ANTI DOW CHEMICALS MOVEMENT

Friends,

Authorities who are more committed to their masters namely the notorious US multinational Dow Chemicals are now applying usual tactics of harrassing the activists in different cases. On 25th July,  when Banda Tatya Maharaj Karadkar led warkaris and  destroyed the construction of Dow, the authorities had no courage to arrest Banda Tatya. They charged 44 villagers including Banda Tatya (the only warkari to be named in FIR). Since 25th July, they have been harassing 44 innocent villagers. Finally, 15 villagers who were arrested have got bail and most of them have got bail or anticipatory bail.

Now they have started targeting activists.

Shashi Sonawane (National Convenor, Yuva Bharat) i.e. myself, Rajendra Gaikwad (State Convenor, Yuva Bharat), Vijay More (Activist – Lokshasan Andolan) alongwith 4 villagers Shantaram Panmand, Vithal Panmand, Sunil Devkar, Ankush Ghanvat were charged for organising illegal protest meetings against Dow. We had to be released on bail. Yesterday we appeared before the court and got the bail.

It has once again proved that it the US multinationals like Dow Chemicals who are masters of our great nation and not the toiling masses. Speaking against Dow is a crime, organising peaceful, democratic protest meetings is a crime! but illegally started the construction of Dow on Village land which belongs to the village as per the land record is not a crime! Starting the construction without taking the mandatory permissions is not a crime! Not disclosing the information about the various hazardous chemicals that Dow intends to use is not a crime! Killing Vietnamese people is not a crime!

These are the desparate acts of the authorities to somehow start construction work of Dow. It is clear that Dow cannot and never shall be allowed to set its foot in  our Land.

Shashi Sonawane (National Convenor, Yuva Bharat)
–
Yuva Bharat
Stri-Dasya, Jati-Varga Vyavastha Anta Ke Liye Samarpit Naujawanon ka Akhil Bhartiya Sanghatan

VICTORY TO WOMEN AGITATORS

GOVT. FINALLY VOWS DOWN

Dear Friends,

The Committee was appointed and the surrounding villagers of Bhamchandra Dongar had submitted their objections to the proposed R&D facilities of Dow Chemicals.

Women had gheraoed the police and demanded the release of the farmers who were arrested.  Late at night, massive police force engulfed the village and they arrested around 500 villagers (exact figure not yet known).

Today, in the morning, Govt. was forced to agree to the demands of the farmers and now the status quo shall be maintained till the report by a Committee is submitted to the Govt.  Details shall be circulated after some time.

Shashi Sonawane

Yuva Bharat

Lok Shasan Andolan

—
Yuva Bharat
Stri-Dasya, Jati-Varga Vyavastha Anta Ke Liye Samarpit Naujawanon ka Akhil Bhartiya Sanghatan

PROTEST MEETING AT VILLAGE SHINDE AGAINST STATE REPRESSION.

4th March, 2008

Friends,

On 4th March, 2008, a protest meeting was organised against the govt.’s brutal attack on the villagers protesting against the proposed so-called research centre of DOW Chemicals. The details of the tension prevailing on 27th February has been already sent to all our friends.

Prior to the protest meeting the villagers especially the women took initiative and had organised a mass contact programme in the surrounding villages on 2nd March as part of the preparation of the 4th March protest meeting. A team of activist under the leadership of Adv. Padma Shriole, Raju Gaikwad, Shashi Sonawane alongwith the villagers went to the surrounding villages and explained to them the kind of govt. repression and the need for unity of all the villages in the Bhamchandra Dongar Parisar.

The protest meeting started at 4 pm in a jubiliant mood on the background of the historic victory of the women by keeping 200-250 police personnel captive for more than 8 hours. Shivaji Mudhe and Kailash Panmand both villagers sang revolutionary songs which they themselves wrote and composeds. The brave women and girls who fought against the police force on 27th Feb,. shared their experience and expressed their strong resolve to fight the DOW and the govt. machinery working as its agent tooth and nail. and  in the struggle against the state machinery.

At this meeting apart from the villagers of the Shinde, villagers of the surrounding villages also spoke and expressed their active support to the agitation. Adv. Padma Shirole (Lokshashan Andolan) congratulated women for their heroic struggle. Alka Joshi (Lokayat) not only congratulated but also assured the villagers that they shall mobilise the support from the Pune City and strengthen and widen the campaign against DOW Chemicals.

