The dharna by rightist and environmental activists for saving “Dol Ka Badh”, the 100 acre “urban forest grove” in the Rajasthan capital here, continued on the 10th day on Wednesday.
The protesters, associated with various social groups, NGOs from different places, including the PUCL, have also been holding relay hunger strike since Thursday. Four activists sat on the day-long fast on Wednesday.
Dalit Thinker and PUCL Rajasthan state unit president Bhanwar Meghvanshi, whose NGO has been playing leading role in the ongoing agitation, said, “It seems to be paradoxical (situation) that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his followers are planting saplings under “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” crusade. However, the bid to cut 2500-old healthy tree in Dol-Ka- Badh” here is going on unnoticed by the PMO and the PMO; this too for building the PM Unity Mall and other such commercial projects.”
In a bid to break the deadlock between the state government and the agitating groups, a delegation of the protesters called on Deputy Chief Minister and princess of erstwhile Jaipur Royal state Diya Kumari. They sought her intervention in stopping the construction work and cutting of trees in the forest grove believed to be older than the old royal rule era.
Diya Kumari, who holds the finance portfolio , had written to then chief minister Ashok Gehlot in September 2023 against the move to destroy this 100-acre grove’s greenery. Last week, Gehlot also written to his successor Bhajan Lal Sharma, in favour of protesters’ demand.
Political leaders, including AAP MP Sanjay Singh and Congress Lok Sabha MP Sanjana Jatav, have also written to Prime Minister Modi seeking his intervention to stop the construction works and also cutting of trees.