Looking at track record of Congress under Sonia – Rahul, if UPA – 3 was in power, Narmada dam wouldn’t have been completed

September 15, 2017
BJP Central Government Congress Gujarat Narendra Modi Politics State Government

By Japan K Pathak

Ahmedabad: Narmada dam was actually not a dam but just a causeway, above which water would surpass when surplus in quantity in reservoir. As there were no gates installed over this dam, there was no flood control mechanism available. Due to lack of gates over Narmada dam, seasonal powerful jumps of surplus water overflowing in force from Sardar Sarovar reservoir would harm the footer surface on downstream side.

This was the scenario which continued for years because permission for installation of gates over Narmada dam was not granted.

Congress would say Narmada dam project stalled due to NCA, not UPA; what was the fact

In 2013, I curiously investigated into why Narmada dam was stalled since 2008 post 121 + height and who exactly was responsible for that. Putting political allegations aside, I concentrated on officially available records mainly through Congress-led UPA government’s replies in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha and wrote this article (https://t.co/mgwd8vulrl).

Opposition Congress party in Gujarat, which was at the same time ruling party in the Centre was arguing in those days that it was Narmada Control Authority which was responsible to grant nod to increase the height of Narmada dam, and the Centre had no role to play. However when checked, I clearly found that it was Congress-led UPA government which was responsible for halting the progress of Narmada dam.

While lack of cooperation from then Congress-ruled Maharashtra State was initially responsible for no-progress of Narmada dam, the root cause at later stage  was that the Social Justice ministry under  Congress-led UPA government was not convening meeting for approval of height increase of Narmada dam. I personally contacted Social Justice Ministry officials in Delhi and asked them why they were not convening a meeting to give approval to installation of gates(in raised position for which Gujarat was ready) or in other words height increase. There were three ministers in this ministry, but none was replying why they were not holding pending meeting on Narmada dam height issue. I have record of some of such conversations.

2008 to 2014, six-year delay in progress of Narmada dam during Congress-led UPA was longer than the three-year delay during 1995-1998 which was caused by Supreme Court stay order.

During UPA-2 when Gujarat Congress continued to claim that the Centre had no role to play in granting height increase permission and only NCA was responsible for that, heated debates were going on between the State and Centre and BJP and Congress.  I wrote this piece at that time suggesting what Congress could actually do  https://t.co/fffGfbsKkS

When Modi became Prime Minister and approved installation of gates over Narmada dam in less than a month period, the fact was out in open that contrary to Congress claims,  it was not merely NCA’s job to give nod to height increase, but government had actual role to play.

It appears that Congress-led UPA stalled Narmada dam height increase work due to influence of left allies during UPA-1 and left-tilted anti-Narmada dam group in National Advisory Council led by Sonia Gandhi during UPA – 1 – 2.

There’s no secret and it’s on record that left – foreign aided NGOs and church combo was resisting the progress of Narmada dam.

Looking at the company, Congress president enjoys and her source of influence, (https://t.co/CTV0l1CQUf) and her left leaning  track record, I am very sure that suppose if there was UPA – 3 in power post 2014 general elections,  permission to install gates over Narmada dam was impossible to achieve.

You can go through these links to know more about Sonia-led National Advisory Council  (NAC) run UPA government. The articles may give you some idea on why Narmada dam gates were not approved for years by Congress-led UPA government. https://t.co/EsI8jMsGl3 and https://t.co/yTZM6YqIXN . You can go through Sanjay Baru’s book and many more resources for more on NAC.

Medha came in picture in late 80s; who stalled the project till then

Rajiv-GandhiIt’s worth mentioning that post 1970 Bharuch flood, there was pressure on government to move ahead with Narmada dam project. But government moved only in late 1970s when non-Congress Prime Minister Morarji Desai came to power, the project could progress on paper. Then after re-election of Indira Gandhi, the progress of  this important stalled again. Anyone who go through records will stay assure that Indira as Prime Minister stalled the project for years. Even Congress national spokesperson today in his press conference said that the project was stalled between 1961 and 1987 due to lack of clearance by the Centre. When Rajiv Gandhi was Prime Minister, Gujarat suffered worst famine. There was lot of pressure from all sections in Gujarat including then vocal opposition leader Shankersinh Vaghela that the Centre must give environment clearance to Narmada project immediately. Rajiv(it appears not as left tilted as Sonia and Rahul Gandhi) granted environment clearance and planning commission nod to Narmada project in later portion of his tenure. Medha Patkar’s foreign-funded bogus obstructionist activities started only in late 1980s. Until then, barring one decision of Rajiv Gandhi, successive Congress governments in Centre had stalled the project. Emergence of BJP in Gujarat with Chimanbhai – Keshubhai government in power in early 1990s and at the same time Sundarlal Patva government in power in neighboring Madhya Pradesh gave momentum to Narmada dam project. Former Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel had in his one interview indicated that when Narmada project was in deep trouble, late Shri Dhirubhai Ambani, founder of Reliance group had played key role to put the project again on track.