Shashi Sonawane on this occasion stressed on the aspect that villagers have unanimously resolved to not to allow the DOW Chemicals to come up in the land of the Saints. We would prefer dying at the hands of our brethren police than at the hands of the notorious DOW Chemicals.

Com. Vilas Sonawane thanked the authorities for converting the common villagers into brave activist who are ready to die but would not let DOW Chemicals to come up. He appealed the villagers to broaden the struggle by organising themselves as Lokshasan Andolan. He appealed the youth to organise as Yuva Bharat. He also warned the authorities that they have seen what the villagers who believe in the warkari tradition can do. However, if the govt. still inisist to forcibly start the work then this region also knows how to fight along the tactics of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaji

Justice Kolse-Patil pointed out that for the past 20 years he had been stresing on the fact that if people’s power is organsed under the leadership of women no power can stop them. He congratulated the women that they practically showed the nation the way to fight against the unjust authorites peacefully.

Justice P.B. Sawant (former judge of Supreme Court of India) who presided over the meeting expressed his concern over the unconstitutional illegal behaviour on the part of the State machinery in trying to suppress the democratic and peaceful agitation of the people. He pointed out that the villagers have every right to oppose the notorious DOW chemicals in coming in their village. He appealed that the historic struggle of the village shinde shall give inspiration to all the struggling masses in the country who are fighting against the SEZ, forcible land acquisition, displacement and unjust policies of the authorities.

at the end of the meeting the women who were arrested gave strong slogans  like DOW Chemicals go back !

Shashi Sonawane

National Convenor Yuva Bharat

for LOKSHASAN ANDOLAN

Victory to women agitators! Govt. finally releases all the protestors and agrees to stop the work at DOW site.

Friends, As you all are aware that since last night, there was tension in village Shinde (Chakan) Dist. Pune, Maharashtra. This is the latest update.

Yesterday, govt. forcible tried to start the construction work at the site of proposed R&D facility of the notorious DOW Chemicals. Since last 43 days, the villagers who have been organised under the leadership of Justice Kolse-Patil and Com. Vilas Sonawane (Lokshashan Andolan) formed Bhamhandra Dongar Bachao Warkari Shetkari Sangharsh Samiti  and had stopped any kind of construction work at the site since last 42 days. Yesterday, Govt. tried to start the work forcibly by terrorising the villagers. However, villagers who have blocked the road organised a massive protest rally. This protest meeting was addressed by Justice B.G. Kolse-Patil (President Lokshashan Andolan) and Com. Vilas Sonawane (Working President Lokshahan Andolan). Justice Kolse-Patil challenged the authorities to arrest them. However the Police did not take any action. Soon after the meeting when Justice Kolse-Patil, Com. Vilas Sonawane left the place, Police took action and arrested 12 leading activists of the Bhamhandra Dongar Bachao Warkari Shetkari Sangharsh Samiti. The women protestors soon gheraoed the remaining police force and were literally held as hostage. Women demanded immediate release of those arrested till then they refused the Police force (numbering approximately 200) to leave the village. The situation became worse when additional force was called and the women protestors and the other villagers were arrested in the midnight between 12.30 am to 1.30 am. Around 143 villagers were arrested including 69 women who were arrested in the midnight. Police even arrested 16 children (below 18 yrs).

In the morning, the tension increased manifold. Finally due to the initiative of Justice Kolse-Patil, the police finally agreed to release the protestors unconditionally. They even agreed to maintain status quo whereby no construction work at the site shall be taken up till the report of govt.’s committee on this issue submits its report. Even now the road blockade is there and the protesting villagers who have no faith in the govt. which is protecting the interests of notorious DOW Chemicals have resolved to fight DOW and the govt. tooth and nail.
Activists of Lokshashan Andolan and Yuva Bharat are in the village and organising the protests.

Kindly go through the earlier report.

DOW Chemicals Go Back!
DOW Hatao Pune Bachao!
Bhamhandra Dongar Bachao Warkari Shetkari Sangharsh Samiti Zindabad!
Jai Tukoba Jai Shivraya!

Shashi Sonawane
National Convenor – Yuva Bharat
for LOKSHASHAN ANDOLAN

The latest information about anti-DOW struggle.

