Vilification Campaign Against the NBA

For some time now, an outfit called the National Council for Civil Liberties (based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat) has engaged in an advertisement-campaign in an attempt to tarnish the reputation of the Narmada Bachao Andolan. In these newspaper campaigns, utter lies and twisted facts are being presented to create a wrong impression about the Andolan. While the campaign against the Andolan has been sustained, this is the first time large sums of money are being used to run advertisements. Having failed to provide a satisfactory answer to the fundamental questions raised by the Movement, this is a naked attempt to break the resolve of the people and erode the wider support the Andolan enjoys. The following are the Andolan's comments in this regard.

In the last few months, the supporters of Narmada Dams have been running an expensive advertisement campaign, with the devious intention of tarnishing the image of Narmada Bachao Andolan as well as its senior activists, instead of addressing the facts and issues being raised. However, the saddest part of this sordid affair is the fact that even reputed, national newspapers have succumbed to commercial interests instead of addressing the truth of the matter. This is indeed a shoddy attempt at defaming the Movement and undermining the issues raised by it relating to our water-policy and the larger development paradigm, which are being discussed at the national and international levels with the aim of securing justice. This is a clear reflection of their cowardice.

The ad-campaign promoted by one Mr.V.K. Saxena is sponsored by a "patriot", but till date the identity of this "patriot" has not been disclosed. After all, who is this "patriot" who is spending lakhs of rupees in the "interest" of the people but is coy about taking credit for it ?

Last year, Loksamiti, an organisation running on Gandhian principles and which supports NBA, had been visited by a person who donated some money by cheque, for the nav-nirman activities of the Andolan in the Adavasi areas, like Jeevanshalas [life-schools]. This person who claimed to be related to the Lalbhai group of Companies also claimed to be a supporter of the Movement. The conspiracy in the whole incident becomes clear from the fact that by the time the cheque was submitted, the concerned firm had changed its account number and the cheque couldn't be encashed. Since the donor was an Indian concern, the Movement had no hesitation in accepting the donation. On account of receiving of this cheque, Loksamiti issued a receipt for the same. This receipt was published in advertisements to create the picture that the Movement was receiving "foreign-money". Here it is important to clarify that the Movement is only opposed to foreign-aid and foreign donations. But no 'public organisation' can function without donations. The Movement is not an industrial firm that can generate its own funds. To fulfill its needs, it depends completely on the people from the Valley as well as supporters all over the country, like Arundhati Roy. Is Mr. V. K. Saxena, who is trying to deprive the people of Narmada Valley of their rights by defaming the Movement, running his organisations with money from his pocket? Where are the lakhs of rupees, being used to publish the advertisements against the Movement, coming from? If the Movement is getting foreign-funds illegally, what are the law-enforcement and other agencies of the country doing?

The truth of the matter is completely different. It is a known fact that the Movement declined to accept the prize-money of 2 big foreign awards. In 1991, the Andolan set up a trust using the money received from the Right Livelihood Award, the Alternative Nobel Prize, which is helping the people engaged in "alternative-development activities", all over the country. The main condition for availing this trust's money is that the grant received shall not be used for any activities of the Narmada Bachao Andolan. The 1992 the Goldman Environmental Award received by Ms. Medha Patkar was neither used by her, nor by the Narmada Bachao Andolan. The Movement has filed criminal cases against Mr. V. K. Saxena and Indian Express, the newspaper that first carried the advertisement. Although the Publisher-Editor of Indian Express has tendered an apology, we have still persisted with maintaining their name in the litigation filed, since it was not a proper apology, giving as much prominence as the advertisement. Acting on this litigation, the Metropolitan Magistrate of Delhi issued fresh summons to Mr.V. K. Saxena and warrants to the publisher and editor of Indian Express. The hearing is scheduled for sometime in November.

