Ujjain Land Pooling Row Erupts Again: Farmers Accuse Government of Betrayal, Warn of Major Statewide Agitation

Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh):
The controversy surrounding the Ujjain Land Pooling Act has reignited, with farmer organisations accusing the state government of going back on its commitments. Despite earlier assurances, the revised order issued by the Urban Development and Housing Department has triggered fresh outrage among farmers, who have now warned of a large-scale protest if the Act is not completely withdrawn.

Government Withdraws Decision, But Farmers See “Deception”

In the midst of preparations for Simhastha 2028, the state government issued a new order on Wednesday that merges the Ujjain Development Authority (UDA) and the Town & Country Planning (T&CP) department. Rather than providing clarity, the order has deepened the conflict between the government and the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS).

Farmers assert that the government has not fully scrapped the Act, despite promising to do so. They claim the amendment is an attempt to “confuse and trap” them.

BKS: ‘Government Has Not Honoured Its Word’

BKS State President Kamal Singh Anjana said the farmers had clearly demanded:

• Complete scrapping of the Land Pooling Act in the Simhastha area
• Cancellation of Gazette notification related to Ujjain’s land pooling master plan
• Withdrawal of cases filed against farmers
• No permanent construction in the Simhastha zone
• Conduct of Simhastha as per earlier tradition

Anjana alleged that the revised order is “misleading and inconsistent” with the commitments made during the meeting with the government.
“We give the government two days. If the Act is not completely abolished, the movement will start again,” he warned.

Trust Broken After Government Meeting

The BKS had suspended its planned ‘Dera Dalo, Ghera Dalo’ protest scheduled for November 18, after the government assured on November 17 that all demands would be accepted. However, when the official order was released, farmers accused the government of going against the decisions made in the meeting.

Four Phases of Protests Already Held

Farmers have been protesting against the Land Pooling Act since February under the BKS banner. Major demonstrations included:

• 12 February: Tehsil-level demonstrations and submission of memorandums
• 16 September: Tractor rally with 2,000 tractors; national general secretary Mohan Mishra participated
• 04 October: Women’s ‘Sadbudhi Yagya’ by 500 participants at Mahakal Temple
• 10 November: Dhol–nagada protest; memorandums submitted to MLA and MP; CM office also served with a notice

Farmers’ Key Demands

• Immediate cancellation of the Land Pooling Act
• No permanent construction in the name of ‘Spiritual City’ in the Simhastha zone
• No acquisition of farmers’ land
• Simhastha to be conducted as per traditional methods

What Is the Ujjain Land Pooling Scheme?

Under the proposed scheme:

• 50% of a farmer’s land would be acquired by the Ujjain Development Authority
• Remaining 50% would stay with the farmer
• Of the remaining land:
• 25% would be used for road construction
• 5% for parks
• 5% for facilities such as parking, public amenities, schools, hospitals, and power stations

Farmers argue that this structure results in substantial loss of their cultivable land and threatens their livelihoods.