In August 2025, farmers in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain took to the streets organising protests, satyagraha and staging blockade against the government’s decision to build a permanent Kumbh city for the mega Simhastha festival scheduled to be held in 2028 in the holy city of Ujjain.
The Madhya Pradesh government as part of its preparations for the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela has decided to acquire over 2378 hectares of land to build permanent infrastructure including wide roads, dividers, underground lighting, ashrams, hospitals, schools, gurukuls and a dharmshala. The land parcels largely fall within the northern, western and eastern edges of Ujjain city encompassing more than 17 villages including Mangalnath, Murlipura and Bhairvagarh, while being thematically parallel to the sacred Kshipra River.
Authorities argue that the land will be transformed into a high-tech spiritual city. The chief minister said that the state government is making investor-friendly policies to attract investments from private players, across all sectors including tourism.
The Ujjain Development Authority (UDA), designated for executing preparations work, plans to acquire land from nearly 5,000 survey plots owned by 1,806 farmers through land pooling. The land parcels are planned to be acquired under a scheme where farmers are permitted to construct 50 percent of their retained land, while the residual 50 percent shall be used for development of infrastructure. As per Ujjain Collector, after land pooling farmers will receive plots connected to 18-metre wide roads.
The administration has further devised an alternative scheme for farmers who do not wish to participate in land pooling. Such farmers, will have an opportunity to opt for land acquisition instead, which shall entail in receiving double compensation based on Collector’s guidelines. The scheme allows farmers to continue cultivation until the land is required for development.
However, farmers unhappy and afraid with the provisions of the scheme have expressed their resistance and opposition to the scheme demanding reverting to the old scheme, where only temporarily arrangements were made on the land pooled. According to the farmers collective Simhastha Kisan Sangharsh Samiti, the new scheme is oppressive as it would affect the source of livelihood of farmers. The Samiti expressed that the construction of roads shall not only endanger the crops of the farmers but also impact the environment by way of loss of fertile land, grazing land and cutting of thousands of trees.
It was also reported that in August 2025, more than half a dozen farmers leading the protests were picked up by the police from their homes late night and taken into custody, which further intensified the protest by farmers who blocked Indore-Kota National Highway. Bhartiya Kisan Sangh was also reported to have opposed the Land Pooling Scheme brought in by the Madhya Pradesh Government amending State laws in view of Simhastha 2028.
Most protesting farmers who own small parcels of land evince that they wish to pool their land for Kumbh, but do not want to give it permanently. As per these small farmers, land acquisition will ruin them where they will barely be left with little land if 50 percent of their land is given to the government.
Farmers proposed that land should be acquired only for 2–3 months during each Simhastha, with temporary roads, water, and electricity infrastructure. Additionally, they should be given fair compensation for the temporary use of their land, which the farmers say becomes unsuitable for farming after such use.
Ujjain, one of the prominent religious towns and pilgrimage centres in India, hosts the grand Simhastha Kumbh Mela event once in every 12 years. The event witnesses participation by local farmers who contribute their land for temporary use for accommodation and other services to millions of devotees and ascetics visiting the Mela in city.
Meanwhile, authorities explained that a similar land pooling arrangement exists in Haridwar and assured that farmers’ interests would be protected.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Refusal to give up land for the project
Opposition against environmental degradation
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Demand for reverting to old scheme involving erecting temporary infrastructures for festivals.
Region Classification
Rural
Type of Land
Common and Private
N/A
What was the action taken by the police?
Detention
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Original Project Deadline
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Agricultural land, Grazing
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
5000
Type of investment:
Investment Expected
Year of Estimation
2025
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Land Acquisition Laws, Other, Constitutional Law, Land Reform Laws
Legislations/Policies Involved
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
Yes
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Controversial land acquisition by the government
Violation of free prior informed consent
Legal Status:
Out of Court
Status of Case In Court
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Case Number
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Arrest/detention/imprisonment
Blackmail/threats/intimidation
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Reported Details of the Violation:
Half a dozen farmers leading the protest against land pooling scheme in Ujjain, were picked up by the police while they were sleeping at their homes late night and taken into detention. Police also took preventive action against 35 farmers who blocked the highway demanding release of the leaders. As per media report of TOI, farmers were charged under various preventive sections of BNS.
Date of Violation
August 15, 2025
Location of Violation
Ujjain
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
Ujjain Development Authority, Ujjain Collector; Directorate of Town and Country Planning (Government of MP); Urban Development and Housing Department (Government of MP); Urban Administration and Development Department
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
Simhastha Kisan Sangharsh Samiti; Bhartiya Kisan Sangh
What was the action taken by the police?
Detention
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
