18-Day Hunger Strike Ends as Ken-Betwa Activist Bhatnagar Returns Home

Activist Amit Bhatnagar has ended his 18-day hunger strike over alleged irregularities in the rehabilitation and compensation of families affected by the Ken-Betwa River Linking Project and other irrigation schemes in Madhya Pradesh.

Bhatnagar ended his fast with coconut water after reaching his hometown Bijawar in Chhatarpur district, following his discharge from hospital. His brother Ankit said their mother persuaded him to call off the protest as his health had deteriorated. Bhatnagar was shifted to hospital after police cleared a protest site at Kupi village on July 19, citing rising water levels in the Barana river during the monsoon. The agitation had begun on July 3 beneath an under-construction bridge over the river.

The protesters demanded an impartial inquiry into alleged irregularities in rehabilitation and compensation, along with statutory rights for families displaced by the Ken-Betwa project and other irrigation schemes. They alleged widespread corruption in the implementation of rehabilitation packages and sought justice for families who had not received the benefits they were entitled to. Bhatnagar had claimed that irregularities worth around ₹400 crore were involved in the rehabilitation process and said he was preparing to present documents supporting the allegations when the administration cleared the protest site.

The Jai Kisan Sangathan, which participated in the agitation, alleged that Bhatnagar's family, journalists, activists and fellow protesters were prevented from meeting him during his hospitalisation. It also claimed that women in several villages launched a “chulha bandh” (no-cooking) protest in support of the agitation.

Bhatnagar's supporters said the agitation was aimed at protecting the constitutional, environmental and legal rights of tribal communities and project-affected families, rather than targeting any individual, political party or government. They welcomed the administration's decision to conduct a fresh survey and form a joint inquiry team, provided the process is fair and transparent.

Chhatarpur Collector Parth Jaiswal said most complaints concerned villages in neighbouring Panna district. He assured that grievances related to Chhatarpur would be examined and appropriate action taken. The ₹44,605-crore Ken-Betwa Link Project, India's first river-linking project under the National Perspective Plan, aims to irrigate 1.062 million hectares, provide drinking water to around 6.2 million people and generate hydropower in the drought-prone Bundelkhand region.