ of this nation, unfortunately, does not even evoke the necessary outrage, with the State ever-ready to package these deaths as ‘necessary’, rather inevitable, for safeguarding ‘national interests’! NAPM demands that the directives issued by the Apex Court in PUCL vs the State of Maharashtra be fully implemented in all cases of ‘encounter-killings’ including in the recent Gadchiroli and Bijapur ‘encounters’. Given the scale and circumstances of these killings, a high-level, independent judicial probe is warranted.

May 7, Varanasi: Situation under MNREGA worsens in Prime Minister’s constituency, labourers doing rounds of Block Office but no job to avail. MNREGA Majdoor Union demands pending payments to be released. Organiser of MMU Suresh Rathaur condemns administration for playing with the lives of labourers. MNREGA is a demand-based plan and when labourers apply for a job, they should get it within 15 days.

May 18, New Delhi: A Fact-Finding Committee that visited the Polavaram Multipurpose Project affected villages in Andhra Pradesh releases its brief report, with observations and recommendations, confirming the numerous complaints of legal and procedural violations, corruption and irregularities in the land acquisition and rehabilitation process. The Committee notes with grave concern that the scale of displacement, particularly of adivasis and dalits in the constitutionally protected Schedule-V area is unprecedented and the Central Govt., along with Govt. of AP must assume full responsibility to safeguard the rights and interests of all the affected people, before racing ahead with

30 engineering works of the Project. The Committee also demands at least Rs. 25 lakh compensation for each of the 22 adivasis who died due to unfortunate boatdrowning a few days back in the Godavari river, while they were on their way to the local Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation office to submit complaints.

May 21, Mundra, Gujarat: Machimar Adhikar Sangharsh Sangathan and affected communities of Tata Mundra UMPP welcomes the historic decision of the US Supreme Court to hear the lawsuit challenging the immunity of powerful institutions like International Finance Corporation, the private lending arm of the World Bank Group. One of the petitioners, Dr. Bharat Patel (Gen. Secy. MAAS) said, “They have long claimed they are entitled to “absolute” immunity from suit – an immunity far greater than any person, government, or entity enjoys – no matter how illegal their actions are or how much harm they cause. It is the time to start holding international financial institutions accountable. Last year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that IFC had “absolute immunity” and could not be sued for its role in the controversial Tata Mundra coal-fired power plant that has devastated communities in Gujarat.

May 23, New Delhi: NAPM strongly condemns the brutal gunning down of over 11 citizens including a 17 year old girl and violence on more than 60 persons by the Tamil Nadu Police, during the mass and largely peaceful protests against the Sterlite Copper Plant of Vedanta Pvt. Ltd. in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu. It is known that the people of Thoothukudi have been protesting against the pollution of ground water and air by the copper smelter for years. This current phase of protest started in early March when the expansion of Sterlite plant to double capacity was announced.

On the 100th day of protest i.e. 22nd May, thousands of people of Thoothukudi took out a pre-announced march towards the Collectorate. The march was to reiterate their demand to shut down the existing copper smelter, causing severe pollution and health hazards.

Over 10,000 people – men, women and children marched to meet the collector. The Tamil Nadu police lathi charged, shot with tear gas and smoke bombs at the protesters without provocation. Over 3,000 police personal including commandos with self-loaded rifles were deployed to bring ‘situation under control’. This is nothing but a barbaric assault on the democratic rights of the people. Protests against Sterlite have been going THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | News & Notes

on for over two decades. On March 24th 2018 a similar protest was called, participated by tens of thousands of people with no untoward incident. This forced the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) and the Rural Development Officer (RDO), to take groundwater samples from 7 locations within Sterlite factory premises and 8 from villages around the factory.

The results revealed widespread and high levels of contamination in all 15 groundwater sources. Levels of the neurotoxin heavy metal lead, which is particularly toxic to children, were found to be between 4 and 55 times higher than levels considered safe for drinking water. The company has been shut down many times through court orders for violation of environmental safeguards, since 1998. At least 15 workers have died and many have been injured due to hazardous working conditions.

May 29 – June 4, Badwani: Thousands of farmers, fishworkers, boatrowers, potters, artisans and small entrepreneurs rally across the valley and reach Bhopal on foot as a part of the Narmada Kisani Bachao Jung.

People unequivocally demand protection of Narmada, sand, soil, water and trees and that agriculture cannot be turned into a loss making enterprise; they demand complete loan waiver and right price for output. Retd.

Justice Gopal Gowda and Retd. Justice Abhay Thipsay hear woes of people at the Public Hearing organised in Bhopal’s Neelam Park on June 4.

June 1, Andhra Pradesh: People’s movements and Civil Society Organisations from across India condemn the Presidential assent to the Amendment Bill passed by the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, severely diluting provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act (LARR), 2013. The amendment opens the doors to all kinds of projects violating the purpose of public purpose. The amendment circumvents provisions of Chapter II and Chapter III of LARR Act, namely determination of Social Impact Assessment and Public Purpose, special Provisions to safeguard food security along with the consent of 70% landowners. The amendment empowers the District Collector to pass an award for acquiring land after taking consent of the interested person without making an enquiry. The inability of the state to acquire lands through its questionable ‘land pooling’ scheme in the case of Amaravati, in fact, triggered the proposal to amend the 2013 Act. The amendment is in line

31 with the directions of the Doing Business Report by the World Bank, where it recommends the dilution of land acquisition procedure and other regulatory ‘bottlenecks’ for enhanced investments at the cost of farmers, workers and marginalised communities.

June 4, New Delhi: Family and friends of slain photographer Ankit Saxena hold Iftaar in his memory.

Ankit was brutally attacked and murdered by his Muslim lover’s family members openly and brazenly leading to public outrage.

June 5, Odisha: Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti in the World Environment Day in a mass gathering at Lanjigarh pays tribute to martyrs of Toothukudi-Tuticorin and call to fight unitedly to force Vedanta Company to quit India.

Prafulla Samantara, Lingaraj, Lingaraj Azad, Lado Sikaka and Dadi Pusika (Presidents of NSS) and Satya Mahar address the masses and declare that Alumina Plant at Lanjigarh is threat to ecology of Niyamgiri as habitat of Dongrias. It has to be dismantled and the Govt. of India should withdraw the clearance for 4 times expansion. Tribals resolve that Vedanta could not be allowed to repeat Tuticorin here. Leaders of NSS honoured by Lok Shakti Abhiyan with gamucha.

June 2-3, Thoothukudi: A coalition of civil society organisations in Tamil Nadu titled, ‘Coordinating Committee for People’s Inquest into Thoothukudi Police Firing’ releases its interim report. A high-level team comprising two retired judges of the High Court, two retired IAS, three retired senior IPS officers in addition to senior advocates, journalists and social workers in its 2-day inquest finds Tamil Nadu Police and Thoothukudi district administration guilty as accused. 15 protestors were killed and more than a hundred severely injured in protests against the Sterlite Copper plant on May 22, 2018. Over 50000 people had marched towards the District Collectorate to demand the closure of the plant due to environmental and health hazards it posed.

