Modi politicising Narmada dam issue: Congress

New Delhi, Apr 17 (UNI) The Congress today charged Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi with deliberately playing politics in the name of Narmada Dam, saying he did so with an eye on the next Assembly elections in the State.

"Inspite of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh having clarified the Government stand on the issue twice, Mr Modi deliberately politicised the issue to mislead the people," Congress Spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said.

He told reporters here that the Prime Minister had spelt out clearly the Government stand that there should be no stoppage of the construction work of the dam and all steps for rehabilitation work(RR) for those affected by the construction would go hand in hand.

The question of raising the height of the dam would only arise at the end of August. Till then a high-powered committee would go into the deficiencies of relief and rehabilitation work. If there are any then alternative measures of rehabilitation would be provided.

When the Prime Minister had categorically stated the Government stand twice why did Mr Modi continue with his dharna and fast, Mr Singhvi asked and said he did so deliberately to politicise the matter.

When pointed out that Minister for Water Resources Saifuddin Soz had stated after the Review Committee meeting that construction work might be suspended, Mr Singhvi said Mr Soz was thereby talking of one of the two points of views that had emerged at the meeting regarding the possibility of suspension of work.

It was in fact Mr Modi who had got the meeting of Review Committee convened,Mr Singhvi clarified.

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