From Chita Andolan to Jal Satyagrahas: Why the Ken-Betwa project has upset MP tribals
Tribal communities in Madhya Pradesh are protesting the Ken-Betwa River Linking Project, citing concerns over land displacement and inadequate compensation. The movement has gained national attention, forcing the government to promise a new survey for affected families.
Why it matters
The conflict illustrates the tension between large-scale national infrastructure development and the rights of marginalized indigenous populations.
NEW DELHI: They first stood in the river. Then they lay beside funeral pyres. When that, too, failed to draw a response, they climbed symbolic gallows.Over the past month, the 'Chita Andolan' in Madhya Pradesh has transformed an otherwise local land acquisition dispute into one of the country's most striking protest movements, that was forcefully ended by the administration, citing threats to protesters due to rising water levels.Its haunting imagery, however, has thrown a spotlight on the repercussions that the Ken-Betwa River Linking Project, a flagship infrastructure initiative that promises water security for millions but has also triggered a fierce battle over compensation, will have on the locals, questioning the rehabilitation and the rights of tribal communities facing displacement.The movement gathered further attention after activist Amit Bhatnagar completed an 18-day hunger strike, insisting he had only suspended—not ended—his fast because "until the last person gets justice, the fast will continue."Bhatnagar…
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