June 6, Madhya Pradesh: Acting President of Kisan Sangharsh Samiti and National Convenor of NAPM, former member of Legislative Assembly Dr. Sunilam pays tribute to martyred farmers in police firings.

On January 12 1998, 24 farmers were martyred and more than 150 were shot by bullets. On June 6, 2017, Mandsaur in M.P. witnessed similar firing on unarmed civilians leading to the martyrdom of 6 farmers. Tamil Nadu police in Tuticorin murdered 13 people recently.

Prominent farmer leaders like V.M Singh, Medha Patkar, Member of Parliament Raju Shetty, Pratibha Shinde, Jitendra Singh Shina, Dr. Ashish Mittal, Avik Saha, Adv. Aradhana Bhargava, Bhagwan Singh, DP Dhakad and hundreds of leaders belonging to 192 organisations of All India Kisan Sangharsh Samiti demand that Jalianwala-type massacre cannot be repeated in independent India.

June 6, Jharkhand: NAPM Jharkhand holds Jharkhand government directly responsible for the deaths of Savitri Devi (age 65, district Giridih, block Dumri, village Mangargadi) and Mina Musahar (age 45, district Chatra, block Itkhori) by starvation. Additionally, it has been found out that the ration card of Late Savitri Devi’s was blocked and old age pension was not provided. Savitri Devi made her living by begging.

Jharkhand government has not conducted a detailed enquiry inspite of multiple cases of death by starvation in the state. The government is in complete denial of Right to Food. Gender inequality in the state means more women are facing the brunt of malnutrition and starvation. On the other hand Jharkhand is masquerading development by wasting thousands of crores on Momentum Jharkhand. NAPM Jharkhand demands new ration cards for all needy, reinstatement of ration cards to those whose ration cards have been blocked, remove corruption at all levels from Public Distribution System, ensure full ration to BPL families, conduct enquiry and make the report public so that any such death is averted. People’s movements demand that the government change its mindset and instead of focusing on multinational deals focuses on poverty, starvation, unemployment, displacement, migration issues that Jharkhand’s adivasis are facing today.

June 8, New Delhi: NAPM condemns the unlawful persecution and arrests of pro-people activists Shoma Sen, Advocate Surender Gadling, Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson, and Mahesh Raut by the Maharashtra Police and demand for their immediate and unconditional release. Professor Shoma Sen – Head of the English Department in Nagpur University and a long time Dalit and women’s rights activist, Advocate Surendra Gadling - General Secretary of the Indian Association of Peoples’ Lawyers (IAPL), who has been relentlessly fighting cases of human rights violations, Sudhir Dhawale - editor of the Marathi magazine Vidrohi and founder of the Republican Panther – Caste Annihilation Movement, Rona Wilson – human

32 rights activist and Secretary of Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners (CRPP) and Mahesh Raut - anti-displacement activist working with Gram Sabhas in the mining areas of Gadchiroli and a former Prime Minister’s Rural Development Fellow – had their houses raided and were arrested from different locations in Nagpur, Bombay, and Delhi by the Maharashtra police. This was reportedly in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon agitation that took place in January 2018.

June 8, Supaul, Bihar: 11-day long Lagaan Mukti Kosi Samvaad Yatra organised by Kosi Navnirman Manch concludes on World Environment Day for freedom from unjust taxes and cess imposed on people living between two embankments. The yatra started on May 26 from Kunauli, a place situated between the embankments of the Kosi River. Constructing an embankment on the highest silt-carrying river in the world is bound to fail and cause havoc. The displaced and affected farmers haven’t got any land or rehabilitation and rather have been burdened with continued tax and cess on the farming they do on the land when its not submerged.

The people of the Kosi region have raised this question over the years. Mahendra Yadav, National Convener of National Alliance of People’s Movements led the yatra and put forward a detailed strategy for the future actions and united struggle. To facilitate the struggle, a 31-members’ coordination committee was formed.

Farmers’ demands are freedom from tax or cess levied on the land between the two embankments and return of ownership of the same land to the farmers.

June 8, Tamil Nadu: SP Udaykumar of Pachai Tamizhagam Katchi (Green Tamil Nadu Party) informs media that several political leaders and frontline activists of people’s movements and political parties are being arrested, incarcerated and persecuted in Tamil Nadu by the state police. It is widely suspected that the central government in Delhi is guiding the Tamil Nadu government and police in all these operations. Mr. T. Velmurugan, the founding president of the Tamizhaka Vaazhvurimai Katchi (Tamil Nadu’s ‘Right to Life’ Party), was arrested at the Thoothukudi airport on his way to meet and console the families of the massacre victims in the anti-Sterlite protest. He and nine others were kept overnight in a dilapidated hall without food, water or toilet facilities. The hall was locked on the front and at the back and no one (including lawyers, doctors, journalists or friends) was allowed to see Mr. THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | News & Notes

Velmurugan and the other detainees. The police were lathi-charging those who approached the hall. The arrested were taken to the Chennai central prison in northern Tamil Nadu without even a chance to take a break or to urinate on the way. All this mounts to gross human rights violations. Earlier two youngsters Mr. Idumbavanam Karthi and Mr. Kadal Deepan, both Naam Tamizhar Katchi (We Tamils Party) workers, were arrested under various charges and incarcerated in the central prison in Chennai. Similarly, Mr. Viennarasu, the state coordinator of the Naam Tamizhar Katchi (We Tamils Party), was also arrested under a false charge that he had instigated arson in the May 22 at Thoothukudi protest and imprisoned.

Mr. K. M. Shariff, the president of Tamizhaga Makkal Jananaayaka Katchi (Tamil People’s Democratic Party) was arrested along with his friends on June 5 when he tried to blockade actor Rajnikanth’s house in Chennai.

Two other leading activists, Mr. Thirumurugan Gandhi of May 17 Movement and Mr. Dyson of Tamizhaga Vidiyal Katchi (Tamil Nadu Dawn Party), had been arrested a few months back under the Goondas act and they came out on bail. There are rumors now that the state police have prepared a list of several movement leaders, political personalities and frontline activists to be detained over the next few weeks and months.

The people’s right to assemble, right to oppose a dangerous project that spoils the local land, water, air and the health of the people, and their right to protest peacefully are all being systematically violated by the authorities. In the light of the above situation, we demand that all of the above leaders and workers be released immediately and unconditionally. All the false and concocted charges against them must be dropped.

The fundamental human rights and entitlements of the people of Tamil Nadu must be respected and protected.

June 9, Vijaywada: NAPM organises an interactive consultation on development finance in Andhra Pradesh and its implications for people’s movements, livelihoods and environment, at Social Service Centre, Gunadala, Vijayawada.

