Govt sees red in 'Save Jal, Jungle, Jameen' meeting

Ahmedabad: The meeting of human rights activists and Gandhians scheduled at Gujarat Vidyapith from July 16 to 18 to discuss issues related to land acquisition, and water and forest rights has the state home department worried. Officials fear that the meeting for a discussion to 'Save Jal, Jungle and Jameen' may lead to a Naxalite movement in Gujarat.
However, organizers of the meeting claim that the seminar has nothing to do with anti-government or Naxal activities but is merely intended to spread awareness among deprived communities about their rights.
Muzahid Nafees, one of the organisers, said that the 'National Convention for People's Movement for Natural Resources' will be held to discuss issues related to land acquisition, water and forests rights. Activists from across the country will take part in the convention, said Nafees.
"If the state government feels it is a Naxal movement, it should identify at least one activist who has been named for any Naxal activity. We initiated steps to hold this convention in January this year and, since then, we have made it public through social media also. There is nothing secret about it like a Naxal movement," Nafees said.
He further said that around 200 activists from organisations like National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) and Medha Patkar's 'Narmada Bachao Andolan' will be participating in the convention.
Sagar Rabari, a city-based activist who has been working for the rights of farmers, said that people from his NGO, 'Gujarat Lok Samiti', will participate in the convention.
Rabari said that people who will be participating in the convention have been in public life for many years. "Many of them do have a leaning towards the left and the socialist movement but they are not left extremists. Is the state government and the Centre now calling Medha Patkar a Naxalite?" Rabari said.
Sources claimed that the Maharashtra government had earlier intimated the Gujarat government about alleged Naxal activities by some of organisations. But sources in Gujarat police denied that they had received any specific message.