Tribal women in MP lie on ‘funeral pyres’ to oppose river linking project

Bhopal: Hundreds of tribal farmers, mostly women, lay on mock funeral pyres in MP's Chhatarpur district on Thursday during a protest against the proposed Ken-Betwa river linking project, signalling their resolve to oppose it till their last breaths.In viral images, women, many holding their small children, lay on the pyres as part of what they called "chita andolan", demanding justice or death. Tensions escalated after women protesters clashed with police during an attempt to disperse them, forcing the cops to step back.The protesters, who alleged sustained harassment by the administration, vowed to dig in and carry on their fight till their demands are met.The project, which aims to divert water from Ken river basin to the water-scarce areas of Betwa basin, involves construction of the Daudhan dam, a canal network of over 200 km, and related irrigation and power infrastructure. Officials say the project is expected to meet the irrigation needs of over 10 lakh hectares of land and ensure drinking water to about 62 lakh people, apart from generating power. It targets drought-prone districts of MP and parts of UP, and is planned to be completed in phases over several years.The villagers opposing the project say their concerns over land, forest rights and displacement have not been addressed, and assert that they will not back off till their demands remain unmet.The agitation is being led by tribal women along with Jai Kisan Sangathan leader Amit Bhatnagar, who said the women would carry out the funeral pyre protest on Friday, too.The protesters alleged that they were earlier stopped from going to Delhi to push for their demands. Roads were blocked and supply of food and water to their settlements was affected, the protesters claimed, alleging that they were also being threatened.The administration has imposed prohibitory orders under section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) in parts of Panna and Chhatarpur, restricting the movement of people near the protest sites.Despite the restrictions, the protesters shifted part of their demonstration to the middle of the Ken river. Farmers from Panna and Chhatarpur continued their protest from their respective sides, making it a joint action while remaining within district limits. Villagers said police and forest department personnel had been deployed along access routes, restricting movement.They alleged that local shopkeepers had been warned not to provide those taking part in the agitation with daily essentials, and residents of nearby villages were being pressured not to support the protests. Bhatnagar also alleged a nexus between officials and local interests, which he said was leading to exploitation of villagers.