Medha determined to intensity slum dwellers' agitation

Mumbai, May 26 (UNI) Social activist and Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar today urged protesting slum dwellers at Azad Maidan in south mumbai to build houses at the ground in retaliation against the state government's ''apathy''.

She was accompanied by veteran documentary film maker Anand Patwardhan and actor Rahul Bose.

Medha Patakar told slum dwellers, ''If the government fails to listen to your voice. Let us build our homes here.'' The 3000-odd protestors comprised mainly of slum dwellers from Mandala in Mankhurd area in north east Mumbai where the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had on May 9 carried out sweeping demolitions against illegal encroachment of government land in which Hundreds of slum dwellers clashed with police personnel resulting in several arrests and injuries to women and children.

The homeless slum dwellers had been protesting at Azad Maidan since May 17 after their homes were demolished in the anti-encroachment drive.

Ms Patkar said, ''I find the government adopting double standards on the issue of resettlement. If there is no solution, the protests will be intensified with aggressive determination for the right to life and dignity.'' Post demolition, the administration has no concrete plans to develop lands at Mandala and other parts of Mumbai. Also the administration has violated a recent High Court ruling to reserve 20 to 25 per cent of land for poor and provide low cost housing, she added.

When asked about her reaction on the banning of film 'Fanna' in Gujarat, she said, ''The ban on Hindi film 'Fanna' starring actor Amir Khan was an exemplary act of rising fanaticism and intolerance in Gujarat encouraged by the ruling and opposition parties.'' Veteran documentary filmmaker, Anand Patwardan endorsed Medha's opinion on the issue and said, ''In a democracy everybody had the right to free speech and opinion. The ban of a film on grounds of an actors stand on social issues shows the rising tide of fanaticism in Gujarat. On the contrary, no state government has the right to ban a film to satisfy its political missions.'' Extending support to the homeless, actor and activist Rahul Bose expressed deep regret on the turn of events in Gujarat.

Bose observed that people of Gujarat are very understanding and their right to see a film cannot be taken away by a private body of theatre owners.

It was the duty of state government to intervene and oppose such unfair practices by private and vested lobbies. On the contrary, State government was resorting to 'narrow' revenge on a single individual for his stand on social issues, Bose added.

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