1400+ activists condemn FIR against Medha Patkar, others, challenge vindictiveness

Counterview Desk

More than 1,400 activists, academics, citizens across India call for withdrawal of dubious FIR against Medha Patkar and Narmada Abhiyan trustees. Petition is open for endorsements.

Text:

In response to a petition initiated by the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), more than 1,400 people from 23 + states signed up, to demand the immediate withdrawal of a dubious FIR filed against social activist Medha Patkar and 11 other trustees of Narmada Nav Nirman Abhiyan (NNNA) alleging ‘misuse of funds’ for ‘anti-national’ activities! It is no surprise that the so-called ‘complainant’ is affiliated to the ABVP, student wing of the BJP. Expressing outrage at the vindictive actions of the Govt., solidarity has been pouring in from a large number of people’s movements, farmers and workers organizations, trade unions, national networks, campaigns and alliances across the country, in the past four days. Protests are also being held in different states.
The signatories to the petition include activists, academics, lawyers, retired officials, independent media persons, film makers, feminists, representatives of mass organizations, trade unions, political leaders etc. such as Sr. Adv. Prashant Bhushan, Prof. Roop Rekha Verma, E A S Sarma, Admiral L Ramdas, Aruna Roy, Nikhil Dey and Shankar Singh, Arundhati Roy, Subhashini Ali, Bhanwar Meghwanshi, Annie Raja, Devaki Jain, Fr. Cedric Prakash, Ulka Mahajan, Holiram Terang, Rohit Prajapati, Harsing Jamre and Madhuri JADS, Kavita Kuruganti, Yogendra Yadav, Chayanika Shah, Nityanand Jayaraman, Dr. Lata PM, Sadhana Saheli, Sujato Bhadra, Hasina Khan, Geetha Ramakrishnan, Shabnam Hashmi, Alok Shukla, Dr. Gabriele Dietrich, Anuradha Talwar, Maj. Genl. (Retd.) SG Vombatkere, CR Neelakandan, Agnes Kharshiing, Pamela Philipose, Prof. Walter Fernandes, Roma Malik, Bela Bhatia, Dr. Veena Shatrugna, Irfan Engineer, Kalyani Menon Sen, Prof. Padmaja Shaw, Henri Tiphagne, Dr. Ram Puniyani, Prof. Nandini Sundar, Dr. Sugan Baranth, Sagar Dhara, Pranab Doley, Dr. Nandita Narain, Clifton Rozario, Dr Sandeep Pandey, Kavita Srivastava, Gurtej Singh, John Dayal, Siraj Dutta, Sajaya Kakarla, Maimoona Mollah, Prof B N Reddy, Manshi Asher, Pradip Chatterjee, Himanshu Thakkar, Kaladas Deheria, Mallika Virdi, Rohini Hensman, Sanjay Kak, Eric Pinto, Prafulla Samantara, Sunita Vishwanath, Dr. Mira Shiva, Shalmali Guttal, Dr. Shaikh Gulaam Rasool, Virginia Saldanha etc. (and numerous others).
They acknowledged the work of NNNA as a welfare Trust that has only strived to support the educational, health and related activities in the dam-affected rural and adivasi regions of the Narmada valley in MP and Maharashtra. All trustees are public-spirited persons and many are oustees themselves. They also said that Narmada Bachao Andolan, has organized displacement-affected communities in the past 37 years, struggling to assert people’s constitutional rights, despite a history of state repression and vilification. The current BJP Govt. is again raking up false allegations to persecute the people’s movement and activists.
The signatories felt that the FIR against Medha Patkar and NNNA trustees is part of a continuing spree of persecution against rights defenders, civil liberties activists, fact-checkers, students etc. who have been speaking truth to power, exposing the anti-people nature of this Government and questioning the injustice being meted out to marginalized sections of our society. Condemning the vengeful actions of the BJP Government against persons working in public interest, they called for:
• Immediate withdrawal of FIR against Medha Patkar and all trustees of NNNA.
• No coercive action be undertaken by investigative and law enforcement agencies.
• Upholding the constitutional rights to organize and the right to liberty of all activists who are facing state repression for their public-spirited work.
---
Access the full petition with list of 1400 signatories here; petition open for endorsements here

Comments

Designing the edge, erasing the river: Sabarmati Riverfront and the dissonance between ecology and planning

By Mansee Bal Bhargava, Parth Patel Across India, old black-and-white images of the Sabarmati River are often juxtaposed with vibrant photos of the modern Sabarmati Riverfront. This visual contrast is frequently showcased as a model of development, with the Sabarmati Riverfront serving as a blueprint for over a hundred proposed riverfront projects nationwide. These images are used to forge an implicit public consensus on a singular idea of development—shifting from a messy, evolving relationship between land and water to a rigid, one-time design intervention. The notion of regulating the unregulated has been deeply embedded into public consciousness—especially among city makers, planners, and designers. Urban rivers across India are undergoing a dramatic transformation, not only in terms of their land-water composition but in the very way we understand and define them. Here, we focus on one critical aspect of that transformation: the river’s edge.