June 10, Rajatalab (Rohaniyan): MNREGA Majdoor Union, Purvanchal Kisan Union and NAPM organises workshop to spread political consciousness among masses to resist capitalism. NAPM’s Arvind Murty raises the issue of rising unemployment and urges the youth to be aware of the jingoistic media that is spreading lies to divert attention from our basic rights and demands.

33 June 11, Dehradun: The Uttarakhand High Court orders that all construction activities along river banks, including construction of hydroelectric power projects, and road construction projects in the state, be stayed till suitable muck disposal sites, for discarding the muck generated during the construction activities are identified and are made operational. Division Bench of Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Lok Pal Singh was hearing a PIL filed by Himadri Jan Kalyan Sansthan, where the NGO had requested that the authorities and agencies involved in dam-construction on the Mandakini and Alaknanda rivers, must be ordered to stop the disposal of muck along the riverbanks. The court also directs the concerned agencies to ensure a “minimum 15 per cent flow of water immediately downstream of the weir, barrage, or dam.”

June 12, Badwani: Close to 30-40 sand mining mafia attack NBA activists in Kasravad Road with heavy stones. Attackers include Shivendra Nigam (Badwani Ward 2 BJP Councillor Mita Nigam’s husband) and many other identified members of sand mafia. Police refuse to charge the accused with appropriate sections and send injured activists to Mining Department.

Mining Superintendent Sachin Verma informs that mining rights have been given to district panchayats, hence administration cannot act on cases of illegal sand mining! Inspite of clear High Court orders Madhya Pradesh administrations fails to protect the banks of Narmada from rampant illegal sand mining.

June 13, Uttarkashi: Uttarkashi District administration forced to cancel the June 12 Public Hearing of Jakhol Sankri Dam Project. Villagers raise slogans for 3 hours in front of public hearing stage “cancel the public hearing, Dam Company go back”. On October 18 2006, Vishnugad Pipalkoti Dam Public Hearing was cancelled and on July 21 2010, Devsari Dam public hearing was cancelled due to people’s protests. The Jakhol Sankri Dam project was organised despite the flouting of various legal provisions and ethical codes of conduct, all reminiscent of the infamous Pancheshwar dam public hearing of August 2017. Legal documents, reports and other documents required for holding the public hearing were not publicly accessible. There was no information about the Environment Impact Assessment report, the Social Assessment Report and the Environment Management Plan. Without providing all information to the people regarding the impact of the project, merely asking about their

concerns is a violation of the letter and spirit of the EIA Notification, 2006. This dam project is planned on river Supin that passes through eco-sensitive zones.

Downstream to Jakhol-Sankri, the Gujjar community is being displaced by the Naitwar Mori dam project without rehabilitation or compensation. There is no implementation of forest rights in the area. In an act of open defiance of the law, the sub-district magistrate of the area sent letters asking all village heads to acquire signatures of their villagers to hasten the Jakhol Sankri hydroelectric project. The letter, instead of initiating steps to implement FRA or of seeking a record of people’s objections about the dam, ordered people to give their consent in a hurried manner.

June 17, Kevadia (Gujarat): Kevadia and other Adivasi villages around Sardar Sarovar face brutal physical attack and forcible eviction against law and in total violation of rights on their land. Protesting women and men lathi charged by the Gujarat police. Government of Gujarat is illegally taking away tribal land to start the work of a multi storey Bharat Bhavan- a five star hotel for tourism. The construction is being carried out by L&T company. The government claims that the land was acquired in 1961 but the response received through an RTI application reveals that government have no such records. This forcible eviction is being carried out without offering rehabilitation or compensation.

While on the other hand a Government Resolution of year 2013 provides for rehabilitation and alternative site for agriculture. 70 adivasi villages will be affected by the ongoing eviction drive whose motive is acquire land for the purpose of tourism. This is absolutely an unjust act of displacement being committed by the state on the tribal communities by flouting all rules and regulations. An unjust action like this will also deny their riparian right and right to livelihood. NAPM condemns the atrocities being committed on the tribal and demands immediate stopping of eviction drive.

June 18, Tamil Nadu: Salem police arrest well known water rights activist Piyush Manush in a false case.

Piyush is actively campaigning against plans of a new 8-lane highway from Salem to Chennai that is going to displace thousands of farmers from valuable cultivable land. Piyush Manush was earlier tortured in custody while in Salem Central Prison.

June 18, Jharkhand: Third death by starvation in state surfaces in a period of ten days. Government

34 wastes no time in labelling it death by disease and not starvation in a failed attempt to save its face.

Chitaman Malhar (ditrict Ramgarh, block Mandu, panchayat Kuju South, Kundariya Basti, Malhar Tola) died of starvation on June 14. A 5-member NAPM fact-finding team met younger child of Chitamani, Videshi Malhar who confirmed that his 50-year-old father died of starvation. 3 months ago his mother had died. Other people in the Basti have Aadhar Cards but haven’t received ration cards or any welfare scheme of the government. Chitamani Malhar was mending his hut when he fainted and died. Food supply minister Saryu Rai dismisses the whole incident as ‘politically motivated’!

June 20, Haryana: Members of “Aman ki Pahel” initiative of NAPM meet the family members of Shaheed Junaid at his house in Khandavali village. In 2017, two days before Id, Junaid was brutally murdered by a communal mob in a running train near Faridabad, Haryana. Only one culprit is in jail until now and the rest got bail from the High Court. The life of Junaid’s brother and eyewitness of the lynching, Hashim is under threat.

June 21, Mandsaur: NAPM and Kisan Sangharsh Samiti condemns the observation of Jain Commission that Mandsaur firing by the police that killed 6 farmers was justified and absolutely necessary. The report has given clean chit to Collector, SP, Administration, Police, CRPF, everyone who was to be held responsible for the massacre. The Commission has taken 1 year to make its report public instead of the mandated 3-month period. The report mentions that the crowd was unarmed and yet justifies firing by police for selfdefence. The report mentions nothing on the issue of MSP and loan waivers that were the main reason behind the farmers’ protests.

June 21-23, Mumbai: Raising the serious issues of social and environmental costs in infrastructure projects, its economic burden on public and financial non-viability, Civil Society Organisations and social movements organise a three day national convention on Infrastructure Financing from June 21st–23rd in Mumbai parallel to the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank’s third Annual Governors Meeting slated for June 25-26 in the same city. The convention attended by more than 1000 delegates declared “the international financial institutions like AIIB (Asia Infrastructure and Investment Bank) must function in a deeply THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | News & Notes

democratic manner respectful of national sovereignty; or else be shut down for they constitute a threat to the nation’s economic and political security. These financial institutions are harbingers and promoters of the neo-liberal reforms responsible for hijacking of the democracy itself; regressive changes to environmental, labour, land, accountability laws; promoting privatisation and cartelisation; and burdening every citizen with huge debt; and destruction of minimal welfare measures.”

