Khedut Mazdoor Chetna Sangathan (KMCS), Indore, Madhya Pradesh (M.P.).
Rahul Banerjee is an engineer from IIT Kharagpur, a senior tribal rights activist and a writer; in his interview here he explains the formation of KMCS, one of the early organisations fighting for tribal rights in the villages of Alirajpur in M.P. in early 1980s.
Rahul explains the many issues taken up by KMCS including its struggle for the rights of tribals on forest land and KMCS’s subsequent involvement in the struggle against Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP). Rahul explains in his interview the social-political and economic condition in the early eighties in the tribal villages of Alirajpur, some of which fall in the submergence zone of SSP. He talks of the role of Social Work and Research Centre (SWRC), Tilonia, Rajasthan in the formation of KMCS. He talks of the role of important activists, both tribal as well as non-tribal in the formation of KMCS and the Narmada struggle. His interview throws light on the work of organisations working in the area in the early eighties like Anandniketan Ashram, Rangpur; Arch-Vahini; MARG and the Narmada Dharangrasth Samiti. This interview not only helps understand the tribal area in the submergence belt of SSP in M.P. but also helps understand the struggle of the tribal people against the SSP and the role of KMCS in consolidating the struggle.
Rahul Banerjee maintains a blog: “Anaarkali – The saga of Bhil Adivasi Indigenous People.”
http://anar-kali.blogspot.com/
The blog as Rahul explains is about, “A non Adivasi person’s respectful celebration of the struggles of the Bhil indigenous people of India against the depredations of modern development – mostly exhilarating but sometimes depressing stories of a people who believe in drinking life to the leas.”
Interview Duration:
01:39:48
Language:
Audio in English, Subtitles in Hindi
Subtitles can be switched on and off by clicking ‘CC’ button at the bottom right of the video