Madhya Pradesh CM refutes Medha Patkar's arrest reports

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday refuted the reports about the arrest of Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar and her supporters, who have been on an indefinite hunger strike since July 27, demanding rehabilitation of 40,000 families displaced due to increase in height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam (SSD).

CM Chouhan apprised that they all have been admitted to the hospital on the advice of doctors.

He took to his Twitter page and wrote, "??? ????????? ??????? ???? ?????????? ?? ???? ?? @medhanarmada ?? ? ??????????? ?? ??????? ??? ????? ????? ???, ???????? ???? ???? ??? ??? (I am a sensitive person. @medhanarmada ji and her colleagues were admitted to the hospital on the advice of physicians, they have not been arrested)."

The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister further informed that Patkar and her colleagues are critical due to high blood sugar and high ketone in their bodies.

He tweeted, "@medhanarmada ?? ?? ???? ??????? ?? ?????? ??? ????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ??????? ??? ???? ????????? ?? ????????? ?? ??? ?? ???????? ???? (We are giving our best efforts so that they recover soon)."

He assured that every effort will be made to ensure better facilities to the migrants of Sardar Sarovar Dam, informing that the State government gave additional package of 900 crore to those displaced by the dam.

Chouhan added, "I am the first servant of the state and I am committed to give proper rehabilitation to the families displaced due to increase in height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam."

Earlier, Dhar police took Medha Patkar and five others into custody 12 days after they started their fast, alleging irregularities in rehabilitation of Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP) oustees in Chikalda.

They were removed by police from the protest site.

On Friday, CM Chouhan had requested Patkar to end the fast.

"I am concerned about your health and that of your mates. I politely request you to end the fast ," Chouhan had tweeted.

Earlier, a case was registered against the 'Narmada Bachao Andolan' workers by the administration for keeping a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in captivity for three hours.

The administration had alleged that the workers protesting there held a team of NDRF under captivity for three hours.

Refuting the allegations, Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Patkar had said, "The government is making false cases to defame the movement after the administration is has imposed a case.