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As we go to the press
the NBA (Narmada Bachao Andolan) are on the 14th day of their fast in Delhi. The
farce of the three central ministers visiting the site of the displaced (they
returned within one day) and reporting to the Prime Minister is over. The
non-violent strugglers were yet again arrested, beaten and dragged by the hair.
The dam continues to be built higher and higher inundating more and more
villages — on this occasion 35,000 families in three states. Huge funds have
been expended, contractors, financiers, bureaucrats and politicians have made
crores, but the displaced have barely been given a pittance. The agony of the
victims is sought to be drowned in the ecstasy of those who have made their
fortunes milking this Sardar Sarova Project. The moneybags could not care for
the fasters — in their view better dead than the continuous nuisance value to
their dreams of making their fortunes.
The ongoing
two-decade long Namada Bachao struggle has no doubt brought into focus the
massive displacement of villagers, particularly tribals, by such large projects.
It has created an awareness about their plight. The NBA activists have faced
consistent lathis, tear gas, arrests, etc. Even during the present hunger strike
in the heart of Delhi a massive force of 1,200 lathi wielding police swooped
down on the sleeping activists, whisked away the three on fast and roughed up
and dragged by the hair the 100 activists present. Not only that, all have been
charged with rioting, criminal assault and obstructing public officers on duty.
It is true that big
dams are a disaster, not only ecologically but in the huge destitution caused to
villagers uprooted in the catchments areas. The struggle is no doubt just and
the masses should be supported in their demands that they have consistently been
putting forward. But the question that arises and that needs serious attention
is that what have they really achieved over these two decades? Has this path of
non-violence given them any real relief let alone the stopping of the dam or
restricting its height? What is the meaning of the political vultures who have
been flocking to the venue of the hunger strike — particularly the likes of the
hordes of CPI/CPM who are fully in favour of big dams and the existing model of
imperialist-dictated development but show ‘sympathy’ to the fasters? Is it to
really give support or capitalize on the popularity being gained by the fasters
for their vote banks?
And just besides the
NBS activists lie another set of fasters — victims of the Bhopal Gas Disaster.
This equally lengthy non-violent struggle of over two decades is facing the same
fate as that of the NBA. In this biggest industrial disaster the world has ever
seen the culprits go scott free, while the victims are yet to get their
compensation. Meanwhile, Union Carbide, continues its profit-making machine (now
under a different label) while the victims continue their agonized lives
decapacitated by the poisonous gases.
On this occasion the
Narmada Control Authority (NCA) on March 8th issued an order allowing the height
of the Sardar Sarovar dam to be raised from the present 110.64 metres to 121.92
metres — a rise of 11.3 metres or as much as 35 feet. This would result in the
displacement of 35,000 additional families in the affected states of MP, Gujarat
and Maharashtra. In MP the government failed to rehabilitate the thousands
already affected; nothing has been done for an estimated 24,000 families in 177
villages who will be displaced if the height is raised as planned. Maharashtra’s
3000 families facing displacement have also not been rehabilitated. In Gujarat
those already displaced have been reduced to penury owing to the poor quality of
land in the resettlement sites.
Earlier too the
thousands of families displaced have not been rehabilitated and some have merely
been given aa paltry cash compensation.
While the Gujarat
government can pay thousands of crores to the dubious financiers of the project
as interest they are not prepared to give even a pittance to the displaced.
According to a CAG report (2002:57) the average annual debt liability works out
to a gigantic Rs.945 crores. The Gujarat government has stepped up its
allocation to the SSP to a huge Rs.3,730 crores in 2000-01 — the year the
Supreme Court allowed the dam construction to go ahead, on the condition of
rehabilitation six months prior to the submergence. The Courts as usual are in
total favour of the contractor lobby and the supposed "rehabilitation" could be
interpreted in any away — even the few thousand rupees given could be accepted
as "rehabilitation".
Not only are the
governments on the side of the moneybags but so also are the courts. This can be
seen in all recent judgments whether it is the SSP, the Bhopal Gas Kand, the
eviction of slum dwellers, or whether it is judgments against striking workers,
the indebted peasantry, the dalits, etc. The people can never expect justice
from this judicial system which is openly in favour of the rich and powerful.
So, the example of
the NBA struggle, as with many others, has conclusively shown that the people
cannot get justice either through non-violent protest or through legal action.
In fact on many occasions peaceful agitators have been mowed down in cold blood
as were the tribals of Kalinganagar, the peasants of Rajasthan or the workers of
Gurgao. On the other hand many projects in Chhathisgarh have been stalled for
years (like the proposed iron ore mines at Raogarh) due to militant opposition
of the masses led by the Maoists.
Today, it is quite
clear to all that the NBA path of non-violence is at a dead end and it is time
for all those associated with it and similar agitations to seriously reflect on
what went wrong. Particularly the NBA had whipped up large support not only
throughout the country but also internationally. Yet it could not achieve even
its minimum goals.
The reason for this
is an incorrect understanding of the forces they are dealing with. The monstrous
rulers and the moneybags who prop them up may be very civil in appearance but
they are nothing but rakshases when their interests are hit. Touch even one
paisai of their profit and they are ready to kill. They have contempt for all
such peaceful struggles and could not care about them. They pour scorn on such
passive, impotent attempts to try and counter them. They only fear the masses
that are united and ready to take them on in the only language they know —
violently. But, for that it requires a much greater readiness for sacrifice on
the part of the leadership; very often it is this that they are not ready for.
Today, the question
of displacement is going to be one of the biggest issues facing the country with
gigantic comprador/imperialist projects (mining, dams, national parks, urban
beautification projects, hitech parks, etc) coming up all over the country.
Lakhs and lakhs are being displaced and crores more will be displaced in the
days to come. The impact on the country is going to be colossal. There is an
urgent and burning need for all progressives, democrats and revolutionaries to
come together and actively resist not only these projects but the very model of
development — a product of imperialist dictates.
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