Medha Patkar Defends Advocacy After BJP MPs Walkout

New Delhi, Jul 2 (PTI) – Activist Medha Patkar, responding to a controversy that erupted after BJP MPs walked out of a parliamentary panel meeting she attended, questioned whether advocating for Dalits, Adivasis, farmers, and laborers is now considered "anti-national." A meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, intended to discuss the land acquisition act's implementation, was cut short on Tuesday due to protests by BJP MPs against Patkar's participation. She is known for leading the 'Narmada Bachao Andolan,' a movement resisting the height increase of the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat.

The committee, chaired by Congress MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, invited Patkar to share her insights on the land acquisition law's success, initially passed during the Congress-led UPA government in 2013. However, former Union minister and BJP MP Parshottam Rupala, accompanied by other BJP legislators, exited the meeting, with some labeling Patkar as "anti-national." One BJP MP provocatively remarked on the presence of Pakistani leaders at such meetings.

Patkar rebutted these accusations, asking, "What constitutes being anti-national? We defend the rights of Dalits, Adivasis, farmers, and laborers. Is that anti-national? We uphold their rights as enshrined in the law and the Constitution, and above all, human rights." She insisted that opposition to her views was valid, but branding her as anti-national or an 'urban naxal' was unwarranted. "The democratic process includes parliamentary standing committee discussions," she asserted.

Patkar disclosed her prior involvement in parliamentary discussions and collaboration with the government during the drafting of the Land Acquisition Act of 2013. "Under Sumitra Mahajan's leadership, we received a fair hearing," she recalled, referencing the former BJP Lok Sabha Speaker.

She clarified that their appearance before the panel followed an official invitation, with all formalities observed. She mentioned being informed of a directive from the Lok Sabha's secretary general to Congress MP Ulaka, the chair, to cancel the meeting due to a purported lack of quorum. Patkar questioned the quorum issue, saying officials informed her of 17 MPs present.

The cancellation letter cited only the quorum issue, without mentioning her participation as a reason, Patkar said. Janata Dal (Secular), led by former Prime Minister H D Devegowda and an NDA ally, attended the meeting but abstained from the walkout. "Mr. Devegowda remained quietly seated beside the chairman," Patkar noted.

Discussing the Narmada Bachao Andolan, Patkar emphasized their demand for the implementation of awards granted by the Narmada Tribunal. The Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal, established in 1969, addressed water-sharing among Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan concerning the Narmada River.

"They mention our position from the Narmada Bachao Andolan. Our stance has always been that the Narmada Tribunal's award must be enforced," she stated. She also highlighted the World Bank's withdrawal of funding from the Sardar Sarovar Dam project, citing poor planning and flawed data. The World Bank formed the Morse Commission to assess environmental impact and displacement concerns, ultimately withdrawing by 1993.

Patkar underscored the critical need for the rehabilitation of displaced families. "Thousands lived in the area; fair and complete rehabilitation cannot be denied. About 50,000 families received rehabilitation, but ongoing discussions persist for a few thousand in Madhya Pradesh, and hundreds in Maharashtra and Gujarat."

"We urge the government to act promptly, yet their response lacks urgency," she concluded.