Farmers clashed with police in Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh district on Wednesday during a protest against an ethanol plant under construction. The confrontation left several people injured, including a state legislator. Police used lathi charges and tear gas to disperse protesters at a gathering near the factory in Tibbi.
The protesters broke through the factory’s boundary wall and entered the premises. They destroyed construction materials and set fire to about 10 vehicles. Three bulldozozers were also damaged in the violence. Markets in Tibbi shut down and authorities suspended internet services in the area.
Congress MLA Abhimanyu Poonia, who also serves as State Youth Congress president, suffered injuries during the police action. He received initial treatment at the protest site before being taken to Mahatma Gandhi Memorial District Hospital in Hanumangarh for further tests.
What Is Hanumangarh’s Ethanol Plant Controversy
The ethanol plant in Rathikheda is being built by Chandigarh-based Dune Ethanol Private Limited. It is designed as a grain-based unit with a forty-megawatt capacity. The company says the project will support the central government’s fuel-blending programme. Farmers argue that the plant is coming up without the required environmental clearance and without their consent.
Recent developments suggest the project may not proceed. Factory officials from Dune Ethanol Private Limited told The Indian Express on Saturday that the company is considering pulling out of the project. A source from the firm said they were planning to invest Rs 450 crore in the plant on over 73 bigha of land, but the ongoing protests have made them reconsider. “Looking at the difficult conditions in the area, we might have to withdraw,” the source stated.
On Wednesday afternoon, farmers gathered outside the Tibbi SDM office and later moved in a tractor march towards the factory. The crowd grew larger as groups from nearby areas joined in. Once the wall came down, the situation changed quickly. Police moved in to disperse the protesters, leading to injuries on both sides.
Leaders from Sriganganagar and Punjab also reached the site. They said the factory would cause long-term harm if allowed to operate. Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal accused the state government of ignoring public concerns. “The government is acting under corporate pressure,” Beniwal said, calling for the project to be halted.
Why Are Farmers Protesting
The protests have been ongoing for more than a year, with tensions building steadily. On December 17, national farmer leader Rakesh Tikait of the Bharatiya Kisan Union participated in another mahapanchayat and warned that future protests would be more severe. Following the December 10 violence, police filed FIRs against 273 people in one case and 108 in another. Around 40 people have been arrested, including two Congress MLAs, former MLAs, and farmer leaders.
Farmers say the factory threatens their land, water and future income. They believe the plant’s wastewater will damage thousands of acres and make farming unpredictable. Residents fear air pollution from the plant’s operations will worsen health conditions in surrounding villages.
Many also object to the way the project was approved. Farmers point out that construction is advancing despite the missing environmental clearance. They say they were neither informed nor consulted before the work began. With detentions of farmer leaders earlier in the week, the tension grew further and pushed more people to join the demonstration.
The administration has tried to calm the situation. Meetings between district officials and farmer groups were held on Tuesday night, but no agreement was reached. Farmer leaders said they would continue their agitation until all detained protesters are released and construction is stopped.
Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot condemned the police action against farmers. “The Congress will continue to raise the farmers’ voice fearlessly,” Gehlot said on social media. He questioned why the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government showed “hatred towards farmers.”
Injured MLA Abhimanyu Poonia called the incident a “conspiratorial attack” against farmers’ rights from his hospital bed. He said threats would not stop their peaceful fight. Karanpur MLA Rupinder Singh Kunnar announced that thousands of Congress workers would march to Rathikheda to support the farmers. Heavy police presence remains in the area as tension continues.
How This Factory Impacts Farmers
Farmers depend on groundwater for irrigation. They say the plant’s discharge could seep into the soil and make the land less productive. Villagers in Chak Five RK and nearby areas say the threat is not theoretical. They fear a drop in crop yield will hit their income directly.
Air pollution is another concern. Residents say fumes from the plant could increase respiratory problems and affect livestock. With most families in the region reliant on farming, villagers believe the plant could reduce their ability to sustain their land over time.
Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena pointed out that the land for the factory was allotted through an MoU signed during the previous Congress government’s tenure. He noted the irony that the same party’s MLAs are now leading protests against the plant. Government officials maintain the factory received proper clearances, including NOCs from the pollution control department and the state groundwater department. They describe it as a ‘zero liquid discharge’ factory, where all wastewater and industrial effluent would be treated, recovered, and reused within the plant, leaving no discharge to harm surface water or soil.
Talks between farmers and district officials are expected to continue, but local groups say the protest will not end until the project is shifted or reviewed in full. The administration has kept heavy police deployment in place, and internet services remain suspended across several villages. Tension in the area remains high as both sides wait for the next round of discussions.
Banner image credit: Photo credit: X/@mshahi0024, @danewaliaswaran
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