“Development is not about factories, dams, and roads. Development is about people. The goal is material, cultural, and spiritual fulfillment for the people. The human factor is of supreme value in development.” The Chita Andolan in Madhya Pradesh brings the development–displacement debate into sharp focus. Emerging in April 2026, the movement was led by Adivasi communities and farmers affected by the Ken–Betwa River Linking Project. The protesters lay beside funeral pyres, o