Gujarat Polls: PM Modi Slams Congress As Activist Medha Patkar Joins Rahul In Bharat Jodo Yatra

PM Narendra Modi questioned the Congress asking on what ground they party is seeking votes in Gujarat when Rahul Gandhi was joined by the "anti-Narmada activist" during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Rahul Gandhi with activist Medha Patkar during the Bharat Jodo Yatra | PM Narendra Modi in Gujarat rally.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing a poll rally on Sunday questioned the Congress on what ground they are seeking votes in Gujarat when Rahul Gandhi was joined by the "anti-Narmada activist" during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Maharashtra.

Modi was referring to Narmada Bachao Andolan activist Medha Patkar, who stalled the Narmada dam project for three decades, joining the Rahul Gandhi-led mass movement on Saturday.

While speaking at Dhoraji town of Gujarat's Rajkot district, PM Modi said that the ambitious project of building Sardar Sarovar Dam over the Narmada river was delayed because many people had tried hard to stall it.

"The Narmada project was the only solution to quench the thirst of the arid region of Kutch and Kathiyawad (Saurashtra region). You must have seen yesterday how a Congress leader was doing padyatra with a woman, who was an anti-Narmada activist. She and others had stalled the project for three decades by creating legal hurdles" he said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

“These activists held protests just to make sure that water does not reach here,” Modi said while accusing the activists of defaming Gujarat to such an extent that even the World Bank stopped funds for the project. When Congress leaders approach you to seek votes, I want you to ask them to explain on what moral ground the opposition party is seeking votes when their leader was doing padyatra with a woman who was against the Narmada project. I urge you to ask this question to Congress,” he added.

PM Modi said that for 20 years, the BJP had worked hard to resolve the water shortage issue through various schemes, such as building check dams, digging new wells and lakes, and providing water through pipelines. 

"Today, the entire Kutch-Kathiyawad region is receiving water through this pipeline network. We believe in bringing permanent solutions to problems. We understand that water and electricity are crucial for development. Congress governments were only interested in installing hand pumps," he emphasised.

Gujarat will go to polls in two phases on December 1 and 5 with the counting of votes on December 8. Of the total 182 Assembly seats in Gujarat, voting for 89 seats will be held on December 1 and the remaining 93 seats on December 5. Polling in the Dhoraji area, held by Congress, will take place on December 1.

(With agency inputs)