JAIPUR: The Panchana Dam water dispute intensified in Rajasthan on Wednesday, with members of the Gurjar community blocking highways in Bharatpur and Karauli districts, demanding action against those allegedly posting abusive and provocative content targeting their community on social media.
Although water has been released from the Panchana Dam in Karauli, tensions between the Gurjar and Meena communities continued. Members of both communities allegedly exchanged abusive posts on social media, further escalating the dispute.
The administration tightened security and suspended internet services in Karauli district after inflammatory posts went viral. Internet services were also suspended in Gangapur City, Wazirpur and Bamanwas areas of Sawai Madhopur district to maintain law and order and prevent the spread of rumours. Police registered cases against several individuals for posting inflammatory content on social media.
In Bharatpur, members of the Gurjar community held a panchayat at Raseri village near Peelupura in Bayana subdivision following the circulation of the posts. After the meeting, protesters blocked the Bharatpur-Karauli State Highway at Raseri village. A member of the Gurjar panchayat said a memorandum had been submitted to the Chief Minister through the Bayana Sub-Divisional Magistrate, seeking strict legal action against those responsible for the posts.
Similar protests were held in Dausa district, where members of the Gurjar community organised a panchayat over the alleged social media posts. In Karauli, Gurjars held panchayats at several places and warned of highway blockades if legal action was not taken. A large panchayat was also held at Gudla village, attended by representatives from 39 Gurjar-dominated villages. Protesters also blocked the Karauli-Hindaun state highway.
Meanwhile, farmers from the Meena community continued their protests and road blockades in eastern Rajasthan despite water from the Panchana Dam reaching canals in the command area. Demonstrations continued in Hindaun, Gangapur City and nearby areas, disrupting traffic. The administration held several rounds of talks with the protesters, but no breakthrough was reached by late evening.
The blockades affected traffic on the Hindaun-Karauli and Hindaun-Gangapur city roads, with long queues of vehicles reported. Many commuters took alternate routes, while others remained stranded for hours.
Late on Wednesday night, Agriculture Minister Dr Kirodi Lal Meena met the protesters and assured them that technical issues in the canals would be resolved and adequate water would be released within 10 days. Following the assurance, the farmers withdrew the blockade and traffic resumed.
Traffic has since resumed on the Gangapur City-Hindaun, Karauli-Gangapur City, Karauli-Dholpur, Karauli-Hindaun and Karauli-Mandrayal routes. Farmers from Kusay village in Wazirpur had blocked the Hindaun-Gangapur main road for three days, alleging inadequate water supply in the canals.
Though water from the Panchana Dam reached Bandi village through the canal network by Tuesday evening, protesting farmers claimed the flow remained insufficient to irrigate fields at the tail end of the canal system. They demanded an increase in water discharge to ensure equitable distribution to all villages and agricultural fields.
