6 end stir, Patkar fast on

Six out of 11 Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) activists called off their hunger strike following an appeal by their leader Medha Patkar, who, however, is continuing with her fast.

Six out of 11 Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) activists called off their hunger strike following an appeal by their leader Medha Patkar, who, however, is continuing with her fast.

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Claiming that “the visit by three Union ministers to the Sardar Sarovar dam site and their interaction with those displaced by the project has not yielded results till this moment”, the NBA feels the need to intensify the struggle in different and stronger ways, JNU student union president Mona Das told reporters here on Tuesday.

The move came a day after the ministers submitted their report to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on their just-concluded visit to the Narmada valley.

Patkar, who is in AIIMS, will continue her fast along with two of her colleagues — Bhagwati Bhen and Jamsingh Bhai — and were recently joined by two more NBA activists —Ranvir Singh Rathore and Om Prakash Sandhu.

“I appeal to all the fasting colleagues and comrades to withdraw the fast and continue the satyagraha with the torch held by them,’’ Patkar said.