Badnawar (Madhya Pradesh): Tribals of Badnawar tehsil and other areas of Dhar district have launched protest against the site chosen for PM Mitra Textile Park in Bhensola village.
Under the banner of Zameen Bachao Sangharsh Samiti, social activists on Saturday, staged a demonstration in Badnawar. They later marched to district panchayat office and handed over a memorandum addressing the President of India to tehsildar Mukesh Bamnia.
The proposal to set up PM MITRA Park in Bhensola village of Madhya Pradesh received formal approval of the Government of India in March, 2023.
The programme for MoU signing between Government of India (Ministry of Textiles) and Madhya Pradesh Government was held in Dhar on May 21 in presence of Union minister of textiles, commerce & industry and consumer affairs, food & public distribution Piyush Goyal, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union minister of state for textiles and railways, Darshana Vikram Jardosh, officials of Ministry of Textiles and State Government.
A week after the programme, tribals from Badnawar and it adjoining areas started protesting.
For a long time, the agitators raised slogans while sitting in front of Gandhi statue in Janpad Panchayat premises. A large number of women and children also participated in the protest.
It was said in the memorandum that 1,563 acres was selected for PM Mitra Textiles Park. At present, 10 villages, including Bhainsola and Dotaria and nearby Majro Ghenara, Garwada, Kheda, Bagapada, Dholikuan, Khakrod, Khokri, would be affected by it. Houses for more than 1000 people have been built in these villages.
They are living on vacant land by doing farming for years. This land is the only means of livelihood for these families.
Rs 500 crore will be given to industrialists by the Central and state government for this park, but no plan was made for the homeless poor. The tribals were being played with by the government, they alleged.
It was also said in the memorandum that due to the state Cabinet minister Rajvardhan Singh Dattigaon, two-three industries started in the area, but locals never got jobs. The youth here were feeling cheated.
In the name of industry, the land of the poor tribals was acquired with the help of the government thus jeopardising future of the youth.
The government was playing with the people of Badnawar region by giving undue benefits to industrialists.
They alleged that local youths never got employment in Wonder Cement, Soya Plant and Textile Factory.
Earlier, the Sangharsh rally started from the new bus stand on Petlavad Road raising slogan of Jai Johar. It was described as a fight for the interests of the tribal class. Slogans were also raised against the government.