June 29, Mumbai: Urban poor hit streets after government’s failure to rehabilitate them. Government assures action within seven days. Ghar Bachao Ghar Banao Andolan, Mumbai organises the rally and dharna of residents of Mahul and Tansa Pipeline Project Affected People demanding the relocation of residents of Mahul to a better place, to stop of sending more people to Mahul, comprehensive rehabilitation plan and no demolition without rehabilitation. Rally started from Carnac Bunder and culminated at Azad Maidan. Renowned social worker and activist Medha Patkar led the rally. Thousands of people from Mahul, Bheemchaya basti, students and various social organisations were present in the rally. Given high level of pollution, residents of Mahul are dying and suffering from serious diseases. Mahul was declared inhabitable by the NGT in 2015 still the Maharashtra government decided to send poor citizens to Mahul where the atmosphere is toxic and lack all the basic amenitieshospital, schools, transport. Life has become miserable after poor residents are shifted here. Still government wants to shift more and more people to Mahul from other displacement areas like Tansa pipeline. Evicted residents of Bheemchaya and Mandala also join the rally demanding an end to unlawful demolitions. Residents of Ambujwadi march for the right to drinking water that is not available to them in a city like Mumbai. 52% of Mumbai’s citizens live on only 9% of its landmass.

Slum residents demand not only rehabilitation but also development of their bastis.

June 30, Chhattisgarh: Civil society with many organisations organise a one-day dharna against state repression at Budha Talab Sarana Sthal. Birendra Pandey, Dwarika Sahu, Rupan Chandrakar, Kamta Rate, Sanket Thakur, Nishchay Bajpayi, Goutam Bandhopadhyay (Nadi Ghati Morcha) and many others critiqued the repressive policies of the state government and demanded respect for dissent and disagreement with the state.

35 July 2, New Delhi: National Domestic Workers Union protest against the arbitrary dismissal of domestic worker in Rohini Sector 9 on false charges of thievery, Prashant Vihar police refuse to file FIR. July 2, Badwani: More than 65 villages of Badwani district displaced by the Sardar Sarovar project gherao the Office of Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation over irregularities in rehabilitation and resettlement. To deny rehabilitation to many families, NVDA devises the game of ‘back water level’ and gets rid of 15946 families from the affected list. Many families on the list still await actual compensation and allotment of lands and Special Rehabilitation Package. Fisherpeople, potters and boatspeople were to be offered alternative livelihood but it is still pending. The amenities that were to be provided in resettlement sites by 28 November 2017 are still incomplete. 83 resettlement sites are still waiting for the pasturelands, land levelling, registration of land plots, laying of Narmada pipelines. Last year many resettlement site homes were damaged because of this and house plots were submerged in water. To make matters worse, the old and new ATR show different records hinting at large scale corruption. Scam was also observed in the main road plan of Badwani resettlement site. After a 5-hour long discussion on many such issues the officers of the district assure in relaying the information to higher authorities.

July 3, Raipur, Chhattisgarh: Mohalla Vikas Samiti begins 3-day dharna against destruction of the lives of poor families settled around the Kari Lake in the name of lake restoration. Residents demand revival of lake by releasing land captured by land mafia instead of harassing poor families. Residents demand a public hearing of any plan passed under the SMART City project so that social-environmental impact can be assessed and pros and cons of the project can be discussed.

July 4, Pithampur: NAPM stands with the struggling workers of Pratibha Sintex. 76 permanent workers who were illegally removed from their job have declared that they will not accept this contempt of labour laws by the company. Fourth day of indefinite hunger strike of Adv. Vijay Sharma along with worker representatives Vishnu Prasad, Gita Behen and Savita Behen.

Hundreds of labourers out of 6000 workforce are still unsure if they will be also removed from their jobs. No one from administration, owners or management has

met the striking workers.

July 5-8, Raipur: CPI(ML) Red Star, CPI(ML) Liberation, Anganwadi, Mitanin, CMM (Labour Committee) along with other individuals and organisations stage a protest demonstration against media outlet Republic TV’s conspiracy to malign the image of Advocate Sudha Bharadwaj who is life-long committed to the cause of labourers. Thousands of sanitation labour of Bhilai Hospital Sector 9 extended their unwavering support to the leadership of Com. Sudha Bharadwaj who fought with them against illegal demolition of their residential quarters by the state and if needed will file FIR against Arnab Goswami for creating jingoism against the much loved people’s leader.

July 8, Pithampur: The movement of Pratibha Sintex workers reaches 8th day. NAPM National Convenor and President of working committee of Kisan Sangharsh Samiti Dr. Sunilam and Regional Secretary of Socialist Party Ramswarup reach Pithampur to extend solidarity to thousands of workers of Pratibha Sintex. Leaders highlight the contempt of labour laws and rights of workers. Striking workers of Century Mills also address the meeting and express confidence in the leadership of Medha Patkar and Dr. Sunilam in the cause of labourers. 76 workers were removed from their position when they demanded wage hike.

July 9, New Delhi: India on Sale – a day-long National Conference on Unravelling Regressive and Anti-People Amendments to Land, Forests, Environment, Coastal, & Other Laws and Attack on People’s Sovereignty and Rights held at Gandhi Peace Foundation.

Hundreds of representatives from farmers’-workers’ organisations, grassroots movements and frontal organisations of political parties assemble to deliberate on the grave threat posed upon farmers, fisherpeople, tribal, dalit and other communities of India by nonimplementation and anti-people amendments to laws meant to protect them. The provisions in Chapter II and III of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (RFCTLARR Act) are soul and essence of the Act. It reflects the objectives of the Act and the Amendments to the Act enacted by the State of Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Jharkhand essentially negate that, thus ultra vires and violation of Right to Life, Art 21. These anti people

36 amendments, and Rules drafted by the States for the Act came in after the Land Ordinance of 2014 & 2015 failed due to stiff opposition from across the country.

Activists, environmentalists, lawyers and communities flagged this period in India’s history as a critical period where people must get together to challenge draconian policies of the ruling government. The changes brought to the Land Laws, Forest Right Act, Coastal Regulation Zone, Environment and Mining Laws are all aimed at facilitating corporate loot and transfer of the precious natural resources from common people of this country.

July 9, Ranchi: Civil Society of Jharkhand and various civil rights organisations condemn the felicitation of the accused of Alimuddin Ansari mob lynching case in Ramgarh by Central Minister for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha. Ansari was murdered on suspicion of carrying beef by a mob consisting of local BJP leader Nityanand Mahato and members of Gau Raksha Samiti. Fast track had found 11 people guilty but the High Court later released 8 of them on bail who were later felicitated by the Minister. Since 2014 Muslims and Christians of Jharkhand have been bearing the brunt of communal violence. In last two years 11 muslim people and 2 adivasis were lynched, out of them one was a 12 year old child. The whole nation is outraged at this act of Jayant Sinha along with BJP MP from Godda, Nishikant Dubey who also announced financial and legal aid to such murderers.

July 11, Mumbai: Residents of Mahul reject BMS’c Rs. 29 crores package, demand rehabilitation in true sense.

