Protests of Desperation: Communities in Madhya Pradesh Demand Attention

In Madhya Pradesh’s Sehore district, Bajrangi protested an acute water shortage by tying written complaints to his body and crawling into the divisional commissioner's office. The authorities, however, contested his claims. Similar protests over disregarded grievances have occurred in other parts of the state, highlighting recurring citizen struggles.

A vivid protest unfolded in Madhya Pradesh's Sehore district as a local resident, Bajrangi, took desperate measures to draw attention to a severe water shortage. Attaching written applications to a string tied around his body, Bajrangi crawled into the divisional commissioner's office, claiming that lack of water has become a critical issue for his village.

Bajrangi alleged that even after submitting multiple applications to various officials, including the collector and the chief minister, the problem remained unresolved. He accused the village sarpanch of obstructing water access improvements and engaging in corruption. Despite these claims, district officials denied the severity of the water crisis, stating that a borewell has been installed to temporarily alleviate the shortage.

This is not the first time such a bold protest has been seen in Madhya Pradesh. In past instances, citizens have resorted to extraordinary measures to make their voices heard, including farmers rolling on the collectorate floor and walking on knees to demand action on land disputes, pressing the authorities to take notice of their plights.

(With inputs from agencies.)