Ministers flay Cong CMs for boycotting Narmada show

Ahmedabad, Jan 18 (UNI) Gujarat government today flayed the Congress claim that Friday's Narmada public dedication ceremony was a mere show of strength of Chief Minister Narendra Modi and said this reflected the party's ''negative attitude''.

Government spokespersons and Ministers Saurabh Patel and I K Jadeja said the Chief Minister had invited the former Chief Ministers to take part in the dedication ceremony of the canal head powerhouses in Kevadia out of courtesy and to make them joint partners in the development process.

''But instead of joining in, they are making political statements. This shows they are jealous of Mr Modi's popularity,'' they alleged.

They said people of Gujarat know very well, who has been responsible for the project's delay. ''Congress has always been the obstacle and has played politics on Narmada for the past 40 years.

When the people were asking for water, the Congress leaders then were doing business with it, how can people forget this?'' they asked.

The government's reaction came in the wake of former Congress Chief Minister--Chhabildas Mehta, Dilip Parikh and Shankersinh Vaghela--turning down Mr Modi's invite to the programme, saying it was one of his ''publicity stunts'' and that they did not want to be a part to it.

On Mr Vaghela's contention that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should have been invited as the project was an inter-state one, the spokespersons said Mr Modi had written to the PM to come for the inauguration but there was no reply from his side.

UNI