Activist Amit Bhatnagar Ends Hunger Strike Over Ken-Betwa Project

Amit Bhatnagar, leader of the Jai Kisan Sangathan, ended an 18-day hunger strike on July 24, 2026, after his mother persuaded him to stop following his discharge from a hospital in Chhatarpur district, Madhya Pradesh.

Bhatnagar began the fast on July 3 to demand an inquiry into alleged corruption and irregularities totaling Rs 400 crore concerning compensation and rehabilitation for those displaced by the Rs 44,605-crore Ken-Betwa Link Project. The protest, staged at Kupi village, was forcibly ended by police on July 19 due to rising water levels in the Barana river.

While the Jai Kisan Sangathan alleged that Bhatnagar was blocked from visitors during his hospitalization, the activist described the administration's decision to form a joint inquiry team and conduct a fresh survey as a positive step. Chhatarpur Collector Parth Jaiswal stated that many of the complaints originated in the neighboring Panna district and urged affected individuals in Chhatarpur to submit their lists to the administration for examination.