Panchana Dam protest: Farmers set June 27 deadline, Khandip Mahapanchayat enters Day 19
Synopsis
On its 19th day, the Khandip Mahapanchayat has drawn MPs, MLAs, and thousands of farmers demanding Panchana Dam water release by June 27 — a deadline that could trigger a major escalation if the Rajasthan government stays silent. Organisers claim it is the largest farmers' movement in the state in seven decades.
Key Takeaways
Farmers at the Khandip Mahapanchayat have set June 27 as the deadline for Panchana Dam water release into command area canals.
The protest entered its 19th day on 23 June , with Todabhim MLA Ramkesh Meena calling it the largest farmers' movement in Rajasthan in 70 years .
Tonk-Sawai Madhopur MP Harishchandra Meena , MLA Ghanshyam Mahar , former MLA Lakhan Singh Meena , and former minister Golma Devi addressed the gathering.
Farmers, women, youth, and Panch-Patels from across Nadauti and Todabhim tehsils participated; a larger convoy is expected on 24 June .
The state government has been accused of attempting to divide communities and of sending ministers to nearby villages while avoiding Khandip .
Protesters have vowed to intensify the agitation if the government fails to act by the June 27 deadline.
Thousands of farmers at the Khandip Mahapanchayat in Rajasthan have set June 27 as a firm deadline for the state government to release water from Panchana Dam into command area canals, as the indefinite sit-in protest entered its 19th day on Tuesday, 23 June. Todabhim MLA Ramkesh Meena declared the agitation had become a statewide issue now being discussed in Delhi, calling it the largest farmers' movement in Rajasthan in seven decades.
Scale of the Agitation
The protest ground at Khandip transformed into a sea of people as farmers, women, youth, and Panch-Patels from dozens of villages across Nadauti and Todabhim tehsils converged to express solidarity. Members of Parliament, sitting MLAs, and senior public representatives joined the gathering, lending significant political weight to what organisers describe as a non-political movement rooted in water rights and court-backed decisions.
The Panchna Command Area Development Struggle Committee announced that on 24 June, thousands more farmers, Panch-Patels, women, and youth would arrive at the site in a convoy of hundreds of vehicles, signalling that attendance is expected to swell further ahead of the deadline.
Key Voices at the Mahapanchayat
Tonk-Sawai Madhopur MP Harishchandra Meena assured the gathering of his support, stating the demand rests on justice and the implementation of court-backed decisions. 'Our fight is not against any section of society. We are demanding that the government fulfill its legal obligations. This movement will succeed,' he said.
Todabhim MLA Ghanshyam Mahar accused the state government of neglecting farmers and ignoring the concerns of the command area. 'This movement is not of one village or one community; it is a fight for the rights of thousands of farmers. Every public representative must come to Khandip and stand with the farmers. Those who remain absent will have to answer to the people,' he said.
Former MLA Lakhan Singh Meena declared the struggle would continue until justice was secured. 'The fight for farmers' rights will continue until water from the Panchna Dam is released. We will not allow the legitimate rights of farmers to be ignored,' he said. Former minister Golma Devi also addressed the gathering and extended support to the movement.
Government Accused of Divide-and-Rule Tactics
MLA Ramkesh Meena accused the state government of attempting to divide communities in order to weaken the movement. He pointedly noted that ministers had visited nearby villages but had conspicuously avoided Khandip despite the massive turnout — a silence that protest leaders say speaks for itself.
'We have given an ultimatum until June 27. The government must order the release of water into our canals before then,' Meena said, warning of an intensification of the agitation if the deadline is not met.
What Happens Next
The Struggle Committee and MLA Ramkesh Meena have called upon all MPs, MLAs, and public representatives across party lines to visit the protest site before June 27. With political support gathering momentum and attendance continuing to rise, the Khandip Mahapanchayat is emerging as one of the most consequential farmers' movements in eastern Rajasthan. If the state government does not act by the deadline, protesters have vowed to intensify their agitation — a development that could escalate pressure on the ruling dispensation ahead of any political calendar in the region.
Point of View
Multiple MLAs, and cross-party representatives signals that the Rajasthan government's inaction has created a political liability. The accusation that ministers toured nearby villages while bypassing Khandip is a telling detail: it suggests the administration is managing optics rather than the crisis. With a hard June 27 deadline, a larger convoy expected on June 24, and organisers explicitly calling on all parties to join, the government faces a narrowing window. The real question is whether this is a movement with structural staying power or one that peaks before the deadline — and whether the state will offer a substantive response or another round of procedural delay.
NationPress
24 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Khandip Mahapanchayat protest about?
The Khandip Mahapanchayat is an indefinite sit-in protest by farmers in Rajasthan demanding the release of water from Panchana Dam into command area canals. The agitation, now in its 19th day, is rooted in what protesters describe as the government's failure to fulfil legal obligations tied to court-backed decisions on water rights.
What is the June 27 deadline set by the farmers?
Farmers and their representatives have given the Rajasthan state government until June 27 to order the release of Panchana Dam water into command area canals. If the government does not act by that date, protest leaders have warned they will intensify the agitation.
Who are the key leaders supporting the Panchana Dam protest?
The protest has drawn support from Tonk-Sawai Madhopur MP Harishchandra Meena, Todabhim MLA Ghanshyam Mahar, Todabhim MLA Ramkesh Meena, former MLA Lakhan Singh Meena, and former minister Golma Devi. All have addressed the gathering and demanded immediate water release.
Why has the Rajasthan government been criticised over the protest?
Protest leaders allege the state government has attempted to divide communities to weaken the movement. They have also pointed out that ministers visited villages near Khandip but did not come to the protest site itself, despite the massive turnout — a move organisers interpret as deliberate avoidance.
What is expected to happen at Khandip on June 24?
The Panchna Command Area Development Struggle Committee has announced that on June 24, thousands more farmers, Panch-Patels, women, and youth from across the region will arrive at the protest site in a convoy of hundreds of vehicles, further swelling the numbers ahead of the June 27 deadline.
