Kannu Kalsaria is the BJP MLA from Mahuva in Gujarat, where Nirma plans to set up a cement plant. He recounts to Gyan Varma his struggle to prevent the project
How was your meeting with Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh on the Nirma cement project in Gujarat? Have you now decided to fight the battle in Delhi after leading a farmers’ movement in the state?
The meeting with the environment minister was very good. We are satisfied. This meeting was important because we wanted to personally meet him and thank him for taking action against the project in Mahuva. I believe people should come out in support of Ramesh since he really wants to protect the rights of farmers. He has often been accused of being anti-development, but that is completely wrong. If the agricultural land in Mahuva and the adjoining areas have to be protected, if water for drinking and irrigation in the coastal areas of Gujarat has to be protected, then we must openly come out in support of Jairam Ramesh.
Why are you opposed to a cement project in the state? Don’t you think it will help in the area’s economic development?
The government of Gujarat had granted land rights to Nirma in the heart of a water body created by the Samdhiala Bund. The cement company demanded a total of 4,415 hectares of land on lease for the mining of limestone from nine villages in Bhavnagar district. This land includes wet, privately owned agricultural land of 3,583 hectares, Gauchar land of 232 hectares, government wasteland of 343 hectares and another 253 hectares assigned for other purposes. The Gujarat government has already given in-principle approval to a total of 3,460 hectares of land for mining limestone to produce one million tonnes of cement.
We also want development of Gujarat, but it should not happen at the cost of farmers losing their agricultural land. Even if farmers in the area get a lot of money by selling their land, what will they do when all this money is used? The children of these farmers will not only lose their land but because of poverty, they might turn anti-social. Is this the kind of development that the Gujarat government wants?
Earlier, all these areas were wasteland but the Gujarat government created these bunds to protect saline sea water from entering the area. Now, the state government is planning to completely destroy agricultural land and these water bodies by allowing limestone mining and by building a cement factory.
The Gujarat government is suppressing the truth by allowing Nirma to set up a cement plant. Chief Minister Narendra Modi and the Nirma people have colluded against the farmers. Narendra Modi is playing with the lives of farmers and their family members in the name of development.
Did you try speaking to Narendra Modi or the people of Nirma to explain the position of the farmers? What did they tell you?
Yes, I have spoken to Narendra Modi about the problems of the farmers in the area and he had asked me to find a middle path so that the cement factory could be set up. What is the middle path he is talking about if the cement factory has to be set up? I am ready to take back my stand on the cement plant if Modi can explain to me how this plant will not destroy the lives of farmers. The entire fight is between the poor farmers and the Gujarat government and Nirma.
During our discussions with Karsanbhai Patel of Nirma, he had offered me up to Rs 150 crore for the farmers but the only condition was that I should convince the farmers to allow the construction of a cement factory in the area. I was unable to accept this condition.
What will be the impact of the Nirma cement plant on the nine villages where you are leading the movement?
You would be surprised to know that if the cement plant is allowed to be set up and limestone mining is also permitted in the area, seven of the nine villages would lose all the land that is available. In the seven villages, the Gujarat government has agreed to give the entire village land for the cement factory. How will the farmers agree to this kind of development?
You are a BJP MLA, who was handpicked by Modi to contest the election. Is the BJP state unit not targeting you, since you have dared to go against the party line, especially against the chief minister?
Yes, it is true that Modi had asked me to fight the Assembly election, but this movement has nothing to do with politics. The BJP leaders in Gujarat initially tried to stop me from taking part in this movement because I was going against the party line, but now they want me to resign as an MLA. But, I am not ready to do that. I was elected by the people of the area and they want me to take up their case. I have told the BJP leaders if they want, the party can suspend me but that has not happened till now. I am also surprised that the BJP has not taken any action against me for two years.
The BJP Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha, Purushottam Rupala, had offered me money for the farmers and had also promised that the party would look after me and I would be promoted.
You have been involved in the movement for over two years. Why did you choose to get involved in the movement? Have you ever faced some kind of threat after being part of the movement? Did anyone try to stop you by force?
I became associated with the movement in April 2009 when the farmers of the area came to me and asked me to do something to see that this cement plant was not set up. It took me several weeks to decide if I should go against the party line but then I realised that I was chosen by the people and I had a greater responsibility towards them.
It is extremely shocking to me that other people involved in the movement have been attacked several times only to stop us from being part of the movement.
Since you are part of the BJP, how come you are also taking help of the Congress party members? Is it true that Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi is also interested in this movement?
This is a farmers’ movement and not a political fight between Congress party and the BJP. It’s a fight of principles. I had met Rahul Gandhi once when he came to Gujarat. He was genuinely interested in this movement and he has assured us all the help that he can provide. He was extremely honest in his approach and there is no politics involved in this movement. Rahul Gandhi was unable to understand how farmers could be ruined by the state government like that. After his visit, the members of the Indian Youth Congress in Gujarat had conducted a survey of the nine villages that would be affected by the cement plant and had sent him a report.
How difficult is it for you to keep the movement non-violent when so many villagers are involved in it and there is a question mark over their future livelihood because of the project?
The battle between the farmers and the state government has the potential to become the Nandigram of Gujarat, but a lot will depend on how the farmers and villagers are going to take up the issue. When we started this movement, we didn’t come out of our homes hoping to make this another Nandigram. It is not a question of just one cement plant project. There are a total of 2,200 villages in the entire 1,600-kilometre long coastal line of the state. We will take our fight to those villages as well. What the Modi government is doing to the farmers is a sin. The fight is not against development, but to save water and keep Gujarat green.
