Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday targeted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and its national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by claiming some people were trying to provide a backdoor entry in Gujarat politics to social activist Medha Patkar, who had opposed the state’s lifeline Narmada project.

Home Minister Amit Shah, while addressing a gathering at the inaugural function of the 36th National Games, which is being hosted by Gujarat a few months before the Assembly elections. “Those who want to bring Medha Patkar, who opposed Gujarat and our lifeline Narmada project and did not let go of any chance to defame Gujarat on every possible forum, should stop here itself. There is no place for those opposing Gujarat,” Shah said.

Patkar, the founder member of Narmada Bachao Andolan that opposed the Narmada dam project and fought on rehabilitation issues, was fielded by the AAP from Mumbai’s North East seat in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. “These days, some people have made a new start to give Medha Patkar, who opposed the Narmada project, a backdoor entry into Gujarat politics. I would like to ask the youth of Gujarat if they would allow those who opposed the Narmada project as well as the development of Gujarat to enter the state,” he said.

Medha Patkar has build a reputation of opposing almost all development projects on the ground. And she does so in the disguise of poor, downtrodden and tribals that the poor are being exploited, environment will be harmed, etc etc.. The few which she hasn’t opposed, her own colleagues have accused her then of being motivated in her approach.

As far as the claims of the Niti Central website are concerned, I will provide this link for starters: https://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/foreign-aided-ngos-are-actively-stalling-development-ib-tells-pmo-in-a-report/ (Foreign-aided NGOs are actively stalling development, IB tells PMO in a report). From this at least this much should be clear that its not impossible; the question now rests on a mere probability, something that can be, safely and thankfully, substituted with logic. Who benefits if development projects are stalled? Not India. Not the rich. Not the poor. Yes its true! Not even the poor benefit from the stalled projects. They are merely taken on a long and exhausting journey of strikes, protests and dharnas, all the time pouring out their gratitude to a bunch of activists who use these poor souls for fame, recognition and of course money. Throw in the occasional awards and this is a very appealing career. As for who will give them all this, well naturally the only party which benefits from all this.

All of us believe at some part of our heart that Indian companies are no good and that foreigners are more efficient and capable with their developmental works; but guess what? Its a foreign idea planted in our head and the tools of it are people like these that parade themselves as the champions of the poor. They benefit, the powers of which they are the proxy benefit and in the whole cycle India is left out, all of it. Not any rich or poor, but all of it.

If you are trying to find the truth then consider this: Can the poor come out of poverty without development? Do you think people will keep funding charity programmes or giving taxes for no facilities for themselves and instead seeing it wasted on non-existent development? Where have such countries, in history, gone? Only either into oblivion or to a revolution. India thought that she was heading towards a revolution with Arvind Kejriwal but the truth is it was merely re-entering into a vicious cycle that it has already completed at least once post-Independence.

There has been allegations, that Medha Patkar allegedly lynched several Government officers who went to survey Land for Rehabilitation displaced by Narmada Sardar sarovar Dam. Medha Patkar made business out of fear mongering. Few officers who worked for Rehabilitation of Narmada Dam, also gave testimonials regarding these claims. Due to Medha Patkar, the project got delayed by almost 20 years. Also, the cost of project rose manifold along with loss of crops for farmers, water & electricity.

However , Narmada Valley Projects has brought immense benefits to people of india. Nearly 18.45 lakh hectares of land are being projected irrigated in Gujarat — a very large area by any standards. Besides, 2.46 lakh hectares in Rajasthan will be also irrigated. This will increase agricultural production to the tune of about 87 lakh tonnes per annum. Then, there is an installed hydropower capacity of 1,450 MW, which would be generating about 100 crore units of electricity per year. Drinking water will be provided to 9,500 villages, 173 towns of Gujarat and 124 villages of Rajasthan. Four Indian states namely Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharastra and Rajasthan are mainly benefitted by its irrigation and electrical power supply.

The project will irrigate more than 18,000 km2 (6,900 sq mi), most of it in droughtprone areas of Kutch and Saurashtra. The Sardar Sarovar Project will provide irrigation facilities to 18.45 lac ha. of land, covering 3112 villages of 73 talukas in 15 districts of Gujarat. It will also irrigate 2,46,000 ha. of land in the strategic desert districts of Barmer and Jallore in Rajasthan and 37,500 ha. in the tribal hilly tract of Maharashtra through lift. About 75% of the command area in Gujarat is drought prone while entire command in Rajasthan is drought prone. Assured water supply will soon make this area drought proof.

There’s an opinion article by Swaminathan S Anklesaria Aiyar, who is consulting editor of The Economic Times, titled Medha Patkar was wrong on Narmada project https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/Swaminomics/medha-patkar-was-wrong-on-narmada-project/.

I found Medha’s arguments persuasive, and wrote an article opposing the project. Today it is clear I was wrong. She made a fool of not just me but thousands of concerned humanists who should also be angry at being taken for a ride.

Hence, such people are nothing but road blocks in India’s progress.

DISCLAIMER: The author is solely responsible for the views expressed in this article. The author carries the responsibility for citing and/or licensing of images utilized within the text.