A tense situation unfolded in Bhind on Wednesday when hundreds of farmers staged a vocal protest in front of Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, accusing electricity department officials of carrying out fabricated actions and harassing cultivators through inflated power bills. The protest took place during the Chief Minister’s visit to Rawatpura Sarkar Dham, briefly disrupting the scheduled programme and drawing sharp attention to grievances against the power utility.
Farmers and local BJP workers from the Lahar–Mihona region gathered near the helipad as soon as the Chief Minister arrived. Raising slogans demanding the immediate removal of Deputy General Manager (DGM) Lakshmi Sonwani, the protesters shouted “DGM hatao” for nearly 20 minutes in the Chief Minister’s presence. Security personnel and district officials rushed to manage the situation as the sudden outburst caused momentary disorder at the venue.
Allegations against power department
The protesting farmers alleged that electricity officials were initiating arbitrary and false actions to meet departmental targets. According to them, valid agricultural power connections issued to farmers were being declared illegal within two to three months without proper verification. Following this, farmers claimed they were being served notices imposing heavy penalties and electricity bills ranging from thousands to lakhs of rupees.
The farmers said notices were issued without on-site inspections, causing both financial strain and mental distress. Many claimed they were unable to understand how legally sanctioned connections suddenly turned into violations, leaving them trapped in lengthy disputes with the department.
Memorandum submitted to CM
In a memorandum handed over to the Chief Minister, the farmers alleged that such actions had increased significantly during the tenure of DGM Lakshmi Sonwani. They claimed discrepancies were being shown deliberately in meter readings, line lengths and connection details to justify inflated bills. Copies of what they termed “fabricated bills” were also submitted as supporting evidence.
Protesters stated that they had earlier approached the Managing Director’s office of the power distribution company in Bhopal with their complaints. However, with no corrective action taken and no relief in billing disputes, they felt compelled to raise the issue directly before the Chief Minister.
Warning of larger agitation
Farmers warned that if the matter was not resolved promptly, they would be forced to launch a larger agitation across the district. “We have exhausted all official channels. This protest is our last resort,” some of the demonstrators said.
Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav accepted the memorandum and briefly acknowledged the protesters before proceeding with his programme. While he did not address the crowd on the spot, senior administrative and electricity department officials present at the venue attempted to pacify the farmers and assured them that their complaints would be examined.
Situation brought under control
After sustained efforts by the administration, the situation was brought under control, allowing the Chief Minister to continue with his scheduled engagements. No injuries or detentions were reported during the protest.
The incident has once again brought the functioning of the electricity department in Bhind district under scrutiny. Allegations of inflated billing and alleged misuse of authority have been raised repeatedly in the past, and Wednesday’s protest has amplified demands for accountability and administrative intervention.
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