Modi govt murdering 244 villages: Patkar on Sardar Sarovar dam row

Activist Medha Patkar on Wednesday described the return of land to Singur farmers in West Bengal as a “new lease of life” while slamming the Narendra Modi-led government on the Sardar Sarovar Dam issue.

“I have come from the Narmada Jal Satygraha (protest) where the Modi government is going to murder 244 villages and one town. We are constantly challenging the new form of communal violence that is directed at those who make their living from nature and hard work, it is a new form of communalism... whether it is at Narmada or at Singur,” Patkar said.

The Narmada Jal Satyagraha in Madhya Pradesh will oppose increasing the water level of the Sardar Sarovar Dam and the resulting destruction of villages.

Patkar lauded the Leftists for joining the struggle for land rights.

“It is a good thing that they have now joined in the struggle for rights over land,” she said.

Batting for rights of the farming community, Patkar heaped praises on West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for keeping her promise while criticising “indiscriminate corporatisation” that “shackles” the poor who eke out their living through years of toil.

“No one is against development. Those who participated in the agitation were not against development. Even the people of Singur were not against development. They were against the Tatas,” Patkar said here at the Singur festival.