Onam at BSF Camp:

It has been a season of disgust. 

The political scenario has been very messy.  Corruption cases are coming to light every day.  The famine is gripping several parts of the country.  Protests, strikes, accidents and all chaotic things around us that we are used to - are in full swing.

In the middle of this, something refreshing and rejuvenating happened to me.

I was called  in the celebration of Onam by the I G ,Border Security Force (BSF), Gujarat Frontier at Gandhinagar.  I went without much expectations ,but returned with full excitement.

Onam is celebrated in Kerala, just after the rains when the rain flowers spring out of earth and rice stands heady heavy and ready to harvest.  The snake boat races, flower carpets, rice dishes and a whole range of festivities happen in the Malabar coast.  And here, far away from the coast and in the heart of BSF camp, the Jawans and  Officers of all Ranks with their wives and children celebrated Onam with great commitment.  Traditional food, flower arrangements, cultural events and a whole lot of goodwill to each other.

The Border Security Force not only safeguards our lives and national boundaries.  They demonstrated that they safeguard our cultural diversity and national integrity by celebrating Onam, in a distant land from the festival's origin.

For me, it was a realization that at the core of our great institutions like the BSF, India is still alive with its traditional values of national commitment, sincerity and brotherhood.

V.K. Saxena,

President,

National Council for Civil Liberties,

Ahmedabad

Deep drawn water in drought: Victory of Sardar Sarovar

Medha Patkar waged a war in the name of water to deny the benefits of Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) to Gujarat. During her visit to USA in 1989, her headquarter,She testified before a committee and called "SSP a great human tragedy, an economic disaster and a planned environmental degradation." Her crony Arundhati Roy also testified in March 2000, in Geneva and said that" SSP is being constructed by using massive force and violating Human Rights." They lobbied on foreign soil for scrapping the project by giving false testimonies.

By attempting to deny water to the  farmers, farmlands and famine stricken people of the western India  she and her cronies shamelessly built a career as revolutionists. At  the end, they failed. It is no surprise that every evil force has  lost out and vanquished in every page of the social history of the world.

India today is reeling under drought and famine. The rainfall deficit  has been more than 15% on an average but in some states like Rajasthan, Gujarat and Karnataka, the deficit is more than 50%. The Central Government  is contemplating to launch an emergency relief effort in over 320 districts in the country. Over 60% of agriculture being rainfed,  there is clamour and chaos among the 600 million people, whose lives and economy are closedly linked to rains. Some State Governments have  launched official prayers to the rain God in desperation  of the situation.

At a juncture like this, the SSP is full and overflowing  due to the effectiveness with which it can store the collective resource of rain water from the wide catchment area. What would just  waste away as drainage is now impounded and given to people in  places that are historically drought prone in Gujarat and Rajasthan . Although the rains are  more than 50% deficient in Gujarat, thanks to SSP, the State does not have water  scarcity and has not declared itself drought-prone.

The likes of Medha Patkar should realize that there is difference between work and war, plan and plunder and governance and chaos. If  she comes out of her hiding and if she has a parched throat in the  lands she roams to look for opportunities to exploit hapless people,  she should walk into Gujarat. She can be sure to get a glass of water.

VK Saxena
President
National Council for Civil Liberties
Ahmedabad