New Delhi: ANHAD (Act Now for Harmony and Democracy), a socio-cultural organization that stands for justice, secularism and democracy since 2002, has strongly condemned the destruction of the local Rajghat in Barwani, Madhya Pradesh, that has housed the urns of Mahatma Gandhi, Kasturba and Gandhi’s secretary, Mahadev Desai.
ANAHD’s press statement said, “The unceremonious and sudden manner in which the three urns were taken away and the place dug up is simply outrageous.”
ANHAD has termed the incident as “poignant” because close to the site of this memorial, Medha Patkar and her team were protesting for the rehabilitation of 244 villages and 40,000 families that have been rendered homeless by the Sardar Sarovar dam.
Statement said, “Both these developments – the razing the Gandhi Memorial as well as the ongoing struggle of the dam-affected for livelihood and shelter – are unacceptable in a just and transparent democracy. The central as well as state governments stand accountable for its ruthless destruction of livelihoods, residence and now our history and leaders, all in the name of development.”
Moreover it said, “This comes in the wake of the current government’s attempts to selectively wipe out history, rewrite textbooks, muzzle freedom of speech, among others.”
Organization has expressed its solidarity with Medha Patkar and activists of Narmada Bachao Andolan who are on indefinite fast for justice, life and civilisation in the Narmada valley. The statement was undersigend by Aban Raza, Amrita Nandy, Dhruv Sangari, Leena Dabiru, Mukhtar Ahmed Sheikh, Ovais Sultan Khan and Shubha Menon.