Protest Against Ken-Betwa Link Project Concludes in Madhya Pradesh
Protest Ends After 15 Days
Security officials at the banks of the Barana river during the protest in Chhatarpur district, on Sunday. (Photo:PTI)
Chhatarpur (MP), Jul 19: A 15-day-long demonstration against the Ken-Betwa Link Project and various development initiatives in Chhatarpur district, Madhya Pradesh, concluded on Sunday as police intervened to disperse the protesters and transport them back to their villages.
According to Additional Superintendent of Police Aditya Patle, the protesters were taken back to their homes via bus. Those from Panna district were returned to their area, while individuals from Chhatarpur and surrounding regions were dropped off at their respective villages.
A police representative indicated that the protest site, situated beneath a bridge under construction and along the Barana river, had become hazardous due to rising water levels, prompting the need for evacuation.
The protest commenced on July 3 along the banks of the Barana river near Kupi village, opposing the Ken-Betwa river-linking initiative and other related projects.
Activist Amit Bhatnagar led the protest and had been on an indefinite hunger strike for 11 days. While some protesters claimed that Bhatnagar was detained, police officials denied any arrests.
Protest leader Divya Ahirwar accused police of arriving in large numbers around 5 am on Sunday, detaining Bhatnagar and several others before he could speak to the media about alleged corruption amounting to Rs 400 crore in the project.
Ahirwar stated that the protesters were urging the administration to carry out the project legally and respect the constitutional rights of those affected.
She warned that the administration would be held accountable if any harm befell Bhatnagar or the other protesters and called on the public to speak out against the alleged corruption.
A police official confirmed that Bhatnagar was hospitalized after his health declined during the extended hunger strike.
The protest, primarily led by tribal women, included various forms of activism such as 'jal satyagraha', 'chita (funeral pyre) satyagraha', and a symbolic 'faansi satyagraha'.
The Ken-Betwa Link Project, recognized as India's first river interlinking initiative under the National Perspective Plan, aims to divert excess water from the Ken river to the Betwa, providing irrigation and drinking water to the drought-affected Bundelkhand region, which spans Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
The protest garnered national attention over the past two weeks, with demonstrators alleging irregularities in land acquisition, rehabilitation, environmental protections, and project execution.
The administration has dismissed these claims, asserting that the project is being executed legally and is crucial for enhancing irrigation, drinking water supply, and overall development in the Bundelkhand area.