Angered by a three-decade wait for a proper motorable road, residents of a remote village in Madhya Pradesh’s Umaria district staged an unusual protest by planting paddy saplings along a muddy stretch they use for daily travel.
The protest took place in Karigadhari village under Manikpuri gram panchayat in the Bandhavgarh Assembly constituency. A video of the demonstration has gone viral on social media over the past two days.
Villagers, including women, children, youth and elderly residents, gathered along the waterlogged and mud-covered road carrying paddy saplings. They planted the saplings on the stretch to highlight what they described as years of official neglect.
Residents said the poor condition of the road has made commuting difficult and dangerous, particularly during the monsoon season. The symbolic protest was aimed at drawing the authorities’ attention to their longstanding demand for a proper road connection.