Maharashtra government is fraudulently claiming that Mahul is safe and habitable ignoring grave warnings issued by Pollution Control Board and NEERI which found extreme levels of poisonous Benzene. In 2003 Mahul was identified as a toxic hotspot similar to Bhopal after the Union Carbide/Dow disaster.

July 17-20, Ranchi: Protests erupts after ghastly attack on 80 year old renowned activist Swami Agnivesh by alleged members of BJP Yuva Vahini. Pune, Varanasi, Hyderabad, Bhubaneshwar, Varanasi, Jaipur, Madhya Pradesh witness spontaneous protests by civil groups condemning the attack and demanding immediate arrest of the guilty. Narmada Bachao Andolan, Century Mills Shramik Sangathan, Kisan Sangharsh Samiti and various organisations extend solidarity. Swami Agnivesh is National President of Bandhua Majdoor Mukti Morcha and Sarv Dharm Sabha.

THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | News & Notes

July 18, Pithampur: Joint Trade Unions march 15 kilometers for the rights of workers of Pratibha Sintex and Avtec. 8000 labourers of Pratibha Sintex and 3000 women join the march. Rallying workers submit memorandum in Vikas Bhavan to officers of Labour Department. Leadership warns administration to take steps within 10 days to implement labour laws failing which the workers will gherao Labour Commissioner’s office in Indore.

July 20-21, Rajasthan: After having studied collectively with others activists, the lynchings in Mewat area of Rajasthan, PUCL declares that Akbar Khan who had bought two cows from village Ladpur, Ramgarh tehsil, Alwar district and was taking back the cows in the night to his own village Kol near Firozpur Jhirka, Mewat, Haryana, was killed due to extortion. He was killed in Jungle Lalawandi, Ramgarh. It is well known that extortionists under the garb of Gaurakshaks are roaming the streets looking for a prey. If those carrying cows are able to pay the sum demanded, then they are allowed to go or else fired at and killed. This time too this has been the case, as reported by activists from the ground level. The murder of Akbar is the complete failure of the Government in protecting Muslims in particular Dairy farmers from the killer Gaurakshaks, who are basically extortionists. It may be recalled that in the past, 4 lynchings have happened since 2015, with three in 2017.

July 22, South Africa: Prafulla Samantara visits the indigenous people of Enkanin and Ekukhanyei communities who are struggling for right to housing in Durban, S. Africa. The people have occupied vacant land and built their small houses are facing police repression and forceful eviction. Just what slum dwellers of Indian are facing: dispossession from land for rich people and beautification projects, same thing is experienced in South Africa because of corporates and mining mafias controlling ruling politics.

July 22, Jaipur: Dalit, Adivasi Minority Mahapanchayat declares movement against repression. Prakash Ambedkar, Jignesh Mevani, Subhashini Ali, Rajaram Singh, Rajendra Gautam, Dr. Sunilam join the movement by 35 organisations and demand withdrawal of 500 cases against members from these communities that were filed by Vasundhara Raje government after the successful Bharat Bandh of 2 April against dilution of Protection to SC/ST Act. The Mahapanchayat

37 demands the inclusion of the act in Schedule 9 of the Constitution and an immediate stop to all forms of mob lynching.

July 23, Rajasthan/Haryana: Aman ki Pahel writes to Vasudhara Raje CM, Rajasthan) to stop the series of lynching in her state following the brutal murder/ lynching of cow trader Akbar and urge government and administration to not treat Supreme Court’s on mob lynching with contempt.

July 23, Varanasi: Purvanchal Kisan Union raises the issue of forcible land acquisition across 27 villages for Phase II of the Ring Road. More than 40% of farmers have registered their dissent against the proposed project but state and administration is forcibly trying to acquire land. Administration earlier announced abysmally low rates for the land that is being compensated. Many farmers will be rendered landless if their lands are acquired. Many more families will lose their homes to the project; no rehabilitation plan is made for them. Purvanchal Kisan Union President Yogiraj Singh Patel is leading the farmers’ protest.

District administration has blockaded village Harpur by use of police force and is forcibly conducting land measurements and making open threats to arrest anyone who dares to protest. 800 farmers file their complaints to the SDM but no action is taken.

Sangh decide Majdoor Samvad Yatra across state against mob terror created by ruling government to spread repression among dalits, adivasis and minorities. The labour union protests against takeover of ACC cements and warns that Chhattisgarh will face simultaneous labour protests.

July 26, Patna: NAPM and Manthan Adhyay Kendra organise a ‘Public Discussion on Inland and National Waterways in Bihar’. According to National Waterways Act 2016 the seven rivers of Bihar – Ganga, Karmnasha, Ghaghra, Kosi, Gandak, Punpun and Son were declared national waterways. Director of Manthan and environmental researcher Shripad Dharmadhikary releases Status Report on National Inland Waterways and warns of severe environmental consequences.

July 26, Bihar: NAPM reports low rainfall in June and July months in 20 districts of Bihar and demands that the state government declare these districts ‘drought affected’ so that farmers can get relief. Some districts like Vaishali received upto 83% less rainfall. Less than 50% rainfall qualifies to be declared ‘drought affected’ and is eligible for relief measures. NAPM also demands implementation of crop insurance, loan waivers to farmers, waiving off taxes and electricity bills of farmers and distribution of food through public systems with immediate effect.

July 24, Bihar: The Bihar unit of National Alliance of People’s Movements in a press release severely criticizes the functioning of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

Ujjwal Kumar of NAPM states that according to an answer given in Rajya Sabha, crop insurance schemes have only made insurance companies richer, while not a single paisa has been paid to farmers in Bihar reeling under agricultural crisis. According to the press release, in Rabi season 2016-17, 12 lakh 29 thousand farmers had insured their crops. In that a total of Rs. 293 crores of premium money were deposited in insurance companies’ accounts. The claim amount was fixed at only 20% of total premium amount. Even then not a single rupee has been given to farmers in Bihar.

Similarly in Kharif season 2017, 11 lakh 60 thousand farmers had insured their crops on which Rs. 671 crores worth of premium money again went to insurance companies. After crop failure, Rs. 41 crores worth of claims was to be settled but not a single rupee has reached farmers.

July 26, Madhya Pradesh: Toko-Roko-Thoko Krantikari Morcha, Adivasi Ekta Mahasabha, Ekta Parishad and CPI(M) submit memorandum to Collector, declare ‘Jail Bharo’ Andolan August 9 onwards if administration takes no action against a list of complaints and demands being raised the area.

According to RFCTLARR 2013, the land ownership in Musamudi and Bhumka must be registered in the names of farmers instead of Aryan Power Company; displaced farmers from Gulab Sagar Dam must be compensated with irrigated land for irrigated land and other property that is lost; 50 villages belonging to adivasi and other communities in Sanjay Tiger Reserve must not be evicted nor harassed in the name of eviction; strict action must be taken against officers who are involved in scams related to construction of drains; immediate payment of pending wages to labourers employed in 2008 in Tilwari village watershed committee works; regularise electricity supply; provide patta to adivasis woeking on revenue lands.

