Chhatarpur, Jul 19 (PTI): Police on Sunday broke up a 17-day protest against the Ken-Betwa Link and other development projects in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur district by dispersing protesters and shifting movement leader Amit Bhatnagar, who has been on an 11-day fast, to hospital.
Bhatnagar, however, remained defiant by stating he had not ended his fast and would not do so “even if it costs me my life”.
In a video message circulated to the media, Bhatnagar also said he would would not accept intravenous fluids and “will only take water and lemon water”.
Police justified the early morning action, citing a serious safety risk from the rising level of Barana river as the protest was being staged beneath an under-construction bridge and partly in the river.
The protest, mainly by tribal women, had been underway since July 3 on the banks of Barana river near Kupi village. Protesters had also staged ‘jal’ satyagraha, ‘chita’ (funeral pyre) satyagraha and a symbolic ‘faansi’ (hanging) satyagraha.
Protesters alleged that Bhatnagar and others were detained during the police action, a claim denied by the administration.
The Ken-Betwa Link Project, the country’s first river interlinking project under the National Perspective Plan, aims to transfer surplus water from Ken to Betwa river to provide irrigation and drinking water in drought-prone Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
The project has faced opposition from some project-affected families and environmental groups over displacement, rehabilitation and impact on forests and wildlife, including parts of Panna Tiger Reserve.
Protester Divya Ahirwar claimed police reached the site in large numbers around 5 am and detained Bhatnagar and others before he could address the media regarding “corruption of Rs 400 crore” in the project. “The administration would be responsible if any harm comes to Bhatnagar or any of the protesters,” Ahirwar added.
Additional Superintendent of Police Aditya Patle told PTI that protesters were taken in buses to their native villages in Panna and Chhatarpur.
Asserting that no protester was arrested or detained, Patle said Bhatnagar was hospitalised as his health had deteriorated because of the prolonged hunger strike.
District Collector Parth Jaiswal said continuous rainfall in Barana river catchment had raised the water level, posing a serious threat to the lives and property of the protesters. All of them were safely evacuated, he added.
“The protesters’ principal demand was increasing rehabilitation package for each eligible displaced family from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 12.5 lakh. The state government has already accorded in-principle approval for increasing the rehabilitation package. The order is likely to be issued within the next few days,” he said.
He also said organisers had not obtained prior permission for the protest, which was continuing at a sensitive location despite repeated assurances by public representatives and officials that their demands were being addressed.
Jaiswal also said the district administration had not received any written complaint or documentary evidence so far about the Rs 400 crore corruption allegations. Any complaint supported by facts will be probed, he said.
“Bhatnagar was admitted to hospital as a precaution after he developed health complications, while the remaining protesters were persuaded to return to their home district in view of the prevailing weather conditions,” Jaiswal informed.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Umang Singhar criticised the police action and expressed concern over Bhatnagar’s hospitalisation.
The BJP government has made “crushing every voice of protest” its “model of governance”, he said.
Sunday’s action was “completely undemocratic”, he said. All “detained” protesters must be released and the government must stop repression, listen to PAPs and order an impartial inquiry, Singhar added.
“Dialogue, not repression, is the essence of democracy. Every citizen has a constitutional right to raise questions and express dissent,” Singhar said in a statement.
As per the administration, Ken-Betwa Link Project is of national importance and will boost irrigation, drinking water supply and overall development in Bundelkhand region.
The demonstrators, however, alleged assurances given by the administration in April had not been fulfilled.
Bhatnagar said people affected by Ken-Betwa Link Project, Majhgaon and Runjh irrigation projects had been denied justice.
Displaced families have lost their land, forests, water resources, livelihoods and cultural identity, while some faced false criminal cases, illegal eviction, disconnection of electricity supply and demolition of schools, he claimed.
He demanded that the administration stop intimidating villagers and publicly display the list of project-affected families in every affected village.
