The Hindu : National : Medha vows to continue struggle

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Wednesday, May 10, 2006

National

National

Medha vows to continue struggle

"If this is the response , we will have no alternative but to take it by the horns"

Photo: R. V. Moorthy

FOR A CAUSE: Writer Arundhati Roy and Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar staging a symbolic protest outside the Supreme Court in New Delhi on Tuesday.

New Delhi: Terming Supreme Court's rejection of the plea for stopping construction work at the Narmada Dam "shocking," NBA leader Medha Patkar on Tuesday vowed to continue her campaign against "injustice" meted out to the displaced people.

Ms. Patkar, with a number of activists, including writer Arundhati Roy, organised a sit-in before the Supreme Court to mark her protest.

She accused the Centre of "making a mockery of its role with regard to the rehabilitation of the project affected families, especially adivasis."

"If this is the response by the system, we will have no alternative but to take it by the horns," she said adding she wanted to show that NBA activists were undeterred by any "pressure."

She criticised some of the media for being "puppets in the hands of industrialists." Ms. Patkar also challenged Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who had talked of taking action against those who wanted to stop the construction of the dam in the name of rehabilitation, to do so against her. Ms. Patkar also expressed disagreement with the Supreme Court's justification for postponing the decision on the raising of the dam height on the ground of "disputed facts."

The apex court on Monday declined the NBA's plea to stop the ongoing construction work to raise the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam from 110 to 121.92 metres at this stage. — PTI

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