Rahul Gandhi Expresses Support for Tribals Opposing Ken-Betwa Project
· India · The Hindu, Times of India, Indian Express
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi voiced support for tribals staging a satyagraha against the Ken-Betwa river-linking project in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. In a video shared on social media on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha stated that he plans to visit the site to exert pressure on the government. Affected residents claim the ₹44,605-crore project will impact 21 tribal-dominated villages, about 4.6 million trees, and portions of the Panna Tiger Reserve. Representatives told Gandhi that approximately 7,000 families stand to lose roughly 11,500 acres of land to the infrastructure initiative. Protesters also urged him to raise concerns regarding alleged administrative harassment inside Parliament.
Why it matters
The intervention by senior political leadership elevates the protests against the Ken-Betwa link, drawing national attention to land acquisition and environmental concerns in Bundelkhand.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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