Mehdiganj
March 23, 2006
Visit by Sirish Agarwal
Some images from the first day of the indefinite dharna outside Coke plant in Mehndiganj can be found here.
I was present at the launch of this indefinite dharna on March 23, 06. The forceful voices of the villagers convinced me that the Coke plant days in Mehndiganj are clearly numbered.
Large participation by the women of the region has been a characteristic of this campaign. Mehndiganj women were also the first to step up to the mike and rebut the claims of the Coke plant personnel when they came out to meet the protesters and were given an opportunity to present their arguments.
A tense moment occurred when one lady refused to share her name and name of her village with the Coke plant personnel with the response: "Why should I tell you anything?" Clearly years of lathi charge by security outside the gates of the plant and the subsequent prison trips had hardened her stance towards the Coke plant.