‘Give us justice or let us die here’:Ken-Betwa displaced continue Jal Satyagraha for sixth day despite ₹12.50 lakh rehabilitation package

Displaced tribal communities and farmers affected by the Ken-Betwa Link Project, along with the Majhgawan, Runjh, Neguwan, and NTPC projects in Panna district, continued their Jal Satyagraha for the sixth consecutive day, demanding fair compensation and proper rehabilitation. Standing waist-deep in the swollen river, protesters have vowed not to end their agitation until their demands are met. ‘Give us justice or let us die here’ As part of what they describe as a “Chita Andolan” (Funeral Pyre Protest), demonstrators stood in the river seeking justice. They raised slogans such as “This is only the beginning; the bigger fight lies ahead” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai.” Under the banner of the Jai Kisan Organisation, social activist Amit Bhatnagar is also leading an indefinite hunger strike and soil satyagraha alongside the water protest. The protesters said the government should either provide them with dignified rehabilitation or allow them to die during the ongoing protest. See 3 pictures of the protest Protesters allege lack of safe drinking water The protesters alleged that the administration had stopped the supply of clean drinking water at the protest site. As a result, they claimed that women, children, and elderly participants were being forced to drink muddy river water. According to the protesters, several people have fallen ill after consuming contaminated water. The district administration has not yet issued an official response to these allegations. Officials visit protest site; protesters allege intimidation Protester Divya Adivasi said officials, including Bijawar Tehsildar Abhinay Sharma, Satai Tehsildar Indra Kumar Gautam, and Kishangarh Police Station SHO Kamaljeet Singh, visited the protest site along with police personnel. According to the protesters, instead of addressing the concerns of displaced families, officials allegedly attempted to intimidate them and were accused of corruption. The administration has not publicly responded to these allegations. State approves special rehabilitation package Former Cabinet Minister and Panna MLA Brijendra Pratap Singh said the Madhya Pradesh government has approved a special rehabilitation package for families displaced by the Majhgawan, Runjh, and Ken-Betwa Link Project. Under the package, eligible families will receive a one-time rehabilitation grant of up to ₹12.5 lakh. More than 2,500 families to benefit According to the MLA: Families opting not to receive government land will be eligible for ₹12.5 lakh in cash. Those choosing residential plots will receive: The state government will also bear the stamp duty and registration charges for property registration. ‘Announcement alone will not solve the problem’ Despite the rehabilitation package, protesters said that merely announcing financial assistance would not resolve their concerns. They insisted that the agitation would continue until every genuinely displaced family receives its rightful compensation and rehabilitation. So far, the district administration has not made any official announcement regarding efforts to end the ongoing protest.