The decision to scrap the Ujjain Simhastha land pooling scheme on Monday evening was taken at a meeting chaired by CM Dr Mohan Yadav and attended among others, by the state BJP chief Hemant Khandelwal and RSS-affiliate BKS’s state president Kamal Singh Anjana and the outfit’s Malwa Prant general secretary Bharat Singh Bains.

The decision was taken just a few hours before farmers from 18 districts of western and south-western MP under the BKS banner, were to launch a massive ‘Ghera Dalo-Dera Dalo’ indefinite protest in Ujjain.

With Omkareshwar town remaining shut on Monday and Tuesday, the Omkareshwar Temple-bound devotees had to face major difficulties, particularly due to non-operation of shops, taxis and other vehicular conveyance, besides provision of accommodation.

Basic facilities, like water, tea and snacks weren’t available adequately and the devotees had to depend largely on the Omkareshwar Temple’s prasad.

Owing to the shutdown, the devotees had to travel seven kms away in Kothi and adjoining villages for finding accommodation, that too at high prices.

Not just the angry residents, but even the local Hindu seers had opposed the project in its present form. Mahant Mangaldas of Jod Ganpati Temple reportedly warned that saints from outside Omkareshwar would join the protest if ashrams were demolished to make way for the project.