The government in 1994, allowed the private contractors for fishing in the reservoir. But the contractors drove the local people away and hired cheap labour from outside. The villagers who refused to leave were threatened by the contractors by bringing hoodlums.
This united the villagers and they decided to set-up an organisation in order to protect their rights.

The Constitution of India recognises all citizens of India as equal. It is considered as a 'living document' and issues of equality are central to countries like India.
The Constitution focusses on the challenges to equality like
(i) Privarisation of health services in India.
(ii) Increasing control of business houses on media.
(iii) Low value is given to work done by women, etc.

TMS is fighting for the rights of the displaced forest dwellers of the Satpura forest in Madhya Pradesh.

Hailing from an extremely remote village named Ayatapur, in Khurdha district of Odisha, the journey of Manasi Pradhan is a tale of immense struggle and undaunted spirit in the face of mountain-like odds.
Resolute to porve herself, she walked over 15 kms daily by foot, amidst hilly terrain and swamps, to the only school in those times in the entire region, to emerge as the first women matriculate of her school.
But a mountain-like obstacle lay ahead with no college in the entire region and the poverty-stricken family with no resources to fund their daughter to a far off college.
Nevertheless, undeterred both by poverty and immense social ostracisation that women education carried within it in those time, she landed in the Odishan town of Puri, over 200km away from her remote village, with loads of dream and an empty pocket.
Resolute not to let down her dreams at any cost, it was a relentless struggle for a 16-year old girl, both to fund her own higher education as well as sustain . her family that was fast drowning into abject poverty.
But undaunted, it was her never-say-die spirit that was finally to emerge victorious. Against all odds, she was not just able to fund her education and family, working tirelessly throughout the day, but also emerged as one of the tallest student leader of her time, leading the famous 1980 Student Movement in Odisha as its convenor.

The movements, songs and poems recognise all people as equal because these all are based on justice and equality. The Constitution of India recognises all persons as equal. All movements and struggles which occur refer to Indian Constitution to make their point regarding equality and justice.
This is the reason why the fish workers participated in movements organised by Tawa Matsya Sangh. The Constitution of India has been known as a 'living document' because it has real meaning in our lives.
There are people in the democracy who try to broaden the concept of democracy and work towards a greater recognition of equality on existing as well as new issues.
Problems related to equality are central to democracy and we have seen such issues which challenge the idea of equality in a democracy. It is necessary to have enough resources to support and nurture families and to act against any discrimination in order to earn dignity and self-respect.

The Tawa dam began to be built in 1958 and was completed in 1978. It submerged large areas of forest and agricultural land. The forest dwellers were left with nothing. Some of the displaced people settled around the reservoir and apart from their meagre farms, found a livelihood in fishing. They earned very little.

The poet means that people who are starving or not getting the food to eat, why they have been left out or are deprived, they have the right to know.

My father who was a famous lawyer never looked upon the people whether they were rich or poor. He used to always fight against injustice and inequality they faced.