Activist Priya Pillai Acquitted After More Than A Decade-Long Struggle In Essar Defamation Case

A Madhya Pradesh court recently acquitted environmental activist Priya Pillai in a defamation case filed by the Essar Group, the Indian multinational conglomerate operating across energy, infrastructure, metals & mining, technology, and retail.

In a Facebook post, Pramod Puzhankara, Priya’s partner, announced that the court acquitted his wife and state climate action director in Bengaluru-based company Asar, in the criminal defamation case, which was first taken up by Essar and later by Adani after the latter acquired the former’s mining plat. Puzhankara expressed his relief, noting that it was settled after a decade-long legal battle and struggles.

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Puzhankara alleged that the company and the government took several repressive measures against Priya for leading the protest undertaken by local residents and tribal groups against the permission given to the Essar Group to mine coal in the Mahan forest area of Madhya Pradesh, one of India’s crucial dense forests, which is home to over 50,000 Indigenous people in 54 villages and several endangered animals.

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Puzhankara said that when Priya was going to London to participate in a meeting of the members of the British Parliament in the UK for the presentation on Indigenous community rights in front of the Parliament standing committee on their activities, as Essar is enlisted in the London stock exchange, the central government had offloaded her from the plane, cancelling her travel permit.

Notably, in a petition against the Union government’s move, the Delhi High Court ruled that the action of the central government was unconstitutional and a violation of civil rights. In 2015, the Supreme Court held a criminal defamation case against Priya as the activist contested the complaint on the ground that Essar had filed it to curb the freedom of expression and prevent her from raising her voice against the alleged wrongs of the company.

In her petition, Priya had alleged that corporations are using such litigations to prevent public interventions, and they are aimed at intimidating activists and keeping them engaged in multiple litigations. The criminal defamation suit was filed in a lower court of Madhya Pradesh against Priya and two other persons related to Greenpeace — Kumi Naidoo and Samit Aich.

Activist Priya Pillai With Locals

The current criminal case was held in a court in Madhya Pradesh, and the government had to withdraw the permission given to Essar for the coalfield. Noting that the defamation case was continued by Adani Group, who later acquired Essar’s coal plant, as the activist should be punished no matter what, arguing that as the plant was taken over, the case was also handed over to them. Explaining the struggles, Puzhankara goes on to recall that they had to appear in court several times, spending hours and making tiresome long journeys. Even after the trial, Adani was allowed time to submit the photocopy as evidence. The slogan that ‘organize the nationwide corporates who transfer the dishonour of one corporate to another was reflected in the process, he adds.

“Even if the days set for judgment were present, they were postponed again,” he laments, highlighting that the judgment came dismissing the defamation charges of Essar/Adani as it was proved that the activists cannot be punished on any manipulative and perverse interpretation of the law in a criminal trial, he said.

“We will fight; we will win” is the slogan raised by the people here in their struggles against corporations and the state. The odds of success may be slim, but the fight is sure to be worth it. There is no greater injustice than to be calm in times of injustice.

Pointing out that the criminal cases in connection with the strike against the coal have not ended yet as it continue in different places, Puzhankara emphasized that what became clear after more than a decade-long battle was that struggle is another name for justice.

“The struggle for a just, egalitarian, and democratic society will continue without a flicker of doubt,” Puzhankara concluded his Facebook post.