Peoples' movements turning to Naxalites

Peoples' movements turning to Naxalites


PUNE: Medha Patkar, founder of the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) said on Saturday that activists of several peoples' movements across the country, who have been agitating through peaceful means so far, were contemplating support from Naxalites and Maoists.

While clarifying that this did not mean these organisations were planning to resort to violence, Patkar said, "But, the fact remains that the leaders of several organisations are feeling frustrated by the continuous betrayal by the government."

Patkar was delivering a lecture on the 'Politics of public movements' organised as part of the birth centenary celebrations of late socialist leader Nanasaheb Gore. The event was organised by the S.M. Joshi Socialist Foundation here on Saturday.

Patkar said the NBA and like-minded groups were in the process of uniting 'secular and peaceful' organisations to save the country from the invasion on natural resources by capitalist forces.

"But, the lobbies against which we are fighting are very strong. Hence, there is a growing feeling that we should rope in all those who are fighting for justice. Including the Naxalites," she said.

Patkar said that all the major policies of the government were set to displace hundreds of thousands of people.

"Yet, lands are being forcefully acquired and false reports about rehabilitation are being churned out. Including the NBA, many have experienced that even the Supreme Court has failed to give justice and it, too, finally believes in the reports tabled by the government. There is a need for a 'Desh Bachao Andolan'," Patkar said.