Development and nationalism were two themes highlighted in March 2016 with two major stories in the national media: the Union Budget Announcements 2016-17 and the uproar over sedition (anti-nationalist) charges on a few students of Jawaharlal Nehru University. Hannah Werner’s book The Politics of Dams also deliberates over the same themes. The author keeps the big dams at the centre of the stage and attempts to analyse developmental aims and objectives of the Indian state post Independence, comparing them with the development aims of the colonial state. The author also studies the political choices and the idea of development that promotes big dams and the associated conflicts around the same. Werner studies these contradictions in detail by analysing the protests and resistance movements against big dams. The author uses the Tehri Dam as a case example for detailing the nature, scope and articulation of protests movements—pre and post the Tehri Dam construction in Uttarakhand. Werner uses an analytical approach, beyond cost-benefit analyses, to assess the role of big dams in the current development paradigm. A broad historical overview, rich ethnographic account and theory of social change can be found in her style and approach of analysis.
Werner brings out some key philosophies of development amongst Nehru, Gandhi and other eminent thinkers setting the base to the development discourse over big dams in the country. The postcolonial independent Indian state, as Werner suggests, adopts the two ideologies from the past of its colonial state: the approach of centralized top to bottom management of water resources and the reliance and promotion of ‘modern’ technologies as a path towards development of the nation. Nehru, the first Prime Minister and the architect of India’s development model had immense faith in the role of science and technology to develop India. Visual landmarks were considered as the modern symbols of development leading to what is referred to as ‘development monumentalism’. Nehru added an Indian flavour to the aesthetics of modernity by calling dams as ‘temples’ of modern India. An interesting review is conducted by the author on the views of modernity and development in the period, highlighting the contrast between Mahatma Gandhi’s and Nehru’s vision of development and modernity. Gandhi called machines and technology harmful if they replace man. His economic philosophy was based on subsistence and was intrinsically anti consumerist. While Gandhi criticized the western models of development, he claimed to offer solutions more modern than industrialization-based modernity. He criticized the political power of the state as the power to control national lives through national representatives. He envisioned a society where individuals are enlightened and self reliant and would not require a strong state to control. While Gandhi’s political rhetoric influenced the nation, his criticism of modern machines and unitary state were ignored. As the author puts, Nehru may have morally appreciated Gandhi’s views of development but called them unrealistic and a ‘nostalgic vision’. Nehru saw industrialization as a necessity for fighting poverty and to build India as a strong nation.
Werner points out the contrasting nature of development discourse in Independent India. Dams in free India were seen as the means to satisfy the demands of a new rising nation. Provincial autonomy was seen as the biggest obstacle in the building of dams. A non-participatory water management, adhering to the ‘rule of experts’ was the broad strategy of building dams. The primary objective of big dams was considered to be power, irrigation with flood control as the by-product. However, the author points out how irrigation also lost as a primary stake and became a by-product over the course of time. This is due to the conflict that arises from storing of water for electricity generation while irrigation would require water to run off.