Ken-Betwa protest leader Amit Bhatnagar ends 18-day fast on mother's request
Activist Amit Bhatnagar on Friday ended his 18-day hunger strike against irregularities in the rehabilitation and compensation of families displaced by the Ken-Betwa river linking
Activist Amit Bhatnagar on Friday ended his 18-day hunger strike against irregularities in the rehabilitation and compensation of families displaced by the Ken-Betwa river linking project and other irrigation schemes in Madhya Pradesh. Bhatnagar, who had continued his fast even after being shifted from the protest site to hospital, broke it after returning to his hometown of Bijawar in Chhatarpur district, where his mother persuaded him to end the protest. Read Full Story "He was not keeping well. Our mother made him break the fast after he reached home," his brother Ankit told PTI. Chhatarpur Collector Parth Jaiswal said Bhatnagar was discharged from hospital and shifted to Bijawar on Thursday after his health improved. He had initially been admitted to Bijawar Civil Hospital before being moved to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the district hospital after police removed him from the protest site.
The protest began on July 3 beneath an under-construction bridge over the Barana river in Kupi village. Bhatnagar and other protesters demanded an inquiry into alleged irregularities in the rehabilitation process and compensation paid to families displaced by the Ken-Betwa Link Project and other irrigation schemes. They also sought statutory rights for affected families. On July 19, Chhatarpur Police dispersed the protest, citing rising water levels in the Barana river due to the monsoon. At the time, Bhatnagar had said he would continue his indefinite fast despite being removed from the site. The protesters alleged large-scale corruption in the implementation of rehabilitation packages and demanded an independent investigation into compensation claims. Bhatnagar had also claimed he was preparing to present documents alleging irregularities worth nearly Rs 400 crore when the administration dismantled the protest.
Before he ended his fast with coconut water, the Jai Kisan Sangathan, which backed the agitation, alleged that Bhatnagar's family members, journalists, social activists and fellow protesters were prevented from meeting him during his hospitalisation. The organisation also claimed that women in several villages had observed a "chulha bandh" (no-cooking) protest in solidarity with the movement. According to the organisation, Bhatnagar maintained that his agitation was not directed against any individual, political party or government, but was aimed at protecting the constitutional, environmental and legal rights of tribal communities and project-affected families. He welcomed the administration's decision to conduct a fresh survey and set up a joint inquiry team, saying it would mark a meaningful outcome of the agitation if carried out fairly and transparently. Collector Jaiswal said most complaints raised by the protesters pertained to villages in neighbouring Panna district, although the protest was held in Chhatarpur.
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