TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: “Are you all for this or not? If you are for, then join people’s movements because it is people’s movements that raise questions and challenge government targets,” activist Medha Patkar thundered as she challenged the applauding audience into social action on the second day of the D D Kosambi festival of ideas at the Kala Academy, PANJIM:, Wednesday.
Speaking on the issue of the “Reviewing Development Paradigm: Contribution of People’s movements,” Patkar who became famous for her leadership and activism in the Narmada Bachao Andolan which continues to this day, warned that a people’s movement was a constant struggle.
“There are no limits to people’s power. We have to be analytical of the government’s plans and challenge their targets. It has to be a movement, it has to have momentum, it has to shake you, it cannot be content with replacing one chief minister with another or changing one government with another. You have to raise questions to see if the development is just, equitable and sustainable. We have to struggle and continue to struggle. Just like we are struggling in-spite of the RTI Act and the Constitution of India,” Patkar said.
Her 45 minute speech, was laced with examples of how money is concentrated among the rich and the corporates.
“In Goa, I’ve heard that Rs 20,000 crore is the profit of a handful of mining companies. Some say the solution lies in the nationalisation of resources. Can we make it such that if the people were the owners of the community lands they would also be earning from the mining of resources,” Patkar asked, amidst applause by the audience.
“Why is water being sold to companies at 55 paise a litre when they are selling bottled water at Rs 18 or 20 for a litre? Why are acres and acres of land being sold to companies at 40 paise for a square metre? Just to ensure the profits for a handful?” she asked.
She asked the audience not to lose hope as since in the past the people’s movements have succeeded and will succeed as she gave the example of how Enron Corp in Dabhol Maharashtra and Dupont in Goa were made to change their plans because of people’s movements.
Earlier she ‘saluted’ the Goa government which is controlled by the ruling party for offering the platform to someone who formed the non political opposition saying that such a venture is indeed rare.
