Tribal voices

Medha Patkar has shown remarkable courage and consistency to the Narmada Bachao Andolan

Shabana Azmi: Actress and former MP
Salutes: Medha Patkar
Who is she: Works with Narmada Bachao Andolan to get justice for villagers affected by the Sardar Sarovar Dam project

Medha Patkar has shown remarkable courage and consistency to the Narmada Bachao Andolan. Rehabili-tation and resettlement of project-affected people should take place on the principles of social justice.

I have gone with Medha to the affected villages of Madhya Pradesh and met the tribal women there. I salute Medha for empowering them to internalise the language of rights as the ground rule for negotiation.

There have been attempts to paint Medha as a negative force. Why is resistance portrayed as negative? Whose development at whose cost, is the question. Medha has successfully brought the issue of rehabilitation to centre stage of any negotiation of so called 'development' projects.