Gandhinagar: To save prestige of new incharge of Gujarat Congress, Rajeev Satav, the Gujarat Congress on Tuesday issued a bizarre statement supporting Medha Patkar and her Narmada Bachao Andolan.

Sentiments of people of Gujarat are attached to Narmada project, which is considered lifeline of the State. Medha Patkar has been for last three decades perceived as villain across all political sections and public at large.

In politically worst ever statement issued by the State Congress, the leader of opposition Paresh Dhanani thanked Medha Patkar and went ahead to say that full height of Narmada dam could be achieved due to Medha Patkar agitation.

The fact is Medha Patkar has been since late 1980s consistently and fiercely against the dam project and increase in height of the dam.

Dhanani’s bizarre statement favoring Medha, contrary to historical facts is like saying Vijay Mallya is virgin, Mahatma Gandhi murdered Godse and Dawood Ibrahim is like Raja Harishchandra.

The new stand of Congress, praising Medha Patkar is contrary to Gujarat Congress’s own earlier stand. Medha Patkar supporter Rajeev Satav is believed responsible for this shift.

Maharashtra Lok Sabha MP and Rahul Gandhi confidant, Rajeev Satav was appointed incharge of Gujarat Congress on March 30. Within three days after his appointment, Satav deleted his August 2017 tweet in which he had told Medha Patkar in a letter ‘I am aware of the fact that Narmada dam project violates basic human rights under the garb of development … I extend my full support to your movement’.

When Satav wrote this letter, Medha Patkar was on fast seeking denial to fill water in Narmada dam upto its full level in name of R&R issues.

Funded by dubious foreign organizations, left leaning ‘activist’ Medha Patkar had opposed the Narmada dam project first citing environmental reasons. When environmental clearance was received, Medha opposed the project over Relief and Rehabilitation issues. Due to Medha Patkar’s fancy court pleas, the project faced great delays. As a result the expenditure of project increased by many folds. When environmental and R&R issues were resolved and nod from Supreme Court and NCA was achieved, Medha had in her last attempt started fast agitation in August last year urging denial of permission to fill water upto highest level in Narmada dam. It was this occasion when Rajeev Satav wrote a letter to Medha Patkar and extended support to her and her agitation.

Leader of opposition Paresh Dhanani has in his statement said that Patkar put pressure on Madhya Pradesh government due to which nod to store water upto highest level in Narmada dam was achieved and therefore Satav supported Patkar for good of Gujarat. However this argument fails to stand completely as Satav had supported Patkar in August 2017 when she was seeking denial to fill water upto highest level in Narmada dam, permission for which was already gained in the June 2017.

Reacting to Dhanani’s statement, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani today in Gandhinagar said: I feel sad and at the same time feel pity for Congress the way it is getting exposed because anti-Gujarat Medha Patkar and her agitation is supported by Congress party openly and Congress is admiring her. This shows that even in the past, Congress was wishing Narmada project not to complete. This statement exposes Congress’s relations with Medha Patkar. Due to Medha Patkar the project was delayed and people of Gujarat had to suffer a lot. People here are very well aware about this. Within 17 days after Narendrabhai became Chief Minister, the Narmada dam height was cleared. Medha Patkar has been against Gujarat. She has been fighting against the project, and if she is being extended support by Congress then people are best to judge them.

DeshGujarat