SOCIAL MOVEMENTS Gov 1255: Politics of India Prof Prerna Singh

Social Movements Environmental Movements Women’s Movements Sexual Minority Politics (Guest lecture by Marcus Elridge)

Environmental Movements Forest Resources Water Resources

Conflict over Forest Resources Chipko (Hug the Trees) Movement in the Central Himalayas in 1973

Chipko Movement

Conflict over Forests Chipko (Hug the Trees) Movement Representative of wide spectrum of forest- based conflicts Traced to establishment of the Indian forest department in This was a watershed: – Political – Social – Ecological

Conflict over Forests Intensified in post-Independence years because of new ecological dimension – dwindling forests Popular movements focus on 2 issues: – Return of control of forests to community. State must withdraw. – Contrast between the subsistence orientation of villagers and the commercial orientation of the state.

Conflict over Water Big Dams Nehru’s “temples of modern India” Three Critiques of Big Dams: Economic critique: States invariably overvalue benefits & undervalue costs Ecological critique: High incidence of water logging & wholesale submergence of large tropical forests and precious wildlife & fishlife Social critique: Displacement of millions of poor villagers from their ancestral homelands without adequate consultation or compensation

Narmada Bachao Andolan/ Save the Narmada Campaign

Leader of the Narmada Bachao Andolan: Medha Patkar

Critiques of the Narmada Dams by the NBA that the project has been conceived without adequate participation from the people who are going to be affected; that many dams are not viable solutions to many of the problems (power, drinking water, flood control, irrigation) they set out to solve, and that there needs to be a greater emphasis on the search for alternative solutions from all concerned (Government, NGOs, people); that the construction and planning of many dams has disrupted (and will potentially disrupt) the lives of millions of people without just and adequate compensation

Environmental Movements Forest - Chipko Movement Water - Narmada Bachao Andolan Gandhian Social Movements

Demonstrations & Satyagrahs

Peaceful Response to Police Repression

Fasts

Jal Samadhi/ Water Burial

Women’s Movements No single movement On diverse issues Traditional focus: – Women’s education – Widow remarriage New focus – Alcoholism – Physical Abuse by Husbands – Inflation – Environment (Chipko) – Dalit issues

Women’s Movements Early Women’s Movements: – Movement against Dowry

Movement against Dowry

Women’s Movements Early Women’s Movements: – Campaign against Dowry – Campaign against Rape

Women’s Movements Early Women’s Movements: – Campaign against Dowry – Campaign against Rape Features of Early Women’s Movements: – Popular support – Legislative successes

Women’s Movements Later Women’s Movements: – Critiques from sections of traditionalist society Success of early women’s movements Rise of religious fundamentalism – Pro-sati movements – “Real woman” vs. Feminists