Medha forcibly shifted to hospital on Day 12 of fast
NARMADA ANDOLAN Activist calls it ‘gimmickry of figures and use of force’
Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar, who is on an indefinite hunger strike since July 27, was removed by police on Monday from her protest site in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district and shifted to a hospital in Indore.
The 62-year-old Patkar and 11 more people were protesting against inadequate rehabilitation and resettlement of families affected by the Sardar Sarovar dam on the Narmada river.
“Today after 12 days, the government replied by arresting 12 of us. This is not how you reply to a non-violent struggle … Under the rule of Modi and Shivraj, no dialogue with us … just gimmickry of figures and use of force,” she said in an audio message uploaded on social media.
She blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and state chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for the action.
The BJP-led state government made an offer for talks on Monday morning, saying a delegation of senior officials will meet Patkar. But she allegedly refused and as her condition deteriorated, authorities sent police to the protest site in Dhar.
Her supporters formed a human barricade around her when police came. A scuffle was also reported and police used lathis to disperse the crowd.
Around noon, additional forces arrived. By evening, 12 ambulances and buses reached Chikhalda and the protesters, including Patkar, were removed.
NBA leader Rahul Yadav said the Madhya Pradesh government or the Centre made no attempt in the dozen days of the strike to talk to the activists.
“They have been asking us to call off the hunger strike, but no offer was made for a dialogue. Since morning, they mobilised police, broke the temporary canopy and lathicharged to arrest the protesters. Is this violent response justified in a democratic society?” he asked.
Yadav alleged that a dozen protesters were wounded in the scuffle and nearly 60 detained.
“They forcibly removed Medhaji and six of 11 people fasting here. Five people are carrying on with the hunger strike,” he said.
The divisional commissioner of Indore, Sanjay Dubey, said Patkar and six more people were admitted hospital as their condition was deteriorating.
“The state government had to do this because there was no option left. Their health became fragile and they needed medical attention,” he said.
Dubey also said six policemen were wounded and four vehicles damaged in clashes with the protesters. They can never convince us because they had no information. They came as a delegation from the chief minister and not for a decisive dialogue. They had to go back and brief the CM. They went back accepting that rehabilitation was not complete. They should worry about the life and death of the people in Narmada valley. I am not the only one who is fasting, there are 12 of us. We are just the representatives of the people who are screaming and appealing to the conscience of the nation. The new compensation package (has been) announced in one way and reflected in the government order in a different way. The packages do not ensure the legal entitlements of each family. Now, every benefit is offered only if people demolish their houses.