17 villagers have been arrested by the Police in Shinde. They have been kept in Chakan Police Station. Women protestors have still gheraod the police at Shinde. Police planning brutal action against the women. Anything can happen in the coming hours. Kindly circulate this message and help as you can in this situation of crisis.

Shashi Sonawane

LOKSHASHAN ANDOLAN

The list of 17 villagers who have been arrested.

Shantaram Panmand, Vithal Panmand, Gorakshnath Panmand, Balu Timghire, Navnath Ghanvat, Ankush Ghanvat, Fakira Tamboli, Babaji Mhatale, Subhash Panmand, Shrikant Gaikwad, Suresh Gaikwad, Kisan Karle, Mahadu Panmand, Kailash Panmand, Shivnath Panmand, Tukaram Mhatale, Narayan Mhatale

Dear Friends,

Police action against the protestors who are opposing the coming up of so-called R&D facility of notorious DOW Chemicals

As you all know that a R&D plant of notorious DOW chemicals is proposed at Shinde and Vasuli villages of Khed taluka in Pune district. The farmers have come together and formed Bhamchandra Dongar Bachao Warkari Shetkari Sangharsh Samiti under the leadership of Justice B.G.Kolse-Patil (retd.) and have been opposing the coming up of facility. Since 16th January, the villagers had stopped the construction work at the site. Even the suppliers have boycotted to supply the raw material to the site. However, govt. has been making every effort to somehow start the work. Villagers have been opposing the chemical plant on valid grounds to which Govt. has no answers. The notorious DOW has not taken any responsiblity of Bhopal Gas Victims.

The details of the agitation have been sent to all you regularly. On 23rd Feb, 2008, the organisations, concerned citizens of PUne had come together under the banner of DOW Hatao Pune Bachao and had demonstrated against the proposed DOW R&D facility. After consistent agitation, govt had appointed a committee to look into the matter. ON 25th Feb, in its second meeting, the govt. officials were not able to give satisfactory answers to the queries of the villagers pertaining to the hazardous chemicals to be used, about project report, about disposal of  chemical wastage, emissions, environmental impact etc.

Inspite the issue is yet to be sorted out the govt. has resorted to represssion action for the vested interests of a notorious company like DOW which has been responsible for making  chemical warfare materials and other hazardous chemicals and has never taken any responsiblity, liablity for its criminal acts.

Today at this moment police have taken brutal action against the peaceful protestors of village Shinde and the surrounding villages of Bhamchandra Dongar in Chakan (Pune). Today in the morninng police forcibly tried to start the work of DOW Chemicals. Villagers opposed this move. Large number of villagers, farmers and warkaris of the surrounding villages assembled at Shinde (at site) and a massive protest publice meeting was organised under the leadership of Justice B.G. Kolse-Patil (retd.), Com. Vilas Sonawane (Lokshashan Andolan). After the meeting, in the evening police arrested 7 villagers and have been taken to unknown place (Right now we are trying to trace them and worried about their security). Around 400 women have now gheraoed the Police who are their for bandobast in large numbers. The women have demanded immediate release of those 7 villagers who have been arrested. Police are using brutal force against women (without suffcient women constables being mobilised). There is a tension in the village  and we fear about the securiy and well being of the women protesters.

List of those arrested –

Shantaram Panmand, Vithal Panmand, Balu Timghire, Navnath Ghanvatm Ankush Ghanvat, Pradip Tamboli, Babaji Mhatale, Subhash Panmand, Shrikant Gaikwad, Suresh Gaikwad, Kisan Karle, Mahadu Panmand.

On one side, the govt. claims that Maharashtra is a progressive state, it is the land of saints and warkaris and on the other hand it is shamelessly unleashing a reign of terror on the warkaris and shetkaris of these villages for the sake of a foreign company like DOW which has only worked against the humanity. Govt. is trying to give the land of Saint Tukaram Maharaj to the notorious DOW Chemicals.

We appeal to all of you to support this struggle and pressurise the govt. to stop the Singur-Nandigram style police attack on the peaceful agitators in the Bhamchandra Dongar area.

Stop the brutal police action against the warkaris-shetkaris !

DOW Chemicals Go Back!

Release the those arrested immediately!

Immediately stop the Police action at the village Shinde against the women protestors!