‘Jal Satyagraha’ protestors in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh have temporarily called off their protest – as it entered its 32nd day today.
The breakthrough came after Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh held a meeting with the farmers – during the course of which he strongly urged them to end the agitation as the health of many of them had deteriorated.
The agitation has been called off for two months.
We have called off our agitation for two months to give time to the Madhya Pradesh government to rehabilitate Omkareshwar Dam oustees. Yesterday, a top MP state government official asked us to call off our agitation and sought time to provide succour to the oustees, who were standing in the water.
– Alok Agrawal, NBA leader and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) state convenor
When Two Metres Moved a Village
The protest is being staged under the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) in a move to oppose the government’s decision to raise the water level of the Omkareshwar dam from 189 metres to 191 metres. The Narmada Bachao Andolan had earlier accused the Madhya Pradesh government of turning “despotic and pro-corporate”, alleging that it was not serious about the rehabilitation of farmers affected by the Omkareshwar dam project.
Earlier, protesters had rejected the state government’s offer to accept another piece of land, which the former believed was infertile.
Watch the video here:
As a part of the ongoing ‘Jal Satyagraha’ protest farmers have been standing waist-deep in river Narmada – quickly becoming a symbol of quiet dissent.
The protesters have demanded compensation and rehabilitation for villagers whose homes will be submerged after the gates of the Omkareshwar dam are opened.
Watch the video here.
The agitation dates as far back as 2007 – when the state government acquired land belonging to these farmers in order to build the Omkareshwar dam on river Narmada.
(With inputs from PTI)
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