Bhopal: As many as 40 villagers were booked on Tuesday night for creating ruckus, blocking a road and pelting stones during six days of protests against the construction of the Daudhan dam, part of the Ken-Betwa river-linking project in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur district.
Since Friday, protesters have been protesting to demand proper compensation or a rehabilitation plan (ANI/Representational Photo).Since Friday, protesters have been demonstrating to demand proper compensation or a rehabilitation plan. They also demanded the immediate release of activist Amit Bhatnagar, who led the protest. Villagers demand legal guarantee of their rights, compensation ₹15 lakhs, and agricultural land.
Protester Suman Adivasi said, “The struggle is not limited to compensation, but to protect water, forest, life and constitutional rights. We will not move from the dam site until our rights are guaranteed.”
Chhatarpur District Collector Partha Jaiswal said that discussions are going on with the villagers. “Their demands are linked to the government’s policy issues. We are trying to put them on a proper platform. The dam site is currently closed due to the agitation, but we expect a solution soon,” he said.
Chhatarpur police have registered three FIRs for attacking a wedding procession and pelting stones at police in Bijawar.
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“Protesters reached the Bijawar tehsil office in large numbers on Tuesday to protest against the district administration. They blocked the Bijawar-Matgua road from 3 pm, which lasted till late night. They turned violent and pelted stones at the police. The first FIR has been registered for obstructing a government servant from performing his duty. They attacked a marriage ceremony. The district administration tried to convince them for the last six days, but they are not ready to listen,” said Superintendent of Police (SP). Agam Jain says.
A heavy police force has now been deployed at the dam site and in Bijawar tehsil.
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However, villagers alleged that they were protesting peacefully and the police used force and water cannon during the night.
“We were sitting peacefully at the Bijawar tehsil office on Tuesday night when they arrested social activist Amit Bhatnagar, who was helping us protest. The police suddenly came and used a water cannon. They used force to disperse us. They filed an FIR against us to suppress our voices,” said Rajesh Kumar, another protester.
The villagers said that the stoves will not be lit in 15 villages until the demands are met.