Top civil rights leader announces plan to lead delegation to Pakistan amidst post-war tensions

By A Representative In a significant move, well-known academic and civil rights leader Sandeep Pandey has announced the plan to send a 22-member delegation to Pakistan to engage in dialogue with its government and civil society. The delegation proposed to go to Pakistan under the banner of Socialist Party (India) as a fact-finding mission to help seek solution to continuing tensions between the two countries over the fallout of the Pahalgam terror attack.

J&K's Mallabuchan villagers symbolically cut Off pipeline in protest against ‘water injustice’

By A Representative In a striking act of peaceful protest, residents of Mallabuchan village in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam district symbolically disconnected the Ahmadpora-Tangmarg water pipeline on Thursday, denouncing decades of official neglect and violation of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) norms.

Few Bollywood actors possessed Sanjeev Kumar's subtle detachment and sensitivity

By Harsh Thakor On 9th July, we celebrated the 85th birthday of legendary Hindi film actor, Sanjeev Kumar., known as Haribhai Jariwala. Sanjeev Kumar penetrated zones of versatility or acting craft, almost unparalleled in Hindi cinema. He was one one the very few who touched horizons of true genius, transcending regions in acting virtually unexplored. Rarely did any artist get stuck as thickly into the skin of the character. The diversity of expressions in his moves reminded one of the different water colours of a painting. Sanjeev manifested the ventures of an artist to tap the regions unexplored. He simply defied all conventions of Bollywood, making path breaking experiments. His acting had a subtle degree detachment and sensitivity, which few Bollywood actors ever possessed. He may not have possessed the drop dead looks of a Dev Anand, Dharmendra or Sashi Kapoor or the professionalism or star charisma of an Amitabh Bachan, Rajesh Khanna or Shah Rukh Khan. However in pure acting...

Relevance of historical foot marches like Dandi and Salt march in achieving developmental goals in India

By Bharat Dogra India has a great tradition of organizing foot marches, including some which become historically very important, the most obvious example being the Dandi Salt March under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi which is a very important chapter in the freedom movement of India.

Primary sources of the underground Naxalite movement (1965–71): An analytical compilation

By Harsh Thakor* Voices from the Underground: Select Naxalite Documents (1965–71) is a compilation of documents and writings related to the Naxalite movement, spanning the period between 1965 and 1992. The collection includes materials not widely available through mainstream publishers and often considered controversial by the state. It is divided into two sections and contains eighteen documents authored by individuals associated with the movement.

A healthier model for goat-based livelihoods in remote Madhya Pradesh villages

By Bharat Dogra While buffaloes and cows often receive greater attention in animal husbandry-related government development schemes, goats remain vital for poorer households. Therefore, enhancing goat-based livelihoods is especially important for marginalized communities—particularly when such efforts reduce villagers' costs and lower goat mortality rates. One promising strategy involves training local villagers, especially women, to provide essential veterinary services. A welcome byproduct of this is that several women gain a respected source of income within their own villages.

Ecological alarm over pumped storage projects in Western Ghats: Policy analyst writes to PM

By A Representative In a detailed letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, energy and climate policy analyst Shankar Sharma has raised grave concerns over the escalating approval and construction of Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) across India’s ecologically fragile river valleys. He has warned that these projects, if pursued unchecked, could result in irreparable damage to the country’s riverine ecology, biodiversity hotspots, and forest wealth—particularly in the Western Ghats.

Guru Dutt: The melancholy visionary who redefined Indian cinema

By Harsh Thakor* Iconic Indian director and actor Guru Dutt was just 39 years old when he died in 1964, but he left behind a cinematic legacy that continues to resonate. On July 9, the world marks the birth centenary of this cinematic wizard. Guru Dutt, whose name epitomises the golden era of Indian cinema, left an indelible mark with his talents as a director, producer, and actor. He elevated the art of filmmaking to new heights, bringing innovative storytelling to unexplored domains. Like the protagonist of "Pyaasa", true recognition came to Dutt only after his passing. Cinema enthusiasts continue to wonder what more he might have achieved had he lived longer.

Search This Blog