Bhopal: Chief minister Shivraj Singh has appealed to Medha Patkar, who is on a fast-unto-death for the past nine days demanding rehabilitation of the Sardar Sarovar PAPS, to end her protest. “I am concerned about your health and the health of your associates. It is my humble request to you that you should end your fast,” Chouhan tweeted. He also said, “I have personally talked to the displaced persons and issued orders to fulfil their demands.”
Chouhan is also sending two officers to persuade Medha to give up her protest. Indore commissioner Sanjay Dube and additional secretary in CM’s secretariat Chandrashekhar Borkar are being sent to the protest venue Chikhalda.
Meanwhile, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has come out in support of the Narmada oustees. In a statement, Kejriwal said the situation in Narmada valley was ‘horrific’. The rehabilitation sites were in a poor state but the government was sending bulldozers and police to the valley, he alleged.
He said the government had not opened channels of communication with Medha Patkar, adding the Supreme Court had ordered that rehabilitation work should be completed before shifting the oustees. He said that in these circumstances, the closure of gates of the dam should be deferred and meaningful dialogue should be initiated with the oustees. Here in the city, AAP workers laid a siege to the office of NVDA and burnt the effigy of its vice-chairman Rajnish Vaish.
Govt gripped by fear owing to Gujarat connection
The government is in a state of dread because of the Gujarat connection of the SSP issue, especially since it may have repercussions on the assembly polls due in western state. The central leadership of the BJP wants that the Congress leaders of Gujarat and Maharashtra should take a stand on this issue, so that the Congress can be brought on the back foot.
