Accusing the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh of creating "hurdles" in the construction of Sardar Sarovar Dam, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today blamed it for non-production of power from the generating station.
Addressing a public meeting near Bhojshala in support of BJP candidate Jaswant Singh Rathor from Dhar, Modi alleged that because of the hurdles put up by the Digvijay Singh government the height of the dam could not be raised to 110 meters, resulting in non-production of power from the generating station.
He said the state was also unable to use 1500 mw of power from the project.
Taking a dig at Singh for stating that he will not allow Madhya Pradesh to become Gujarat, he said as long as Singh was the Chief Minister the state could not become Gujarat.
Citing the example of Narmada water in Kutch being taken via tunnel, Modi said despite the river originating in Madhya Pradesh, the state was unable to supply water to its people.
The Gujarat Chief Minister also cited the progress made by his state in attracting investment and in education.
{{/usCountry}}The Gujarat Chief Minister also cited the progress made by his state in attracting investment and in education.
{{/usCountry}}Taking a dig at Singh for his reported statement of not allowing communal riots to take place in the state, Modi said "for the first time I came to know that Singh controls riots in the country".
The BJP leader alleged that the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh had failed to deliver in the last 10 years and appealed to the people to vote for his party.
Later, addressing a public meeting near the Bhojshala premises in suport of BJP candidate from Dhar, Jaswant Singh Rathore, Modi challenged his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Digvijay Singh to bring back the idol of goddess Sarswati from a London musuem, as he had brought back the ashes of freedom fighter Shamrikrishna Verma.
Modi brought the ashes of Verma from Geneva, 73 years after he passed away. Modi said Verma wished that his ashes should be brought back only when India gets independence and alleged that Congress government never bothered to bring back his ashes.
He also challenged Punjab chief minister Amrinder Singh to bring back the Kohinoor diamond taken away by Britishers and Maharashtra chief minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to get back from London the sword (Bhawani) of Shivaji Maharaj.