BJP vs BJP? Why Shivraj Chouhan’s intervention over tribal protest puts MP CM Mohan Yadav under pressure

In Kosmi village, Sehore district, officials allegedly demolished tribal families’ homes, destroyed crops and filled a well with soil. The Forest Department and Madhya Pradesh Van Vikas Nigam say the action removed encroachments from forest land where a plantation was established in 2021. The families dispute that account.

They say they have lived on and cultivated the land for generations. Their demands include recognition of their land claims, compensation for homes, crops and belongings, rehabilitation, and action against officials responsible for the demolition. Talks with the local administration did not resolve the dispute.

After a five-day protest, residents began marching toward Bhopal on Thursday. They want to meet Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and present their documents directly. A protest is scheduled in Bhopal on 17 October, with about 5,000 people potentially joining from more than 35 villages. Shivraj Singh Chouhan has also promised new homes and temporary support.

Chouhan’s criticism is politically sensitive because he is a senior BJP leader and Union Agriculture Minister, while Mohan Yadav leads the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh. Rather than defending the administration, Chouhan called the action an extreme injustice and questioned why families who voted for the BJP were being targeted.

During his visit to Kosmi, Chouhan spoke to Chief Secretary Ashok Barnwal, registered his objection and said he would take up the matter with Yadav. He also promised that new houses would be built and that temporary accommodation and food would be provided. His son Kartikeya also visited the families.

The intervention gives the protesters support from a powerful BJP figure and raises expectations for official action. Congress has framed the episode as a tussle between “Mohan” and “Mama,” Chouhan’s political identity. The dispute therefore concerns both tribal rights and the public unity of the state’s ruling establishment.

“Encroachment on forest land” means the government considers the occupation unauthorised and says the land is under forest control. The Forest Department and Madhya Pradesh Van Vikas Nigam said a plantation had been established there in 2021. Their stated reason for demolition was to remove settlements from that forest land.

The affected families give a different account. They say they have lived on and cultivated the land for generations. They are seeking recognition of their land claims and have offered to present land documents to the Chief Minister. They also want compensation for homes, crops and belongings lost during the action.

These positions reflect a dispute over both land status and evidence. The government relies on its classification and enforcement action, while the families rely on longstanding residence, cultivation and documents. The article does not report a final legal determination. The march seeks political attention and a response from the state government.

The protest began in Kosmi and continued for five days before residents started marching toward Bhopal on Thursday. About 5,000 people could join, with residents from other villages joining along the route. People associated with the protest said participants from more than 35 villages were expected at the 17 October demonstration.

The scale matters because the dispute affects more than a single household or isolated settlement. Women, children, young people and elderly residents are expected to take part. They want to bypass failed talks with the local administration and put their demands directly before Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.

A large march in the state capital can increase political and administrative pressure. It highlights demands for compensation, rehabilitation, land-claim recognition and action against officials. Chouhan’s public intervention has already elevated the issue within the BJP. The protest could therefore force the government to address both the families’ losses and questions about its handling of forest land.

The demolitions affected nearly every part of the families’ daily lives. According to the article, homes were destroyed, crops were damaged and belongings were lost. Officials also filled a well with soil, removing an important local water source. The families say the action made them homeless and harmed their ability to support themselves.

The loss of crops directly affects livelihoods, while the destruction of homes creates an immediate housing crisis. Chouhan said the action had destroyed not only houses but also the families’ livelihoods. He was also upset that no senior forest or administrative official was present at the site when he visited.

The families are seeking compensation for these losses, rehabilitation, recognition of their land claims and action against responsible officials. Chouhan said new houses would be built. Until permanent arrangements are made, he promised temporary accommodation and food. The protest seeks to turn those assurances into government action.

Kosmi lies in the Budhni Assembly constituency, a seat closely associated with Shivraj Singh Chouhan. He represented Budhni multiple times during his political career and served as Madhya Pradesh chief minister from November 2005 to December 2018, then again from March 2020 to December 2023.

That history gives his intervention special weight. Chouhan visited the affected families, expressed strong displeasure and said officials had demolished homes, destroyed crops and filled a well in his Vidisha Lok Sabha constituency. He had previously directed officials not to demolish the houses during a similar attempted action.

The latest demolition took place despite those instructions. Chouhan then contacted the state Chief Secretary, objected publicly and promised new homes and temporary support. His criticism creates pressure because the families are from an area linked to his political record, and because he is challenging officials under a BJP government he once led. Congress has used the dispute to allege a leadership tussle.

India balances forest protection and community rights through laws and institutions with different responsibilities. The Forest Rights Act, 2006, provides a process for recognising certain rights of forest-dwelling tribal communities and other traditional forest dwellers. Gram Sabhas begin the claims process, while official committees examine evidence. Forest authorities remain responsible for protecting forest land.

The Forest (Conservation) Act framework regulates diversion of forest land for non-forest uses, while district and state administrations enforce land and forest decisions. In a dispute like Kosmi, authorities would need to establish the land’s legal status, consider submitted documents and assess any recognised rights before taking action. Conservation goals do not by themselves settle every individual claim.

The article reports competing accounts, not a final legal ruling. Officials called the homes encroachments on forest land with a 2021 plantation. Families claimed generations-long residence and cultivation. Their march seeks recognition, compensation and rehabilitation, making the government’s handling of evidence and procedure central to what happens next.