BHOPAL: Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar on Sunday ended her indefinite fast after 17 days in Dhar district jail in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday.
With four cases against her and lodged there since Wednesday, Patkar took the step after meeting leaders and social activists led by CPI(M) Polit Bureau and eight-time former Lok Sabha member Hannan Mollah. Patkar, however, will have to stay in jail at least until Independence Day.
On Saturday, the judicial magistrate first class (JMFC) court in Kukshi (Dhar) granted her bail in one of four cases. The bail application in the other cases will be heard by the additional district and sessions judge on Dhar district on August 16.
According to Hannan Mollah, activists crusading for the NBA cause held detailed discussions at Koteshwar on Saturday where they decided to appeal to Patkar and other activists to end their fast.
“Subsequently 15 activists, including 11 women and 4 men, who are fasting at Chikilda village of Dhar ended their fast. We later went to the district jail and met Medhaji and requested her also to end the fast for the large cause, which she did,” said Mollah. He said the movement for people displaced by the dam in Dhar, Barwani, Alirajpur and Khargone will go on.
Early Saturday, Patkar was produced before the JMFC court with regard to the production warrant issued by the court for cases pertaining to violation of prohibitory orders, alleged kidnapping of revenue department staff on August 1 and two cases of alleged assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty.