Rahul Gandhi supports tribal protests against Ken-Betwa project

Rahul Gandhi, leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, has expressed formal support for tribal residents in Bundelkhand who are conducting a Satyagraha against the Ken-Betwa River Link Project in Madhya Pradesh. The protests center on demands for fair compensation and dignified rehabilitation for those displaced by the initiative.

Representatives of the affected communities state that the project will impact approximately 21 tribal-dominated villages and involve the loss of 11,500 acres of land, affecting roughly 7,000 families. Concerns have also been raised regarding the environmental impact, specifically the potential loss of 4.6 million trees and the effects on the Panna Tiger Reserve.

The Ken-Betwa project is India’s first river linking initiative under the National Perspective Plan, designed to transfer surplus water from the Ken River to the Betwa River to assist drought-prone areas in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Gandhi criticized the government's handling of the situation, alleging that residents have faced injustice and oppression while seeking their rights to land, water, and forests.