The Internationalist Archive
How did a grassroots movement ignite a sense of shared responsibility for our environment?
In 1985 when activists arrived at the site of the proposed Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada River, they found that a vast majority of people residing nearby would be displaced without a clear rehabilitation plan. Moreover, the building of the dam would also submerge a large swathe of forest land, affecting the local flora and fauna. This was the catalyst for the Narmada Bachao Andolan (Save Narmada Movement) which was spearheaded by indigenous people of the region, farmers and environmentalists.
In 1996, Orijit Sen, a critically acclaimed graphic artist and activist, would publish River of Stories, drawn from his personal experiences from 1991-1993. Presented as India's first graphic novel, this book details the struggle of the people against the Indian state machinery, the media's response and coverage, as well as the blasé attitude of many officials who viewed the protest as a hindrance to India's development.
In the following excerpt from the 2022 edition of this book, a journalist travels to the site of protest. Along with him is an official who’s been working on the dam and two co-travellers who, perhaps representing the larger Indian population, are only engrossed in their card game. However, it is the conversation between the journalist and the official, reflecting both their biases and blind spots towards this movement, that underlines the question the book begins with: Development for who, and at whose cost?
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