July 26, Chhattisgarh: Pragatishil Cement Shramik

July 30, New Delhi: Union Minister for Women and

38 Child Development Ms. Maneka Gandhi apologises for having made derogatory remarks on transgender people in the Parliament session. Her remarks draw criticism from 250 organisations – the Coalition on an Inclusive Approach to the Anti-Trafficking Bill 2018.

July 30, Alwar: National Rights Resources Center (NRCC) sends fact-finding team consisting of advocates, journalists and activists to Firozpur Jhirka – Mewat and Alwar – Rajasthan to meet the SDM and family members of Akbar Khan who was lynched at Lalaundi. Akbar Khan was the sole breadwinner for a family with seven children, wife, and old mother and father.

July 31, Nisarpur: ‘Narmada ki Pukaar’ celebrates 31 July not as deadline but as lifeline, challenges unjust policies of the state, vows to uproot atrocious government in a democratic state. Representatives from Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and other states along with the people displaced by the Sardar Sarovar Project march from Karanja to Jhanda Chowk to Chikhalda and Koteshwar. Students from adivasi areas and children belonging to the struggling workers of Century Denim Mills awarded for their academic performance. Activists who are jailed for raising their voices against state oppression and injustice also considered a ‘lifeline’ and honoured. Retd. Justice Chandra Kumar releases the judgement passed by Retd. Justice Gopal Gowda and Retd. Justice Abhay Thipsay based on the Public Hearing/People’s Court held at Neelam Park, Bhopal on 4 June 2018. Retd.

Justice Chandra Kumar pays salute to the Narmada Bachao Andolan for fighting over 33 years and to NBA’s democratic spirit, also accords passing of the Land Acquisition Act of 2013 as a success for the movement.

taken to the SP of Rayagada where they have been detained for several hours. There are are many false cases against the leaders for their opposition against Vedanta (Sterlite). Lado Sikaka was also abducted and tortured in 2010 by the police and coerced to give up his opposition against Vedanta. The Odisha Govt. and the Central Govt are hand in glove in orchestrating such repression against the leaders of Niyamgiri to make way for Vedanta’s plans of devastating Niyamgiri, the sacred mountain of Adivasi people.

August 2, New Delhi: Com. Hannan Mollah (General Secretary of the All India Kisan Sabha) and parliamentarians Naseer Hussain of the Congress Party, Mohammad Saleem, Jitendra Chaudhary and Prem Singh (Communist Party of India (Marxist)), D. Raja (Communist Party of India), Manoj Jha (Rashtriya Janata Dal), D.P. Tripathy (Nationalist Congress Party) address the public meeting ‘Misplaced Priorities or Plain Megalomania? Costs and Consequences of Bullet Train’ in Constitution Club organized by Bhumi Adhikar Andolan. NAPM released its report ‘MumbaiAhmedabad High Speed Rail (Bullet Train), A People’s Critique,’ which states that the government’s report did not illuminate any sustainability model and did not mention the costs and its financial burden on the people of India. The report further criticised the bullet train project for not following the procedures stipulated in the Land Acquisition Act 2013. It comes amidst continuing protests against forcible land acquisition in Gujarat and Maharashtra for the bullet train project.

July 31, Madhya Pradesh: Working group of Kisan Sangharsh Samiti announces decision to fight elections to defeat the anti-farmer BJP government. Decision comes after continuous fall in prices of agricultural produce and continuing repression on farmers by the ruling government after the Mandsaur firing incident.

July 31, Niyamgiri: Information comes in that Rayagada police has secretly abducted Niyamgiri Suraksha Samiti leaders Lado Sikaka and Drenju Sikaka. Lado and Drenju were travelling in a vehicle that was held by the Police near Bisam Katak on the pretext of not having documents and then they were THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | News & Notes | Obituaries

To receive news and views on the communities struggles in India defending their land, water, air, rivers from hungry predatory corporations, policy formulations, announcements on struggles, action alerts and request for support from NAPM; send us a mail on napmindia@gmail.com

OBITUARIES Loss of a Sane Voice in Troubled Times Justice Rajinder Sachar: 22 December 1923-20 April 2018 - Sanjay Parikh It is often difficult to write about a person with whom you were close for several decades. So many thoughts come to your mind, some are chronological, bound by time and events, but many are those, which are eternal, which constituted that person - his sensitivities, concerns, simplicity, love and compassion, to which you were a witness. Justice Rajindar Sachar’s life can be easily encompassed by his achievements as a judge and later his immense contribution in public life. The loss we have suffered, the void it has created, is immense.

A man who was thinking and speaking about the concerns of the people and the nation persistently and also penning down his ideas on every crucial issue, is no more. Many told me in personal conversations that they have lost a mentor, a guide, a fatherly figure, a visionary, a man who was like a protective umbrella over them - always available at the time of crisis. No movement, no meeting on human rights and social issues was complete without his presence. Many a times he would sit on the ground in solidarity with the farmers, oustees of development projects and trade union workers at Jantar Mantar. He told me often that he finds himself more comfortable and at home when he is with the people listening to their problems.I remember once we were going on a factfinding mission in Jharkhand and had to cover a long distance. On the way he asked the driver to stop the car and told me, “ yaar chai ke talab lagi hai (dear I feel like having tea)”. I looked around and found a small dhaba having a wooden bench. I said whether we could stop elsewhere. He immediately replied, what is wrong here? We sat there and he enjoyed sipping tea sitting on the bench. In one meeting, when all of us were feeling oppressed because of heat as even fans were not working, Justice Sachar though sweating but at ease, was willing to go ahead with the proceedings.

He was the president of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties from 1986 to 1995. This organisation that Jaya Prakash Narayan started, was closest to his heart.

Not a day would go without his enquiring about its activities as well as about its members. He will have his firm views on what position PUCL should take on important national and social issues, but only

after listening to everybody. He preferred introducing himself as a worker of PUCL rather than his being a retired Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court or the UN Special Rapporteur on Housing.

Born in 1923 at Lahore (now part of Pakistan), he had many heart-rending stories to tell about partition. His ideas on political governance were clear and profound.

He had been a part of freedom movement since his childhood: his father Bhimsen Sachar was a freedom fighter who became the first Chief Minister of Punjab (1952) but was detained during emergency. His close association with Ram Manohar Lohia and other veterans during that time had shaped his ideas. His thoughts on all crucial issues were therefore, very clear as they arose from his love for the people, the nation and a firm belief and faith that everyone, irrespective of religion and caste, has to be treated equally, without any discrimination. His remarkable report on the status of Muslims speaks about his concerns. The Report is not only about a community but how people in that situation, irrespective of religion, have to be dealt with under the Constitution by a welfare State. When asked to speak about his report he very candidly declined as he felt that it was not proper to justify his report after he ceased to be the chairman of the High Powered Committee and it was for the Government in power to implement it and for the people to judge. Instances such as this exemplified his remarkable objectivity and maturity.

I met Justice Sachar for the first time along with my senior, Justice S. Rangarajan. They were good friends.