Replies to Congress

When I tweeted these details in June early this year, Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia in reference to my one of tweets posted a clarification: Narmada Control Authority(NCA) have sub committees(SC) on EC(Environment Clearance) and rehabilitation. of displaced. Only NCA(Headquarters Indore) takes decision. Prime Minister and Government of India have no role.

Then it was my turn to challenge Modhwadia’s clarification. My reply was that Re&R Sub group of NCA where things were stuck for years under Congress-led UPA government was headed by Secretary, Social Justice Department, Government of India. If Congress-led UPA government had slightest willingness, the Secretary could call meeting and clear the things in minutes!

Then the NCA Chairman, NCA Environment Sub Group Chairman, NCA R&R Sub Group Chairman all are Secretaries working in Government of India under the Prime Minister, now and even then under the Congress-led UPA.

There’s no substance in Congress’s claim that government had no role to play!

I argued that I had also spoken to the officials in that department during Congress-led UPA, they could convey me no reason why they had stalled the things!(I have records of my communication with Social Justice department officials in Delhi under Congress-led UPA who were sitting over Narmada dam increase proposals)

While accusing Congress for not approving height of Narmada dam for years, I don’t blame Gujarat Congress leaders much. They lied and defended indefensible , that’s wrong but more wrong is that they are just not able to take stand against left-tilted leadership of Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, responsible for stalling the project for years.

Medha Patkar and Congress speak in one voice against Gujarat govt

For last few days, Gujarat Congress cadre is running a social media campaign ‘Vikas Gando Thayo Chhe'( development has gone crazy in Gujarat).  Medha Patkar led Narmada Bachao Andolan shares same view. Congress and Medha Patkar speak in same language.

  In fact, Facebook page of Narmada Bachao Andolan has mentioned full quote of Gujarat Congress president Bharatsinh Solanki in this connection.        

Look at Rahul’s close aide and Saurashtra Congress incharge’s opinion on Narmada project

Now read the below letter written by Rahul Gandhi’s close aide and his team member, Congress party’s national office bearer Rajeev Satav who is Lok Sabha MP elected from Maharashtra. See the irony. Rajiv Satav has been made incharge of Gujarat assembly elections for Saurashtra region by Rahul Gandhi. Saurashtra is part of Gujarat which is extremely benefited through Narmada project. There were few years in which there could be a situation of mass migration if Narmada waters had not reached Saurashtra. Now see what Rajeev Satav – Congress party’s Saurashtra incharge thinks about Narmada project. I urge @medhanarmada Tai who has been fighting for rehabilitation of families displaced by #SardarSarovar project to end her fast.

In his letter, Rajeev Satav writes: I am aware of the fact that this project(Narmada dam project) violates basic human rights under the garb of development.

Satav also writes: I extend my full support to your movement and assure you that we will collectively fight against such policies of the government ……

So according to this Rahul team member who visits Saurarshtra often nowadays to meet Congress cadre, Narmada project violates human rights under the garb of development and he fully supports Medha Patkar’s foreign aided Narmada Bachao Andolan movement which stalled the project for years , as a result of which the total cost of the project was escalated hugely.

Satav wrote this letter just last month to Medha Patkar who is doing her last desperate efforts against the recently achieved completion of Narmada dam.

In a way it’s an insult of Saurashtra that Rahul has appointed such a man as incharge of Saurashtra region which is unquestionably benefited through Narmada dam project. In fact, portions of Saurashtra could have witnessed migration in mass in the recent past if Narmada project was not there. If there’s little shame left in Gujarat Congress leaders and cadre, they should ask Rahul Gandhi to throw out Satav from Gujarat affairs of party.

The latest official data on ground situation is presented below.  It’s a copy of reply in response to couple of questions raised by Congress leader Digvijay Singh pertaining to Narmada project in parliament.

Narmada-dam-project

Sardar-Sarovar-Narmada-Dam-ProjectSardar-Sarovar-Narmada-Dam-Project

 

BJP leader Amit Shah pointed out in his Yuva Townhall speech in Gujarat recently that, ‘people of Gujarat now no more needs commitment of Congress  for Narmada project. Due to strong determination of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the dam has been completed.’

While’s Shah’s assertion that Narmada project could progress only under BJP in power is not entirely true, with present lot of Congress in control, we can safely assume, if there was Congress-led UPA in power for third term in  Centre, there was no chance that Narmada dam could complete.

DeshGujarat

#Gujarat 2017 #Narmada dam

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