It is to be noted here that the affected people of Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar dams have been participating in this sit-in since the last 23 days and five people were on fast since 21 days. It is a cause of grave concern and sadness that the district administration chose to further terrorise the hapless displaced people instead of accepting their just and legal demands. But this atrocity has further strengthened the resolve of the people. They have declared that they will not cower in the face of government tyranny. They have decided to intensify their struggle for their just rights and take it to the state capital, Bhopal.

About 150 policemen and 10-12 police-women arrived at the dharna site and demanded to take away two of the hunger strikers – Suraj Bai and Krishna Bai – to hospital due to their deteriorating health. The satyagrahis were not even given time to consider this demand and give their response. Instead all the policemen pounced on the satyagrahis on a fast since 21 days. They were beaten up and dragged and arrested. 70 year old Laxmi Bai of village Toki was also badly beaten. To top it all, it was policemen who were carrying out all this beating on women activists. The women police had been brought, it seems, for the sake of a facade only.

In addition to those severely hurt like Jubba Bai of Kukshi and Arpinna Bai of Navalpura, Dhali Bai (Kamankheda), Laxmi bai (Toki), Jankari Bai (Sukwa), Jamuna Bai (Toki) and Saga Bai (Kamankheda) were also injured so that they had to be hospitalized. The police and administrations terror was not only limited to the dharna site. SDM Shri Vyas went in the Intensive Care Unit were the hunger strikers had been admitted and threatened to slap Krishna Bai – one of the satyagrahis.

In the last 20 days these affected people have recorded over 12000 complaints on issues of rehabilitation and other grievances. But the administration chose to turn a blind eye to these complaints and instead beat the unfortunate displaced people black and blue.

The displaced people of Indira Sagar and Omkareshwar dam have now declared that they will take their struggle to the state capital of Bhopal and intensify it there. They will neither discontinue their dharna, not break their indefinite fast. If no favourable decision is taken by the state administration by June 29th, then the dharna and fast will be shifted to Bhopal on June 30th.

She said that the government that is creating a facade of celebrations of the centenary year of Gandhian satyagraha and the 75th anniversary of Bhagat Singh's martyrdom, has not even bothered to find out what are the demands of the real satyagrahis who have put their lives at stake and are on a hunger strike since 20 days.

Medha wondered how the governments capable of destroying a whole live river eco-system do not have the wherewithal to even rehabilitate one displaced village. Leave alone the Bargi and Tawa dams, even the people displaced by the Bhakra Nangal dam in 1954 have not yet been rehabilitated.

The claim to solve the electricity crisis with the help of projects like Omkareshwar, Indira Sagar and Maheshwar has proved to be a mirage, she added. To destroy the stable sources of bio-energy for a pittance of electricity generation is anyways a fool's paradise. She saluted the Gunjari satyagrahis and said that as long as this cycle of destruction does not stop, the Andolan will also continue to challenge it.

The government willingly pays in lakhs to the lawyers to be able to save a few thousands payable to the displaced., she opined.

Sardar Sarovar affected Ms Shanta Behan of village Pipri (Badwani) said that we will never compromise our land and our freedom.

Senior Andolan activist Ms Chittaroopa Palit, now on 20th day of her fast, said that we are struggling here with issues of land for land and land for adult sons and unmarried adult daughters as per rehabilitation policy. We will never allow the government to allot the draw-down land of the Indira Sagar reservoir to foreign companies.

Earlier Alok Agrawal, senior Andolan activist pointed out that each and every family has grievances against the NHDC. He informed that in the last 20 days over 12000 such complaints have been recorded. He also raised the issue of filing false affidavits to deprive the displaced of their just rights and declared that the Andolan would initiate legal action against the offending officials.

He also questioned why the Omkareshwar plant, inspite of submerging 5 villages, was unable to even test electricity production?