Panel Discussion on Displacement and Development

Amar Kanwar, Praful Bidwai, Tanika Sarkar

Committee Room, School of Social Sciences (1), JNU
Wednesday 10 September
5 pm to 7 pm

Photo Exhibition on Singur

School of Arts and Aesthetics, JNU
Wednesday 10 September to Wednesday 17 September
9 am to 7 pm

Development Dialogues by the members of the Citizens’ Initiative, Kolkata

Tuesday 9 September : Lady Shriram College for Women

Monday 15 September, 3 pm: Women’s Studies Programme, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University

Tuesday 16 September, 3 pm: Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi

Wednesday 17 September, 12.30 pm: Miranda House

Thursday 18 September, 5 pm: Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur

All are welcome

a) yes, as the ci has over the deaths of shyamsundar bhattacharya and manik pal (the death of both men from the same flawed safety technique argues a certain callousness in the attitude of those running the project, or a much earlier neglect in training appropriate to work in risky conditions) and then again ramprasad ghosh and jamshed alam (again, it is not clear why men working at positions where a fall can be fatal were working without safety lines), all within the project site.

b) yes, although it was (and is) unsure it had to ‘offer comments’ for the actions of panchayats — of whatever loyalties.

ci is entirely non-partisan, and critiques actions and methods and thought that work against human dignity. it also believes quite deeply that development that is worth its name in any lasting sense cannot very well be selective. that is to say, that which is indeed development cannot work FOR some while being AT THE COST OF (allegedly fewer) others, where this latter ‘fewer’ need neither be consulted not compensated for inconvenience/damage/extermination caused to them.

but then, ci also believes that critiquing may be a self-indulgent and fashionable thing to do, easily achieved only at a keyboard. ci has so far resisted the impulse towards critiquing people and things on the basis of reportage based on nothing more than the most mainstream, and opted, to the best of ability, to read alternate histories, study contrary opinions, and above all, see things for themselves at the locales.

it is also important to stress that singur and nandigram are very different issues, and it helps neither to club it together with the other.

any further questions are welcome. it would facilitate the discussion if they kept themselves to any of the issues at hand, instead of the character (or the absence of character) of real and/or imagined pampered children of ju english and/or comp lit.

Sir,
We are not representatives of Seagull and shall hence not be in any position to answer any questions about their activities.

Similarly, we are not allied, in any form, to the TMC and hence cannot answer any questions about a panchayat made up largely/entirely by the TMC.

As for the corporate responsibilites of Tata, I will draw your attention to the months-long protest being carried out by members of Greenpeace against their proposed port at Dhamra, Orissa.

On behalf of the Citizens’ Initiative, I can say that we are indeed concerned about the recent spate of violence in Singur. But we should also add that after having spoken to a large section of the people in Singur, we are aware of the problems that the factory has caused for them. As to exactly how the factory has affected their lives, was the point of our photo exhibition at Singur. If you had missed it, I would recommend you to, if possible, catch the exhibition at the School of Arts and Aesthetics at Jawaharlal Nehru University from 10th to 17th September 2008.

a) expressed concern on the yound engineer from Shapoorji Pallonji, who was brutally beaten up at Singur, for working on the project

b) offer any comments on what the TC panchayat in Nandigram is now doing now that they are in power and why CPM men are being killed.

Am not a CPM supporter but am fed up with the immense bias that these articles show against any developmental activity. Perhaps a taste of real life is needed for the pampered children of JU English and Comp Lit. Wake up and smell the coffee