Other States - Madhya Pradesh

M.P. Govt. suppressing facts: Arundhati Roy

By Our Staff Correspondent

The Booker Prize winner, Arundhati Roy, enquires about the health of a anti-dam protester on hunger strike in Bhopal on Sunday. — AP

BHOPAL JUNE 9. The noted author and social activist, Arundhati Roy, today alleged that the Madhya Pradesh Government was spreading misinformation, suppressing facts and violating the rights of the people affected by big dams in the Narmada valley.

She was here to express solidarity with the Man dam-affected people struggling for relief and rehabilitation before the onset of monsoon. Today was the 20th day of their hunger strike and 26th day of their protest dharna.

Ms. Roy told presspersons at the dharna site that the State Government had ``lied'' with regard to issues linked with the construction of the dams. The Government had recently told the Supreme Court that the initial survey for the Sardar Sarovar dam in Gujarat was wrong and that it has now been found that an extra twelve-and-half per cent of land would be submerged. At the same time, the Government had also concluded that the number of those to be displaced would be around four per cent less than what had been perceived earlier. Ms. Roy wondered how the Government could make such a claim.

She said the State Government's ``sensibilities had been completely blunted as it had failed to show any concern for the dam-affected people.'' Drawing attention to the general condition prevailing elsewhere, she said, ``if you are not open to non-violent reasonable dissent, people may be compelled to more and more violent methods''.

Violence cannot be predicted on a set line, she said adding that society will be torn apart if Governments remain insensitive to non-violent methods of protest.

There was a need to modernise non-violent means of protest.Asked whether she would be meeting the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Ms. Roy said ``I am a nobody and never negotiate with politicians.''

A Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) activist, Chittaroopa Palit, who is among those sitting on hunger strike, said the struggle had reached the conclusive stage.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• M.P. Govt. suppressing facts: Arundhati Roy

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu