Congress targets MP govt over Sardar Sarovar settlement, demands agreement be made public

Bhopal, July 8 (IANS) Congress on Wednesday intensified its attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Madhya Pradesh over the settlement of issues related to the Sardar Sarovar Project, alleging that the state had compromised its interests while resolving the decades-old dispute with Gujarat. 

Responding to the development, senior Congress MLA Ajay Singh said that Madhya Pradesh had borne the burden of submergence and displacement due to the project but had failed to secure its rightful dues. 

"Our land was submerged, our villages were displaced and our farmers suffered. Despite this, the government has agreed to pay Gujarat instead of protecting Madhya Pradesh's interests. The Chief Minister (Mohan Yadav) should explain why the state's rights were compromised," Singh added. 

Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar also questioned the settlement and demanded that the state government place the complete agreement in public domain. 

He alleged that while Madhya Pradesh had suffered the maximum impact of the project, the state was now being asked to pay under the settlement and sought an explanation from the government.

However, rejecting the Congress' allegations, Cabinet Minister Chaitanya Kashyap said the agreement had resolved several inter-state issues that had remained pending for the last 30 to 40 years. 

"The issue related to the Sardar Sarovar Project is also among them. This is a significant achievement that will pave the way for coordinated and faster development of the states concerned," Kashyap added. 

He said that under the agreement, the Gujarat government would bear 75 per cent of the expenditure related to the Sardar Sarovar Project, while the Madhya Pradesh government would provide Rs 217 crore to Gujarat in accordance with the agreed terms. 

The political controversy erupted after a meeting chaired by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Tuesday, which was attended by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav along with the Chief Ministers of Gujarat (Mohan Yadav), Rajasthan (Bhajan Lal Sharma) and Maharashtra (Devendra Fadnavis). 

During the meeting, the states agreed to resolve several inter-state issues pending for decades, including matters related to the Sardar Sarovar Project. 

According to the state government, the agreement is aimed at ending long-pending disputes and promoting better coordination and faster development among the participating states.

--IANS

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