Vyas asks PM to review SSP

The purpose of taking Vajpayee to the dam site and flying him in the state-owned helicopter over the main canal is to apprise him of the progress made on the Sardar Sarovar Project (SSP), the sources said.

However, it was not confirmed whether the Prime Minister Office (PMO) had responded positively to the letter written by the Narmada Development Minister.

Meanwhile, Vyas has vehemently refuted Rashtriya Janata Party supremo Shankarsinh Vaghela’s allegation that the former had “links with anti-Narmada activist Medha Patkar”, and therefore no moral right to hold his portfolio. The minister also denied Vaghela’s charge that he had been seen in the company of Patkar and had even invited her for dinner on several occasions.

In a statement on Wednesday, Vyas clarified that he and 12 other MLAs had once met Medha Patkar only to know her anti-Narmada views and request her and other anti-Narmada activists to shun the path of protest and agitation against the project.

The 12 MLAs, who had met Patkar, also included Dilip Parikh, Ranjitsinh Jhala and Motisinh Vasava who are at present in Vaghela’s RJP, the minister recalled.

Vyas countercharged that Vaghela, during his tenure as the chief minister, had appointed Mahendra Desai as his political adviser, despite the fact that Desai had “close links with Medha Patkar”.

Besides, Vaghela had invited Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, as a state guest to Gujarat, when it is a known fact that Singh is as anti-Narmada as Medha Patkar is.