Farmer outfit announces protest against Madhya Pradesh govt ‘U-turn’ on Simhastha Mela land pooling plan
The decision to intensify the agitation was taken at a meeting held at Ambedkar Bhavan on Chintaman Road in Ujjain, attended by 239 workers from 18 districts.
3 min readBhopalUpdated: Dec 15, 2025 05:31 PM IST
Farmers’ organisations have opposed the plan, arguing it would permanently alter the religious character of the Simhastha and convert fertile land into concrete townships. (Source: Express Archives)
The RSS-affiliated farmers’ outfit Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) has announced a massive protest in Ujjain on December 26 against the proposed land pooling scheme for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Madhya Pradesh of reneging on its promise to withdraw the policy.
Addressing a meeting of farmers and office-bearers, BKS state president Kamal Singh Anjana said the organisation would launch a “Dera Dalo, Ghera Dalo” agitation within Ujjain city, alleging the scheme was a ploy to grab farmers’ land.
“The state government had called a meeting in Bhopal on November 17 and announced that land pooling would be scrapped. Even after more than a month, no written order has been issued. This is a betrayal of farmers,” Anjana said. “Our patience has run out. Now there will be a decisive struggle.”
Government sources indicated that a written order may be in the works. “We are debating [various] aspects. We have already withdrawn the policy but other fine points are being considered.”
Proposed as part of Simhastha-2028 planning, the policy aimed at pooling privately owned agricultural land, developing it and returning a portion to landowners. Farmers’ organisations have opposed the plan, arguing it would permanently alter the religious character of the Simhastha and convert fertile land into concrete townships.
Facing resistance, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had earlier indicated the proposal would be withdrawn and that Simhastha arrangements would be made without large-scale permanent acquisition. However, the absence of a formal government order has reignited the agitation.
The BKS said the Simhastha has historically been organised using temporary tents and structures, without permanent buildings.
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“For hundreds of years, Simhastha has been held with tents and temporary settlements. Even saints do not stay in permanent houses during the Mela. If concrete buildings come up, it will no longer be Simhastha,” Anjana said, adding that farmers would not allow their land to be turned into “a jungle of cement”.
According to the BKS, workers from all 18 districts and 115 tehsils of the region have signalled an indefinite sit-in from December 26, with protesters arriving in vehicles carrying essential supplies such as food grains and firewood.
The decision to intensify the agitation was taken at a meeting held at Ambedkar Bhavan on Chintaman Road in Ujjain, attended by 239 workers from 18 districts.
Issuing the protest call, the BKS said the agitation would continue until the government issued a written order formally scrapping land pooling and the TDS projects affecting farmers in the Simhastha area.
Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy.
Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free.
Expertise and Reporting Beats
Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors:
National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres.
Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA).
Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking.
Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers.
Professional Background
Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017.
Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh.
Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs.
Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife.
Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance.
Digital & Professional Presence
Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express
Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More
