Tribal Minister Acknowledges Complaints as Protests Over River Project Spread

On August 6, 2026, Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Durgadas Uikey acknowledged in Parliament that the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs had received complaints about displacement due to the Ken-Betwa river linking project in Madhya Pradesh and forwarded them to the state government. Locals have protested since April, accusing authorities of irregularities in compensation processes and forced evictions before full compensation was completed. In response, Rahul Gandhi and Ajendra Singh Lodhi questioned details about affected families and implementation issues. The Tribal Affairs Ministry emphasized that states are responsible for implementing the Forest Rights Act but has been urging compliance with its provisions to prevent eviction until forest rights claims are verified. Protest visuals gained national attention on social media, highlighting villagers' dissatisfaction.