Bhopal: Senior Congress leader and former CM Digvijaya Singh has asked CM Kamal Nath to stop use of machines for sand mining in Narmada River.
Singh was speaking at a book release programme on Tuesday. The book ‘Kisano Ka Satyagrah Aur Mama Benaqab (Farmer’s Satyagrah: Mama (Shivraj) exposed) is written by Arjun Arya who had challenged Shivraj Singh Chouhan, when he was CM, on farmer’s issues.
Singh attacked former CM Shivraj on illegal sand mining and said that his relatives not only encouraged but were also involved in illegal sand mining. In his (Shivraj’s) tenure, people engaged in sand mining used poclain machines and exploited river Narmada to an extent that it has affected the flow of river Narmada.
He also attacked Shivraj on issues related to tribal communities of MP. Chouhan fooled the tribal people during his three term government. The forest rights Act was brought by UPA government for the benefit of tribal people but Shivraj and his government failed in providing its benefit to the tribal people, he added.
“I have undertaken Narmada Parikrama and witnessed how Maa Narmada was exploited,” said Singh. Congress has promised in its Vachan Patra to stop illegal sand mining, specially by use of machines in sand mining. Other promises, too, that were made for farmers should now be fulfilled by government, said Singh.