Justice Rangarajan had earned a great reputation for being a fearless and bright judge in the Delhi High Court during the emergency. He quashed the detention of Kuldip Nayar who was imprisoned during the emergency for showing courage as an independent journalist. Justice Rangarajan suffered and was transferred to Gauhati as a measure of punishment.

That is an interesting but different story. Justice Rangarajan joined the Supreme Court Bar as a senior advocate in the earlier part of 1982, after retirement as Chairman of the MRTP Commission. When I started to work with Justice Rangarajan in 1982, I heard heaps

40 of praises from Justice Rangarajan for Justice Sachar.

Very soon in 1985, after retirement as Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, Justice Sachar joined the Supreme Court Bar and from those days, my association with him and daily interactions had been constant. Those days were different and the nuanced level of discussion between two great persons was worth listening to. Justice Sachar would often provoke Justice Rangarajan on some issue by saying, ‘Ranga, you are wrong’ and then would follow the dialogue in which no jurist or philosopher would be spared.

The discussion remaining inconclusive was the best part of it.

Justice Rangarajan left Delhi to settle down in a village in Tamil Nadu in 1988. Thereafter, I started to work even closer with Justice Sachar and our association was very enriching. He introduced me to several people’s movements and in particular, the PUCL. We did many remarkable cases together in the Supreme Court: from mandatory declaration of assets and criminal antecedents by MPs/MLAs, NOTA, challenge of the draconian POTA, telephone tapping, police encounters, challenge to domicile requirement for Rajya Sabha, etc. PUCL judgments have been cardinal in civil rights jurisprudence and are referred to in allimportant judgments, including in the recent Right to Privacy decision of the Constitution Bench. He was keen that all PUCL cases of significant importance be collated into a book, which was accomplished and in 2017, the book ‘Taking Human Rights Forward: PUCL judgments “ was published by Vani Prakashan, Delhi.

He in particular was sad that after Supreme Court gave judgment on declaration of assets, all the political parties ganged up together and unanimously opposed the judgment and brought an ordinance, though the Supreme Court later struck down the said ordinance.

He was, in his last days, very sad about the decline in judiciary, growing tension among the communities, human rights violation in Kashmir and erosion of values in public life.

There are many deeply touching personal encounters but this is not the time to discuss them. I intend to write on them separately, may be when we decide to publish a book on him. But I must say at least one thing: whenever he went outside and retuned to Delhi, he would immediately call me ‘Sanjay, tere pass haziri laga raha hoon ki wapis aa gaya hoon (Sanjay, I am marking my attendance that I have come back)’. Each time, this sentence touched my heart.

Day before yesterday, I went to see him in the ICU. Though in immense pain with oxygen mask and feeding tubes, he smiled, looked at me and held my hand in his hands, warm with love. He could not speak but I understood what he was trying to tell me, ‘mark my attendance’ but for not coming back but for leaving… forever!

I find a desert today: of selfishness, divisions, greed, hatred, which is spreading rapidly everyday. It is so distressing, so painful; it leaves one alone. In this chaos, he was the voice of sanity, which we have lost. A great loss indeed!

Remembering Veteran Socialist Leader Rambhau Patil 29 July 2018

Very pained to inform sad demise of veteran socialist leader, Rashtra Sewa Dal soldier, President of Maharashtra Machchhimar Kruti Samiti, leader of National Fishworkers’ Forum and World Fisheries Forum Rambhau Patil, this evening. He was 79. One of the Bi annual national convention of NAPM was successfully organised in hometown of Rambhau i.e. Vadarai near Palghar. He was always available as leader to the toiling fisher people across the country. He was staunch supporter of NBA and other movements affiliated to NAPM. We have lost a strong fishworker leadership and ever supportive activist to people’s movements. May Rambhau’s family and followers gather strength to face this loss. Heartfelt condolences!

THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | Obituaries

Remembering Shri Kuldip Nayar From between to beyond the lines

41

- Sanjay Parikh On 26th June 2018, human rights organizations had assembled at the Gandhi Peace Foundation, Delhi to remember the dark days of Emergency. This was an annual affair and Shri Kuldip Nayar was a regular speaker in these meetings. This time, too, he came and spoke. But his speech was different; it came from his heart and was quite moving. He ended by saying that the fight has not ended – there are issues much more serious than the Emergency and they have to be fought fearlessly with deep conviction – by listening to the voice of one’s own inner-self. Never give up on truth, was his message to the audience. I told him: ‘Today, you were different-very powerful!” He smilingly replied: ‘Today, you were more receptive!”

It was a long journey for him – 95 years, divided into pre and post Partition. His memories were full of the sad days of the Partition. He knew the price people have paid and therefore, stood for the values India should have after independence. He wrote throughout his life relentlessly- as editor, writer, a columnist on every possible issue that he thought was relevant for the people and the nation. His heart bled for the poor.

He came out openly in support of all those people’s movements where he found tyranny and repression of human rights and civil liberties by the State.

He was a staunch defender of the freedom of press and expression and therefore, wrote fearlessly against the emergency imposed by Smt. Indira Gandhi in 1975.

He was detained in the Tihar jail under the MISA. His wife, Smt. Bharti Nayar, filed a Habeas Corpus petition in the Delhi High Court to quash his illegal detention.

The petition came up before Justice S. Rangarajan, a brave and bold judge during the emergency. After the judgment was reserved, the Government decided to release Kuldip Nayar and revoke his detention before the judgment was pronounced. Coomi Kapoor in her write-up (23rd August,18 in the Indian Express) on Shri Kuldip Nayar, recalls this story. However, Justice Rangarajannot only delivered the judgment (Bharti Nayar Vs Union of India, dated 15 September 1975) but added a ‘post-script’ to it as to why he was delivering the judgment. He said that Habeas Corpus writ being a public law remedy after the judgment was reserved,” courtesy to the court demanded that we were apprised about the intended action before it was

actually taken.” Indira Gandhi was quite upset with these remarks and the courage shown by the judge and therefore, transferred him to Gauhati. After Justice Rangarajan retired, I joined law practice with him in 1982. He was quite proud of his judgment in Kuldip Nayar’s case, which was praised, among others, by Lord Denning. I read the judgment and was quite curious to know why he wrote the post-script. He replied that the day when he was going to pronounce the judgment, he felt some unease inside. He added: “I got up around at 3 am in the morning and typed myself the post-script on a manual typewriter. Thereafter, I felt relieved of the burden on my conscience.” I did not know Shri Kuldip Nayar at that time. Justice Rajinder Sachar introduced me to him after he had retired and joined the Supreme Court Bar. Since 1990, it was almost regular to see him in one meeting or the other with Justice Sachar or without him. In one of the conversations recently, I told him what Justice Rangarajan said about the ‘postscript’. His response was: “even during Emergency, there were judges who were guided by their conscience rather than the ambitions.”

