Police clear Ken-Betwa protest site on Day 17, shift fasting activist to hospital

Day 17: Police Disperse Ken-Betwa Protest and Transfer Fasting Leader to Hospital

Bharatmorningnews.com – On Sunday, law enforcement authorities dismantled a 17-day protest against the Ken-Betwa Link Project and other development initiatives in Chhatarpur district, Madhya Pradesh. Protesters were dispersed, and the movement’s leader, Amit Bhatnagar, who had been fasting for 11 days, was taken to a hospital following a decline in his health.

Reasons for the Intervention

Officials cited the growing threat to demonstrators from the rising waters of the Barana river as the primary justification for the early morning operation. The protest site was located beneath an under-construction bridge and partially within the river, creating a hazardous environment.

Protest Details and Demands

The protest, initiated by tribal women on July 3, took place near the Barana river in Kupi village. Participants engaged in various forms of satyagraha, including jal satyagraha (water hunger strike), chita satyagraha (funeral pyre protest), and a symbolic faansi satyagraha (death protest). Their main诉求 centered on ensuring adherence to legal and constitutional standards during the project’s implementation.

Detention Claims and Corruption Allegations

A protester, Divya Ahirwar, claimed that police arrived in large numbers around 5 a.m., detaining Bhatnagar and others before he could address media concerns. She accused the administration of allowing the project’s alleged ₹400 crore corruption to go unchecked. “The administration would be responsible if any harm came to Bhatnagar or any of the protesters,” Ahirwar stated in a

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Administration’s Response

Additional Superintendent of Police Aditya Patle informed PTI that protesters were transported in buses to their home villages. “Those from Panna district were returned there, while others from Chhatarpur and adjacent areas were taken to their respective villages,” he explained. Bhatnagar’s health deterioration, attributed to his extended hunger strike, led to his hospitalization.

Opposition Criticism

Umang Singhar, the leader of the Madhya Pradesh assembly’s opposition, condemned the police action as undemocratic. He accused the BJP government of using suppression as its governance model and demanded the immediate release of all detained protesters. “Dialogue, not repression, is the essence of democracy. Every citizen has a constitutional right to raise questions and express dissent,” he asserted in a

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Project Importance and Controversies

The administration emphasized the Ken-Betwa Link Project’s national significance, highlighting its role in enhancing irrigation, water supply, and regional development in Bundelkhand. However, activists argue that promises made in April regarding the project’s implementation have not been fulfilled. Bhatnagar also highlighted the broader injustices faced by communities affected by the Ken-Betwa Link, Majhgaon, and Runjh irrigation projects, including land loss, cultural erosion, and false legal cases. He called for the public display of affected families’ names in each impacted village.