Announcing the decision to resort to mass fast, NBA leader Medha Patkar told the media the government had turned a deaf ear to the plight of those living there for years. She said the police conducted a mock drill to intimidate villagers in Barwani and threatened them to vacate their houses by July 31. The government is trying to make around 18,386 families living in 141 villages homeless, she said.

Accusing the government of maintaining false records of the families to be displaced, she said the government gimmicks would bear no fruit if they neglected public’s grief. The NBA activist said that the government had failed to take care of those displaced earlier and was now threatening to evacuate 141 villages. Patkar alleged that the government did not have credible data on the people likely to be affected by displacement as it was busy serving corporate houses.

She alleged that the chief minister never held talks with real activists but depended on his close associates for information about the developments. She said the Gujarat government had ensured enough water supplies for corporate giants and big cities, but neglected the plight of draught-affected villages which were in need of water. She further pointed out that the 192 villages surveyed in the 80s were now facing threat of flood because of the casual attitude of the government.

Before forcibly removing people from the submersible area, the administration removed the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi, which were kept in a memorial on the bank of Narmada. But the administration faced stiff opposition from the NBA activists and also the local people.

The ashes of Gandhi, his wife Kasturba and private secretary Mahadev Bhai Desai have been shifted 4km to Kukra rehabilitation centre, where a temporary memorial has been created, collector Tejaswi Naik told the media. "A committee was formed to shift religious sites and memorials out of the submergence area. An exquisite memorial will be created once submergence is complete and new ghats are formed above the new water mark," he said.

Officials reached Rajghat at 4am and used earth moving machines to dig up the memorial, which was built in 1965. Around 7am, NBA activists led by Medha Patkar arrived and stated raising slogans against the administration. They lay down on the road to block vehicles carrying the ashes.

"Gandhiji's ashes were being transported disrespectfully in a dirty vehicle," Patkar alleged. Officials tried to hold a dialogue with the protesters and proposed to shift the ashes in the form of a procession. When Patkar refused to budge, the officials acted swiftly and moved the ashes. A temporary memorial was created.

SP Prashant Khare accused the NBA activists of blocking the road and "interrupting an official work by vandalism". As many as 13 identified and 60 unknown NBA Activists hae been booked, he said. Patkar dubbed it a conspiracy to disrupt her plans for a hunger strike against "irregularities" in the rehabilitation process at Chikalda in Dhar district. She started her hunger strike later in t he day, as planned.

The issue of submergence was also raised in the Vidhan Sabha, with the Congress members registering loud protest against the attitude of the government. They first demanded a discussion on Sardar Sarovar oustees. When Speaker Sitasaran Sharma adjourned the House sine die, the Congress MLAs staged a sit-in outside the House as a mark of protest.

"We know the state government was trying to evade the issue of Sardar Sarovar in view of the assembly elections in Gujarat. But, Congress would continue its protest," said Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh after the adjournment.

The Congress members later held a foot march led by Ajay Singh, Jitu Patwari, Govind Singh, Bala Bachchan, Sanjay Yadav, Sunderlal Tiwar from the assembly to the chief minister's official residence, but were intercepted by the police near Patrakar Bhavan where they started a sit-in against the state government. A handful of MLAs spearheaded by Jitu Patwari dodged the police and reached Raj Bhawan planning a move towards the CM's official residence. But, they were arrested.

The police also arrested Congress MLAs led by Ajay Singh and sent them to jail. The MLAs were released later in the evening. "When MLAs cannot meet the chief minister how can public do so; Congress will organise protests throughout the state," Ajay Singh told reporters before courting arrest.

Cabinet minister Umashankar Gupta said the Congress move to disrupt proceedings of the house was pre-planned. In order to express their solidarity with the agitating people some Congress leaders visited the place where Patkar and others are observing the indefinite fast.

A delegation of Congress leaders, including leader of Opposition Ajay Singh, state president Arun Yadav and several MLAs, participated in the protest. Arun Yadav termed the whole development as very unfortunate.

Ajay Singh came down heavily on the way the district administration bulldozed Rajghat and termed the incident as national shame. “What else could be expected from the people who worship Godse, the killer of Gandh, he said. Singh said that more than three lakh people will be displaced to please one person (Modi).

It is learnt that the central government is keeping a close watch on the development over the issue of sub-mergence. As the issue is linked to Supreme Court and Gujarat, the state government has been asked to keep the PMO posted. With assembly elections in Gujarat round the corner, BJP chief Amit Shah is also keeping a keen watch on the developments.

The government is worried that after the farmers’ agitation, it may have to face another law and order issue if the oustees’ protest turns violent. Dhar is among the four districts affected by the rise in the water level of the SSP reservoir due to closure of gates and most of the villages in submergence zone are dominated by Patidars. The Patidars had emerged as the most aggressive face of the recent farmers’ agitation and the SSP imbroglio may again bring them face to face with the government. CM Shivraj Singh is in constant touch with the people’s representatives of the area. Besides BJP, the RSS network has also been activated to ensure that people remain calm.

The state government has assured the Centre that it will not allow the issue to snowball into a major controversy. (IPA Service)