A no. of projects were held back for 'collateral interests' by Ministry of Environment and Forests: BJP

'The ministry failed to strike a balance between protecting environment and not hampering growth'

BJP today defended the "Jayanthi tax" remarks of its Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi against the former Environment and Forests Minister, saying there are reasons to believe that she held back projects worth thousands of crores of rupees for "collateral interests".

BJP also sought to know why Congress was not "outraged" when the Environment Ministry under Natarajan stalled crucial projects which hampered growth.

"BJP deems it fit to explain and has every reason to raise this issue.... Modi's Jayanthi tax remarks were not made off the cuff or on the sly," party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.

She charged the Ministry of Environment and Forests under Natarajan had failed to strike a balance between protecting the environment and not hampering growth.

"It was expected that the ministry would ensure this balance with growth but it was performing with some collateral interests which brought down growth," Sitharaman said.

The main opposition cited media reports to say that 350 files were pending under Natarajan and the ministry was not run professionally.

"Why were so many files and decisions pending? Why did the Prime Minister's Office not do something when the projects were not been cleared? The ministry functioned as a red ministry as it did not clear files and red flagged them. The ministry was cherry picking projects," Sitharaman said.

The party claimed the national capital was abuzz with talk that the Ministry of Environment and Forests was the nodal ministry for holding back clearances.

"There is so much outrage in Congress over Modi's remarks on Jayanthi tax. This outrage should have been there when files were not being cleared and the minister was holding back projects," Sitharaman said.

BJP alleged while Congress often talks about growth and "Bharat Nirman", Natarajan sat over files and took the country back to the "licence-quota raj".

The party also sought to know why Natarajan was removed from the ministry if everything was right.