Eighteen days after starting an indefinite hunger strike over alleged flaws in rehabilitating families displaced by the Ken-Betwa Link Project in Madhya Pradesh, Jai Kisan Sangathan leader Amit Bhatnagar ended his fast on Wednesday. He described the move as the agitation’s first success, following the state’s agreement to carry out new village-level surveys to identify families missed in compensation and rehabilitation efforts.
Bhatnagar, who heads the Ken-Betwa Chita Andolan, clarified that he was halting only the fast and not the broader campaign. He announced a shift to what he termed a “Nyay Satyagraha,” vowing to continue village visits, support constructive administrative steps, and monitor commitments until every eligible person receives justice. If needed, further protest phases would follow.
The rehabilitation concerns villages in the Daudhan Dam submergence area. Bhatnagar had claimed that hundreds of eligible families were omitted from lists, compensation evaluations were inaccurate, and Gram Sabha records showed irregularities. His health declined during the fast, prompting appeals from civil society and political figures.
From hospital, Bhatnagar said he broke the fast with coconut water offered by his mother and tribal women involved in the protest after authorities displayed a positive stance. District officials agreed to form joint teams with Jai Kisan Sangathan representatives to conduct fresh surveys in Chhatarpur district and add overlooked eligible families.
He reframed the protest as a “Nyay Upvaas,” continuing to avoid food grains until all eligible families are covered. He cited solidarity actions like “chulha bandi” by women in affected villages of Chhatarpur and Panna, along with fasting by elderly residents and children, as reasons for suspending the strike. The focus would now shift from hospital to villages.
The decision followed a heated Madhya Pradesh Assembly debate where the opposition leader accused the government of irregularities in the Rs 44,605-crore project. The chief minister assured investigations into complaints and completion within a month. Government data showed 1,321 families displaced in Panna and 3,718 affected in Chhatarpur, with additional surveys identifying 638 more eligible families. The revenue minister denied any scam, attributing pending cases to documentation issues.