I remember that he was very much upset when the domicile requirement under the Representation of Peoples Act, 1961 was removed by an amendment with effect from 28.8.2003 for election as MP in the Rajya Sabha. It meant that one could be chosen as an M.P. from any place to represent that constituency in the Rajya Sabha, though he had no connection with the place. He was of the view that this amendment will destroy the sacrosanct function of the legislature because the Rajya Sabha is a place where every bill has to be debated properly keeping in view federalism, interests of all the States and their peculiar problems.

This amendment was challenged in the Supreme Court and a Constitution Bench heard it. Mr. Rajinder Sachar argued and I assisted him in the case. The Constitution Bench upheld the amendment (August 2006). Shri Nayar was very disturbed. He wrote as to how the judgment was wrong. Thereafter, whenever we met, he kept on reminding me that he would like to challenge the judgment before a larger bench of the Supreme Court. The last reminder was when he spoke, as mentioned above, on the anniversary of the Emergency.

If there were meetings in Delhi on any human rights

42 issue concerning people in general, everyone would expect Kuldipji (Kuldip Nayar) and Sacharji (Justice Rajinder Sachar) to come as if they could command (out of regard and affection) their presence. Both of them would never disappoint and it would be an exception, not to find them there. We lost both in a short span. It appears as if a generation has gone: the generation, which represented a selfless breed of human beings on whom we could always depend for guidance.

As a young student, we were asked to memorize renowned authors and their works. I remember one such author was Kuldip Nayar and the book was ‘Between the Lines’. I did not understand it then- the meaning of the invisible gap between the lines. Now

I see the gap and look at the great man who was incessantly searching between those visible lines, the invisible truth that spread ‘beyond the lines’ -over the wide canvass of his writings as an independent journalist - which truly he was till his last breath!

Advocate Sanjay Parikh Ji who practices before the Supreme Court of India and the National Green Tribunal and has widely known for his decades of work in defending the constitutional and human rights of different sections of marginalized and disenfranchised people and fought in the matters of environmental justice in the courts of law. He is also the National Vice President of the Peoples’ Union for Civil Liberty (PUCL).

The sad demise of Kuldip Nayarji is a strong blow, after the demise of Sachar Sahab, at this critical juncture faced by the country and all of us. The struggles by people no doubt will go on but with a big unfilled vacuum of committed fearless support from him, the veteran journalist, human rights and peace activist. Inspite of being the former High Commissioner to UK and a member of Rajya Sabha, he was our ambassador, of dalits, adivasis, workers, women and all for decades. We have many fond memories of him at the forefront of so many struggles in these years. He will continue to live in our hearts and guide our struggles.

Always approachable and accessible, he nurtured and guided a generation of activists and professionals cutting across boundaries. He will be missed for his support, solidarity and guidance on so many occasions to come. Zindabaad Kuldip Ji… Medha Patkar, NBA-NAPM

Sad day for Telangana! Another stalwart passes away.

Salutes to Prof. Keshav Rao Jadhav 16 June 2018

Prof. Keshav Rao Jadhav, one of the eternal heroes of the Telangana movement breathed his last on June 16that a hospital in Hyderabad.

He was one of the stalwarts of the resistance and people’s movements since the 60s and continued to be active for almost 4 decades and more in public life, inspiring generations of activists, citizens, youth and organizations. He led a spartan life throughout and gave his time, money, energy to the principles and social activities he undertook relentlessly.

National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) conveys its deepest condolences to his family and to everyone in Telangana in this moment of untold loss and grief. He will remain an inspiration for all of us and in our shared struggles to establish an egalitarian, socially, economically and political just Telangana of, by and for the people, particularly the marginalised millions. Rest in power and pride Jadhavsaab!

THE MOVEMENT OF INDIA | Obituaries

One Decade of Kandhamal When a thunder and lightning hit Many places of worship Houses destroyed and people killed With fire on the roofs And swords and axes on the ground Exploding bombs on the nerves Murdering the identity and dignity Of men, women and children, I went to measure The pain in their eyes And to count The number of tears Flowing like a waterfall Crossing their check dams, For a moment of peace And a moment of being.

The gush of the flow Snatched our camera And editing system Forcing us to search in despair Making us roam around in confusion About the meaning Of our own existence.

The rain that poured from the eyes Could sweep any decent civilization.

But it didn’t.

For men who did not care Except for their own greed for power Could convert the presence Into absence.

Today, when you look at The drought in the eyes With horrors of the past Still bringing fire into my soul I keep telling myself That my body should never be connected With another thunder and lightening.

And when the dark clouds moved In a sky that I could not reach I took a shot Of a sun That has never risen.

K.P Sasi is a film maker, writer, activist and cartoonist. kpsasi36@gmail.com Photo credit: Joe Athialy

English

Bi-Monthly

RNI No. MAHENC/2006/18083

‘Darkest period’ in Indian history, undeclared emergency on full swing.

Citizens protest against brazen arrest of human rights activists by Police, demand immediate release of activists, professors, journalists, environmentalists and an end to persecution of dalits and adivasis of the country.

30 August 2018, New Delhi: Activists, intellectuals, lawyers, scientists, journalists, feminists, students, cultural groups and progressive citizens condemn the unlawful arrests of 5 Human Rights activists Sudha Bharadwaj, Varavara Rao, Vernon Gonzalves, Arun Ferreira and Gautam Navlakha.

Maharashtra Police acts outrageously by raiding the houses of respected citizens including Father Stan Swamy (Jharkhand), Prof. K. Satyanarayana (Telangana), journalist Kranthi Tekula, KV Kumaranath, Anand Teltumbde and Adv. Susan Abraham on the same day.

Scientist and Activist Gauhar Raza, Dr. Sunilam (National Convener, NAPM), Rakhi Sehgal (NTUI), Priya Pillai (WSS), Poonam Kaushik (PMS), Sideshwar Shukla (CITU), former DGP (Uttar Pradesh) SR Darapuri, Shamshul Islam (Nishant Natya Manch), Mohit Pandey (Former President, JNUSU), Aparna (IFTU) address the public protest on 29 August at Maharashtra Bhavan. Media houses continue to create jingoism in nexus with state machinery to throttle voices of dissent. Is India under ‘undeclared emergency’ where culprits/criminals like representatives from Sanatan Sanstha roam freely and innocent people are being raided and arrested? Activists demand release of all illegally arrested activists including Rona Wilson, Sudhir Dhawale, Surendra Gadling, Shoma Sen and Mahesh Raut who are behind the bars since June.

Representatives from Delhi Solidarity Group, National Campaign for People’s Right to Information, National Alliance of People’s Movements, Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan, Women against Sexual Violence and State Repression, Saheli, Indian Federation of Trade Unions, Pinjra Tod, Krantikari Yuva Sangathan, JNU Student Union, People’s Union for Civil Liberties, People’s Union for Democratic Rights, Center of Indian Trade Unions, Committee for Protection and Democratic Rights, National Trade Union Initiative and other organisations express unwavering solidarity with these activists and demand withdrawal of all false cases.