The compulsions of development and limited funds frequently force developing countries exploit their natural resources at the cost of the environment, often leader to disasters.

Anwar Jamal, in his film Call of the Bhagirathi, explores the huge environmental and financial costs involved in the construction of the Tehri dam on the Bhagirathi river, a tributary of the Ganga. Apart from uprooting thousands of people, submerging their homes, fertile lands and thousands of acres of forest, the dam poses grave danger as it is built in an earthquake prone region of the Himalayas. Indeed an earthquake struck the Tehri Garhwal region on October 20, 1991, even as the film was being made.

The film-maker attempts to present a comprehensive view of the project. The film depicts the conflict between the common people and the state. The camera evocatively portrays big-dam conflicts and the accompanying resettlement issues. It raises the question with telling effects: what is the purpose of such dams which give with one hand only to take away with the other. Is it not ironical that our national policy promotes reforestation, while productive forest area is being destroyed by the government’s own project. Such contradictions only cause confusion in people’s minds.

The film takes the stand that while the West industrialised at the cost of its colonies, we are colonising our own people and destroying our lands, rivers and forests.

Anwar Jamal’s heart is undoubtedly in the right place. This film voices the fears and doubts of people who are poor and powerless. The on-location interviews are effective, but the interviews are effective, but the interview with Sunderlal Bahuguna, even though quite inspiring, was a bit too long. The attempt to present the underside of the glossy picture of ‘progress and development’, a view from below, is by and large successful. The film is 45 minutes long in 16 mm, colour and available in Hindi and English. Price per VHS copy: individuals, Rs. 350, institutions, Rs. 500. q

The Non-Party Political Process

At its latest plenary session the Jan Vikas Andolan had a discussion on the non-party political process. It did not have the requisite ‘resource’persons and, as such, it debted the issues among its members. Its report states:

We found we could manage amongst ourselves quite well. We floundered much less than the Calcutta (where the previous meeting was held) and to our great surprise, were able to focus much better than expected on the crucial issues at stake for JFA as far as political processes are concerned.

Starting with Ghanshyam’s narration of the non-party political processes of the student movement that led to the Total Revolution of JP, we came to the issue of political party co-option of ‘leaders’ emerging from such movements. Before the general discussion, John summed up other non-political processes like the Sarvodaya and church-spawned initiatives, secular involvements, and the Sangh Parivar onslaught and brought out crucial questions relating to the state, political involvement, essential elements of a political formation, and the like.

At first the discussion was of a general nature--party vs. non-party politics, the origins of the debate on non-party political processes, etc.

Towards the end it began to focus on JVA and the political process: JVA must articulate its ‘utopia,’ and then in the light of ‘history’ chart its course of action; non-party and party political processes are not either-or processes; party politics is an end-process that begins with grassroots initiatives, and taken to its conclusion necessitates party formation: the end process is not a political party but the attainment of power; power for what? Here we come up against the question of values; this coupled with an analysis and programme of action gives birth to a political party. Is JVA ready for this? Is there any existing initiative ready with a workable analysis and programme of action than ensures that the values we implicitly have (a just, sustainable society) can be readily implemented on the large scale required by India’s size and complexity? Implicit in a political process are economic, social, cultural institutions that work at the grass-roots, intermediary and national levels.

As can be seen from the points raised, JVA has a lot to reflect upon to get its act together! This forms the core of the agenda this coming year.

This has implications for the stands we take on the new economic policy discussed inconclusively at Calcutta (in retrospect, inconclusive because we had not dealt with the more fundamental questions raised above). It also has implications for the stand we take on the issue of communalism, for the stand we take in our working groups, as well as for the way we relate to other networks and processes, e.g. the National Alliance.

For further information contact

JVA, c/o C2 Rams MIG-180
Lawsons Bay Colony
Vishakhapatnam - 530017
Andhra Pradesh