Farmer Leader

Gujarat

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on May 18^th, regarding the intimidation, harassment, illegal and arbitrary detention of farmer leader.

1. Mr. Darshan Nayak is a lawyer, a Member of Surat District Panchayatand Director of Sayan Sugar Co-operative Society. He was also the District President of Surat of Indian National Congress.
2. Mr.Jayesh N. Patel is the President of South Gujarat Khedut Samaj and the Director of Surat Milk Cooperative (SUMUL). He is the President of Delad Village Milk Cooperative Society and is actively involved with farmers and milk cooperative societiesfor the past 20 years.
3. Mr.Ramesh I. Patel is the President of Olpad Taluka Khedut Samaj and is farmer leader.
4. Mr.Krishnakant Chauhan is an activist and is associated with Paryavaran Suraksha Samiti (PSS).
5. Mr.Naresh Virani is the President of Amreli Jilla Khedut Samaj andis a farmer leader.
6. Others including Anant Dhansukhbhai Patel, Sarpanch, Kosmada Village, Tal-Kamrej, Surat; Jasvantbhai Dayabhai Patel, President, Olpad Taluka Congress and; Surendrasinh Narsinh Chauhan, Farmer, Kimamli, Tal-Olpad, Surat.

On May 14, 2018, the environment consultation for the Bullet Train project was announced by National High Speed Rail Corporation Limited (NHSRCL). The consultation was organised by Arcadis, a company from Netherland holding the contract to undertake surveys. For the public hearing invitations were sent to elected representatives of local bodies and also through newspaper advertisement to the general public to participate and raise their queries. There was unprecedented police deployment at the entrance and inside of the Gandhi Smruti Hall, around 150 police personnel were present. People who came to attend the consultation were frisked and thoroughly checked at the entrance itself. An atmosphere of fear and intimidation was created by the police to intimidate the farmers and deter them from representing themselves and facts in a fair manner.

Before the start of the consultation, Mr. Darshan Nayak, Member of the Surat District Panchayat and Director of Sayan Sugar Co-operative Society who was in conversation with the designated land acquisition officer was taken into custody by police personnel. The farmers and activists demanded to know his whereabouts. The police then detained other farmer leaders and environment activists who demanded the whereabouts of Mr. Darshan Nayak who was detained by the police. The farmers and leaders were forcefully taken away from the venue and were illegally detained by the police for more than two hours, thus, preventing them from participating in the public hearing and to raise and share their legitimate concerns and issues.

HRDA prayed for thorough investigation and to take immediate actions on the perpetrators of the case.