Cong misguided people of Rajasthan, politicised ERCP for votes: CM
Rajasthan chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma accused the opposition Congress party of misguiding the public on the East Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) which they politicised for votes.
Addressing an aabhar sabha (gratitude meeting) in support of ERCP in Dholpur on Sunday, Sharma said, ERCP is a longpending project for eastern Rajasthan which has been reeling with water crisis for long as with time the rivers have dried up there.
“In 2003-04 former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee dreamt of river interlinking and a scheme was formed but the government changed (UPA), who had no concern with the public pain as they only know politics of loot and lies,” the CM alleged.
He added that the UPA came out with a slogan of ‘garibi hatao’ (remove poverty) but never worked for it, and it was only Prime Minister Narendra Modi who ensured that the benefit of the government scheme reaches every household.
“After independence, it is Modi who understood the pain of our mother and sister, and provide them bank accounts, toilets, and LPG cylinders under the Ujjwala scheme,” stated the state chief.
The chief minister said, when the congress government was formed in 2018, their “yuvraj” (referring to Rahul Gandhi) stated that he will count till 10 and the loan of farmers will be waived off, but it never happened.
“This is 21st century. Either fulfil the promises made or the public teaches a lesson, which they did to the Congress in the elections,” Gehlot added.
On ERCP, the CM alleged that despite Congress being in power in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh, the former chief minister Ashok Gehlot failed to get a nod for ERCP and coal blocks.
On the other hand, as soon as the BJP formed the government in Rajasthan, the coal supply started from Chhattisgarh and the agreement on ERCP was signed with the Madhya Pradesh government.
“The Congress only worked to stall the works,” he stated.
Cornering the Congress on dynasty politics, the state chief said, as senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi is concerned for her son’s future, so is Gehlot worried for his son Vaibhav Gehlot.
“The Congress is concerned just about one family. While the BJP is concerned for the people of the entire country,” he claimed.
The CM called upon the party workers and the people to ensure that the party candidates win from each Lok Sabha seat by more than 500,000 votes.
Speaking on the occasion, Union Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
said, “The 10 years of Modi government ensured corruptionfree governance and bringing 250 million people above the poverty line.”
He said when the Jal Jeevan mission started, only 16% of the country population was covered with tap water, which now has reached up to 75%. In around 10 states, including Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the tap water coverage has reached 100%.
“The maximum allotment of funds under JJM was given to Rajasthan but unfortunately the last government wasn’t working on public interest but for political gains. The state was given ₹27,000 core but only ₹6,000 was utilised, that too with several corruption complaints,” he alleged.
Shekhawat said, the ERCP is the lifeline for eastern Rajasthan but they (congress) stalled it for five years.
“Gehlot used it as political weapon to target me and Modi,” Shekhawat added.
Reacting to the allegations, Congress spokesperson Swarnim Chaturvedi said, the ERCP project was made by BJP and the Prime Minister promised to give it a national status but they delayed it for five years. “It was Congress which worked for the ERCP and sanctioned the budget.”
THE CM SAID, AS SONIA GANDHI WAS CONCERNED FOR HER SON’S FUTURE, SO WAS ASHOK GEHLOT WORRIED FOR HIS SON VAIBHAV GEHLOT