What is the role of the various arms of our government? Is it to protect the interest of the people of our country, or are their other interests that concern it? And when its interests become unclear, is it not the right of its citizens to ask questions and expect answers? The first article in this series reviews the role of the government and the administration in a people’s campaign against the exploitation by Coca Cola in Varanasi.

People living around bottling plants in Ballia, Mehdiganj, and Jaunpur have been complaining against the activities of Coca Cola in their communities. Foremost is the effect of rampant withdrawal of water from these areas. In Mehdiganj, local community members believe that the plant drains up to 25 lakhs liters of water every day. Water levels have dropped and the quality of water has been degraded. Local community also claims that the company has been dumping effluents in nearby fields.

The Mehdiganj plant had actually attempted to defraud the government by claiming a smaller amount in investment and paying a reduced tax amount. It was the local community – neither the elite bureaucracy, nor the various leaders of UP politics who are supposed to watch out for the interests of the country – who caught on to this scheme and the fraud was brought to light. The total amount defrauded was about 0.75 crores. Coca Cola was asked by the UP courts to pay 1.5 crores (including penalty for the attempt to cheat the government). It has only paid part of that amount so far.

The plant also includes some land that has been occupied illegally. While the company has agreed in court that it will release the same amount of land back to the village, it has yet to do so. In addition, while the plant claims to have provided 500 jobs (most of them are contractual jobs provided on a temporary basis) – estimates suggests that livelihoods of over 25000 people in districts around Mehdiganj have been affected – people whose livelihoods depended on selling fruit-juices and marginal farmers associated with these economies.

The local community of Mehdiganj lives in the neighborhood and while protesting the policies of the company, has not in any way attempted to damage the plant. Neither have employees working in the plant been harmed.

In November, communities from Ballia, Jaunpur, Mehdiganj and other parts of UP decided to march from the bottling plant in Ballia to the bottling plant in Mehdiganj, talking to communities in towns and villages about the problems owing to the Coca Cola plants. Coca Cola actually hired local goons to disrupt this march; these young men (whose vehicles upon being seized by police showed banners and pamphlets from Coca Cola) threatened to bodily harm and kill some of the marchers.

The march has constantly been proclaimed to be a non-violent protest. At no time during the march has any member indulged in any violent activity against Coca Cola or the public. When the march almost reached the bottling plant in Mehdiganj, police first stopped the march in the middle of the street and then commenced to attack the marchers.

That was not all. Video footage shows that the policemen actually took off their badges seconds before attacking the marchers with batons. Subsequently, they indulged in stone throwing at the crowd that was running back. Clearly, that every policeman took of his badge shows that this was a preplanned effort. Over 400 people were arrested, and many even beaten up in jail. Those arrested were initially denied medical examination – as is their right – even though many were clearly hurt.

In an earlier protest in March 2004, Coca Cola security had attacked protesting women outside the factory premises while the police had looked on. Later, it was the protestors who were arrested.

The question arises – why did the police decide to disrupt the march. The demonstrators had no intention of harming the plant. They live in the neighborhood and had not attacked it in the past. During the 2 week march, they did not participate in any violent activity, including when attacked by goons. Their motivation in protesting was to present their concerns to the larger world, and to the governments.

Why were serious charges of criminal nature placed against people merely organizing to present their concerns through rights guaranteed by the constitution?

Only one conclusion evolves – those in power had decided that these concerns should not be presented to the larger world. That this effort should be broken up before it became significantly loud. Why?

Why does the local administration not allow assembly of people and voicing of their concerns – as is allowed as a fundamental right in a democracy? Why does the local administration not allow the victims of exploitation to present their side of the story? Who ordered the police to attack the protestors? Who asked them to remove their badges before they attacked? Why does the local MP or MLA – despite numerous pleas from the local community – not come to see the state of these communities?

Is this a government for the people? Is the police of Mehdiganj set up to protect the people or the image of a multinational corporation?

[We do recognize that in Kerala the state government has now decided to support the people’s movement against Coca Cola. In Uttar Pradesh, the high court has fined Coca Cola for egregious manipulation of accounts for tax evasion; however, the company has paid only one third of the amount of 1.5 crores. Farmers with Rs. 1000 loans, on the other hand, can be put in jail for delays in payment]
- Sanat Mohanty

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