National Book Trust to drop a chapter on Medha Patkar


Class-8 CBSE Hindi book


New Delhi, 27 September 2014

National Book Trust (NBT) has decided to drop an objectionable chapter on Narmada Bachao Andolan(NBA) founder and Aam Admi Party Leader, Medha Patkar, from a book titled “Children who made it big” after Ahmedabad based NGO, National Council for Civil Liberties (NCCL), raised an objection.

NCCL was the first institution in the country, which exposed Patkar and her NBA, and proved that she is working as a stooge of foreign powers, hell-bent to halt the progress of this country.

NCCL President V K Saxena, in June 2002 wrote a detailed letter to Director NBT and requested to forthwith delete the chapter “The Bus stop” on Medha Patkar, “as it is about a person having doubtful integrity and dubious contributions to the nation.”

NCCL President was pursuing this matter since 2002 and in June 2014, he wrote a letter to HRD Minister, Smirti Irani which was forwarded by her to the Director, NBT, for consideration.

Saxena in his letter stated “The author or the publisher of the book “Children…” has perhaps unwittingly committed a great error of judgment by bracketing Medha Patkar with illustrious sons of the soil like M.S. Swaminathan, the Father of Green Revolution, and Ruskin Bond, one of the finest English writers in the world. This has grossly lowered the importance of the book and has put on stake the reputation of National Book Trust – known for publishing quality books on indisputable topics and unquestionable persons.”

“The book as it has been prescribed as a Textbook for the students of Class VII, which might leave unduly high impressions about a highly undeserving person in the minds of young students.”

“For instance, the chapter on Medha Patkar, titled “The Bus Stop” in “Children Who Made It Big” at one place quotes her saying, “How can people be so insensitive to the misery of another human being” does not just fit in her true character. In the guise of environmental protection of Narmada Valley upstream the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) dam, she has been totally insensitive and cruel to over three crore people living downstream in the drought-prone areas of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra.” Saxena Said.

Saxena to NBT director stated that Patkar’s brief life sketch in “A Champion of the Downtrodden” is another misnomer. She claims herself to be the messiah of the project-affected persons. But the very fact that her “Andolan” is supported by ‘more than ten countries, the countries which have harnessed their hydel potential to the maximum capacity, exposes her links with countries, which do not want the progress of India.”

We take this opportunity to bring to your notice the some of her anti-national activities, just in case they have missed your attention. Several cases have been filed against Patkar and NBA in various courts of the country.

NCCL President said, “We have published various sensitive letters of NBA in the form of an advertisement in the leading newspapers of the country to show her real activities. She has not spared even the apex court of the country. We have supplied all the documentary evidence, so far collected against this institution, to the Ministry of Home Affairs, GoI, for suitable action for spreading misinformation.”

NCCL in a statement says that NBT after considering all the documentary evidence provided by the NCCL President decided to remove the Chapter on Patkar which is a big victory for NCCL President, V K Saxena, who was the first person to in the Country to expose the true face of Medha Patkar.