The Ken-Betwa Link Project, India's first major river interlinking initiative, has sparked widespread protests in Madhya Pradesh due to alleged irregularities in land acquisition and compensation for affected families.Amit Bhatnagar, a social activist and leader of the agitation, was detained by police after leading a 14-day hunger strike.

Protesters, including tribal women, have raised concerns about unfair treatment during the project's implementation, citing discrepancies in gram panchayat records and simultaneous meetings held on specific dates.

The protest, which began two weeks ago in Kupi village, saw symbolic acts like jal satyagraha (river fasting) and chita satyagraha (floating funeral pyres).Police cleared the site after detaining around 150 protesters, including those from Panna district linked to other dam projects.

The project, costing ₹44,605 crore, aims to transfer water from the Ken basin to drought-prone areas but faces criticism for displacing nearly 2,000 families.

Activists argue the government's transparency and fairness in land acquisition processes are lacking, with claims of fabricated records undermining the legitimacy of the project's implementation.