The second serious allegation against the Movement is that of accepting "foreign-funds" and acting as their agents. The accusers are many including the deputy-chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Ms. Jamuna Devi. In today's scenario when the Central/State Governments are begging for billions of dollars as direct loans and using it to hatch up conspiracies to snatch away the resources and livelihood of the people, what is the credibility of Ms. Jamuna Devi to point her finger at the NBA ? Ms. Jamuna Devi, who has made these allegations has been served with a legal notice and now, a case is being filed against her in the court. The Movement has challenged Mr. Saxena to prove his allegations regarding foreign funds in the court.

In one of the advertisements, Mr. Rahul Banerjee and Ms. Subhadra Khaparde have been called as the activists of the Movement in an attempt to mislead the people. The truth is that the two at no point of time in the past were activists of the Movement nor do they have any current financial-relations with the Movement. Years back, they used to work as the activists of Khedut Mazdoor Chetna Sangh, but they are not even working with the KMCS any more. Their accounts have nothing to do with the Movement.

On the basis of contacts with the "Anti-Maheshwar Resistance", attempts have been made to confuse the people regarding our "foreign-relations". The accusers seem to be missing the point that the project that they are supporting involves 76% investment by "foreign-agencies". From the Enron company which has made a pauper of Maharashtra and the country to Maheshwar, we are openly opposing the globalisation and privatisation policy under which the farmers, labourers and the country's financial and natural resources are being looted. Due to this reason, it became essential to make use of "international forums" to establish the real identity of the "foreign investment companies" and "foreign lenders" and to challenge them on issues ranging from displacement to financial cost-benefit analyses, especially when the World Bank tried to push the work ahead on the Sardar Sarovar Dam illegally, without even the Environmental clearance. The people's organisations were forced to form the "Narmada Action Committee". In this work as well, there was no involvement of foreign funds. This very thing is being twisted in the advertisements to confuse the people. The issues of globalisation and privatisation which will destroy people's lives, requires interaction at the national and international level between people with similar views. This action is neither illegal nor anti-national, but an essential strategic move. Many political and religious organisations have set up organisations on foreign land. Why doesn't anybody pose these questions to them? We are opposing a system that is unjust, corrupt and working for its narrow selfish aims. Is this the reason why we are being defamed?

We have never claimed that NBA is a registered body, nor do we believe that a movement like this, which is fighting for the rights of the people need any kind of registration. Many social movements, including Mahatma Gandhi's movement for independence, were not registered.

In the advertisements, the statements of many other institutions have been attributed to us, with the intention to spread rumors. On the issues related to common misconceptions regarding "development", all People's Movements support each other. With reference to this, the people's fight against the Umbergaon Port Project, N.T.P.C. Project, Coal India Project and the success of these movements reflects the extensive nature and importance of this point. We consider ourselves to be one with all the struggles related to the issues of right to life, social & economic justice and environmental protection. Our relation with them is totally different in comparison to the agreements by the National leaders with the World Trade Organisation and the capitalist forces. Two years back when we were struggling against the Enron Project, we were branded as traitors. Now everybody knows who the real traitor is!

The activities of capitalist-industrialists in the form of Enron are being revealed in every nook and corner of the country. The looting of agricultural labourers and communities dependent on natural resources, the unemployment of labourers - millions are getting adversely affected by these anti-national policies. The decisions of the administration, governance and the judiciary reflect the face and thoughts of globalisation and colonialism in a clear manner. To deal with these, we have to stand and pose a challenge to them. We firmly believe that in these endeavor of ours, our allies will be humanity, environmentalists, the people involved with the correct - developmental models and you.

All the same, we believe that journalism shouldn't go astray from a 'mission' to a 'commercial-venture'. It is very easy to malign anybody using this medium, with the help of money. The advertisements, being published against the struggle of the people engaged in a 16-year long struggle, for their survival, is a result of this phenomenon itself. The surprising thing is that the media did not even make an attempt to address the core of the issue and verify the facts before publishing them. If this continues, then not only the fourth pillar of democracy, but even the fifth pillar namely 'people's movement', will collapse. Our firm belief is that for justice, equality and the correct development paradigm to prevail, the existence of people's movement, as well as support and contribution to them is essential.

Narmada Bachao Andolan