Dr Yadav took the decision on Monday night after deliberations with office bearers of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), BJP leaders, Ujjain public representatives, farmers, and the officials of the Ujjain District Administration.
File Photo: IANS
Bowing down to intense and relentless opposition and protests by farmers and villagers of Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav has ordered the scrapping of the BJP government’s contentious ‘Land Pooling Scheme’, which aimed at taking the lands of farmers and villagers to construct a concrete ‘Kumbh City’ for the 2028 Simhastha religious congregation in Ujjain.
Dr Yadav took the decision on Monday night after deliberations with office bearers of the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), BJP leaders, Ujjain public representatives, farmers, and the officials of the Ujjain District Administration.
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Following the chief minister’s directives, the elated farmer organizations cancelled their planned protest, ‘Dera Dalo, Ghera Dalo’, scheduled at Ujjain on 18 November. Instead, they gathered and celebrated their ‘victory’ in the matter.
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He also directed the State Urban Administration Department, which was implementing the Land Pooling Scheme, to immediately issue orders about the repeal of the mega project.
In his reaction to the development, MP BKS President Kamal Singh Aanjana told The Statesman on Tuesday, “This is a huge victory for farmers and villagers. We all gathered today at Ujjain as decided, but instead of the planned protest, we took out a victory rally to celebrate the state government’s decision accepting our genuine demands, and cancelling the land pooling scheme.”
“Now, the Simhastha would be organized, as it always had been in the past. Only temporary structures will be erected and no permanent constructions will be done on the land taken from the farmers and villagers,”Aanjana explained.
He said under the land pooling scheme meant for this Simhastha, the lands of farmers and villagers were being taken permanently by the government. It planned to construct a concrete Simhastha City there, with permanent buildings.
Nearly 2,380 hectares of land were being acquired for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela to be held in Ujjain in 2028. Farmers’ organisations claimed that around 5,000 farmers would have been affected, and about 35,000 to 40,000 of their dependent family members would lose their livelihood, if their land was acquired through the land pooling policy.
They also feared great damage to the environment due to the cutting of thousands of trees if this scheme was implemented. “One of the main reasons for our protest was that while the farmers have never been allowed to make any permanent structures on the said land, why then was the government itself planning to erect a concrete and permanent township citing Simhastha as reason,” Aanjana asked.
He said that the state government’s scheme would have left thousands of marginal farmers with no land and no income to support their families. Moreover, such farmers and villagers would also have been displaced and forced to leave their ancestral homes and agricultural lands. “Now, with the scrapping of the scheme, all such farmers and villagers will get their original lands and homes back after the Simhastha concludes”, Aanjana stated.
Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav asserted that the state government is committed to ensuring farmers’ welfare. “We have scrapped the Land Pooling scheme for the Simhastha at Ujjain, respecting the farmers’ sentiments, and assuring their welfare”. Dr Yadav stated.
Earlier, the CM had emphasized, “The development process for Simhastha will continue uninterrupted. Maintaining the pace of development is the highest priority. The state government is moving forward with land pooling and all types of development works”.
“Considering this year’s historical event of the Prayagraj Mahakumbh in Uttar Pradesh, where millions of devotees gathered, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had emphasised the development of permanent structures, which also boosted religious tourism in the region,” the CM had noted.
He had also said that for the Simhastha 2028, Ujjain is being envisioned as a Global Spiritual City. “In this initiative, development of permanent infrastructure will be undertaken,” he had stated.
Nonetheless, Dr Yadav has now decided to scrap the land pooling scheme.
The Simhastha takes place every 12 years at Ujjain. The last time it was held was in 2016.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav has grand plans to make the 2028 Simhastha the best ever, as it will be the first Simhastha under his tenure, and Ujjain is his hometown.
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