PM Modi looking into viable solution to tackle China: Paswan

Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is looking for a viable solution to tackle China's move to block a tributary of the Brahmaputra.

"The Central Government is seized of the situation and we are working on it," Paswan said at the sidelines of Hindi Salahkar meeting held at Hotel Pinewood here.

China's move coincides with the debate in India on the re-calibration of Indus water flows into Pakistan following a cross-border raid in Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

It may be mentioned that days after India reviewed its use of water under the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, China announced that it had blocked a tributary of the Brahmaputra to facilitate work on one of its 'most expensive' hydropower projects in Tibet.

It is yet unclear whether the dam will have any impact on water flows towards India and Bangladesh - the two riparian states that are drained by the Brahmaputra.

So far, China has maintained that its dams do not restrict the flow of water towards India as they are based on run-of-the river principle.

However, concerns have been raised from several quarters over the blocking of the dam and this issue constituted as one of the major agendas of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during its 2016 Assam Assembly elections campaign.

"Leave it to the Prime Minister and the government. We will come out with a solution," said Paswan.

On the recent Baramulla terrorist attack, Paswan said the attack is only a frustration vented out by Pakistan in retaliation to the surgical strike.

"Our Prime Minister had already cautioned that India will answer to the act of terrorism at an appropriate time and this is what we did," said Paswan, adding that such strikes were expected.

Paswan further said the days of the National Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress are numbered in the country, adding Meghalaya will be a part of the BJP-led NDA as well in the years to come.

"We have a bright future in the country and north-east is not an exception," said Paswan.

"In Manipur, we already have an MLA of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). On the other hand, we have a BJP-led government in Assam," he said.

The Manipur BJP got yet another favourable message earlier in June.

In the Imphal municipal corporation elections, the BJP - for the first time - grabbed ten seats (it won just one seat last time) while 12 went to Congress (14 earlier) and five to independent candidates.