It is very difficult to separate the Congress government of media-savvy
Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Digvijay Singh from that of the communal
Narendra Modi. Both have been targeting the helpless people with the active
connivance of the state-machinery. That was evident, once again on December
9, 2002, in Kukshi block (Dist. Dhar), when over 400 police laid a siege on
the entire area to forcibly occupy the 22 hectares of fertile land in
Bhavanriya village in the plains of Nimad, for the sake of the infamous
Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP). Over 60 people-men and women- were beaten and
arrested and the 'People-friendly' government destroyed well- grown crops of
chilly, onion and cotton in 22 hectares.

And the Grievance redressal Authority (GRA) of Madhya Pradesh, Mr. Sohoni,
appointed by the Supreme Court to deal with the abuse of the affected
people's rights, refused to take up the matter and instead unabashedly told
the people to approach the Supreme Court! This Mr. Sohoni, a highly biased,
retired high court judge, asks the people not to come to him.

It was literally a siege and occupation.. On Monday (Dec.9), the 400 police
blocked the state highway through the villages: Chikhalda, Nissarpur and
Kukshi town, along with a heavy police force in Bhavanriya. All the vehicles
on this road were stopped and checked. The police and officers forcibly
occupied the 22 hectares of land, ostensibly for setting up the
'resettlement site'. The peasants and other people in the village have been
stiffly opposing any kind of displacement and foiled a previous attempt by
the police to grab the village land.

The state government passed and 'award' of land acquisition for 140 hectares
of land in Bhavanriya village, out of which 22 ha. was earmarked for the
'resettlement site' for the people who were opposing any kind of
displacement and resettlement. The owners of 22 ha. land also did not take
the compensation for the 'acquired' land. The people had challenged the
acquisition of the land in the village, as per the provisions of the Land
Acquisition Act. The state government did not respond to the objections
raised under the Act. The people made it clear that the government cannot
acquire the land of the project-affected persons (PAP) for the resettlement,
as per the rehabilitation policy. However, after the Supreme Court judgement
in October 2000, the state government changed the policy and facilitated the
acquisition of land- except 5 acres piece to be left in case of small and
marginal farmers!

When the people took the matter to the GRA, Mr. Sohoni, this insipid
authority asked the people to apprach to the M.P. High Court! So, Ladubai
and Radheshyam filed the write petition in the High Court ( Writ no. 1460
and 1461 of 2002). The High Court ruled that since the Supreme Court had
appointed the GRA for the specific purpose of dealing with the complaints of
PAPs, the affected persons must approach GRA. However, Mr. Sohoni just
refused to look at the matter.

On December 9, the people again contacted Mr. Sohoni about the emergency
situation and breach of law and rights of the people. This fellow again
asked the people to go to High Court. When the people pointed out the High
Court verdict, he asked them to go the Supreme Court! After much insisting,
the GRA gave the date of January 15 for the hearing of the Bhavnriya land
case.

Well, Mr. Sohoni, the government and police had already destroyed the
standing crop on the land and started to build the roads and structures on
this land. So when and how the people are to get the justice? The great
Supreme Court of India again asked the people to approach the GRAs in the
three states 'in case' any complaints of impropriety. And the GRA himself
asks the people to go to Supreme Court without hearing their case of
restraining the government. The judicial processes and offices in case of
Sardar Sarovar have literally become the facilitators for the government to
displace the people.

And, the people-friendly Digvijay Singh gloats about secular credentials and
distributes Tansen and Lata Mangeshkar Awards, while his police destroy the
tribals' villages, homes and harass the peasants of his own state, with the
complicity of the GRA and other authorities. It is nothing short of state
terrorism. That has been the basis of the projects like Sardar Sarovar.

In Gujarat elections Narendra Modi has been projecting the Sardar Sarovar as
the prime item of his chauvinistic provincialism (Gujarat's asmita), to
deflect the nationwide criticism of communal record. Digvijay Singh, is
helping Modi to wriggle out of the communal mess and also to score electoral
points. While the Congress party under Smt. Sonia Gandhi is leading the
campaign in and out of Gujarat for the ouster of Modi, here is her trusted
lieutenant, helping Modi by illegally and forcibly displacing people from
his own state to facilitate the increase in the height of the Sardar
Sarovar.

This is not the only the misdeed of Singh. The peasants and tribals in the
state are being constantly suppressed to promote his corrupt policies of
privatization and globalization. He knows that everybody is looking at Modi
and Gujarat.

Can we allow this is the kind of atrocities and misuse of secularism? It is
another face of the ghastly carnage in Gujarat.. This has to be stopped NOW.

Please URGENTLY write/meet/talk/phone/ send fax/email to-

1. Digvijay Singh, and ask him to stop all the atrocious acts of
displacement and appropriation of people's resources and rights. Ask him to
stop illegal and forcible land acquisition.
( Digvijay Singh, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shyamla Hills,Bhopal
462004
Phone 0755-540500; Fax 0755 - 540501 )

2. And Mr. (Retd.Justice) Sohoni.. Ask him to fulfill his mandate and not to
try to avoid the job he has been assigned. He is there to protect people's
rights and not to please the government.
(Mr Sohoni, Grievance redressal Authority, Sardar Sarovar Project, Bhopal.
Ph. (O) 0755- 660187,660127)


In Solidarity,

Ashish Mandloi,
Mohan Patidar
Sanjay Sangvai