Tribal Protest Against Ken-Betwa Project Ends After Police Action in MP
Tribal Protest Against Ken-Betwa Project Ends After Police Action in MP
After 15 days, a tribal protest against the Ken-Betwa river link project in Chhatarpur, MP, was cleared by police. Leader Amit Bhatnagar moved to hospital. Was it for safety or force?
The Madhya Pradesh Police took swift action on Sunday morning, ending a 15-day tribal protest against the controversial Ken-Betwa river link and other irrigation projects in the Chhatarpur district. The demonstrators, many of whom were tribal women, had set up camp on the banks of the Barana river near Kupi village.
The protest's leader, Amit Bhatnagar, who had been on a hunger strike for 14 days, was reportedly moved to Bijawar Civil Hospital. Police also dismantled the protest site, removing symbolic pyres that had been part of the demonstration. Authorities stated that the decision to intervene was prompted by rising water levels in the Barana river due to heavy rains over the past two days. Chhatarpur Collector Parth Jaiswal explained that the action was necessary to prevent any unfortunate incidents, citing the presence of women, children, and elderly people among the protestors.
However, the police action wasn't without controversy. Several protestors accused officers of using force, claiming they were coerced into leaving and that women were assaulted. Videos circulating online reportedly showed police personnel dragging women away from the shore and forcing Mr. Bhatnagar into an ambulance. This incident comes just a day after similar scenes unfolded in Delhi, where activist Sonam Wangchuk was removed from his protest site after a 21-day hunger strike, drawing parallels between the two events.
The Ken-Betwa river linking project aims to transfer surplus water from the Ken river in Madhya Pradesh to the Betwa river in Uttar Pradesh to irrigate drought-prone areas, but it faces significant opposition from environmental groups and local communities concerned about displacement and ecological impact. The forceful end to this protest highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding large-scale development projects and the rights of affected communities.
