Ahmedabad:

Senior Congress leader and former union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is deemed a prominent supporter of anti Narmada project agitation by the displaced in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, his home-state, and even Narmada Bachao Aandolan activist Medha Patkar today again claimed that he was not against the project but was protesting the attitude of MP government towards around 80 thousand displaced people.

Scindia, who arrived here today to participated in the door-to-door poll campaign of the main opposition, told newsmen here that he or any other Congress leader was not against the project as such but were opposing the attitude of MP government which was not doing proper rehabilitation of around 80 thousand displaced of the project in the state. ‘No body was opposing the project which was beneficial for states like Gujarat, MP, Maharashtra and Rajasthan but the rehabilitation of the displaced should be done properly. The MP government was not following the instructions of National Green Tribunal or the orders of the apex court in this regard and we are opposing this attitude. This was a matter limited to the state of MP and was a fight for justice to the displaced,’ Scindia said.

He also alleged that despite the claims of completion of the project by the BJP government farmers were yet to get water from it while the Industrialists were already getting it.
‘The suited booted BJP was rejoicing the completion of the project but the fact remains that the farmers have not got any water from it only the industrialist have been benefited,’ he claimed.

He also alleged that despite the tall claims of development by the BJP, the GDP growth rate for Gujarat has dropped down to 6 to 7 % from erstwhile 14 to 16% during Congress rule and the regime of Chimabhai Patel and Madhavsinh Solanki.

Scindia also questioned the increase of over 22 fold in the government debt in Gujarat during the 22 years of BJP rule. ‘The debt which was around Rs 10 thousand crores in 1995 has gone up to Rs 2.22 crores now. Only a few people have been benefited while the commoners were burdened by this. Do you call it development,’ he said.

Scindia will also visit in poll campaign in Vadodara.

DeshGujarat