Cong fuelled water disputes between states, did little for farmers: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hit out at the Congress, saying they talk big in the name of farmers but neither do anything for them nor let others do it.

The delay in the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) is a direct proof of the intention of the Congress, he said.

"The Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) was delayed for so long by the Congress, this is also a direct proof of the Congress' intentions. They talk big in the name of farmers but neither do they do anything for the farmers themselves nor do they let others do it," he said addressing a public meeting in Dadiya in Jaipur.

He was addressing 'the Ek Varsh-Parinaam Utkarsh' to mark completion of one-year of Rajasthan government during which he inaugurated and laid foundation stone for 24 projects related to energy, road, railways and water worth over Rs 46,400 crore.

The prime minister said the Pravati, Kalisindh, Chambal project will provide irrigation water as well as drinking water to 21 districts of Rajasthan and accelerate the development of both Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

While the BJP's policy is to promote dialogue, the Congress continued to promote water disputes between states, he said.

"The BJP's policy is of dialogue, not of conflict. We believe in cooperation, not opposition. We believe in solutions, not disruption. Therefore, our government has approved and also expanded the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project. As soon as the BJP government was formed in MP and Rajasthan, an agreement was reached on the Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal project," he said.

The prime minister noted that he had launched a big campaign to bring the water of Narmada river to different parts of Gujarat when he was the chief minister and charged that the Congress and some NGOs adopted various tactics to stop it.

"The Congress never wants to reduce water problems...The water of our rivers used to flow across the borders, but our farmers did not get its benefits. Instead of finding a solution, the Congress continued to promote water disputes between states," he said.

PM Modi also said that the BJP is getting huge public support in different states where elections were held.

"The BJP is getting such huge public support in one state after another. The country has given the BJP the opportunity to serve the country for the third consecutive time in the Lok Sabha. This had not happened in India in the last 60 years," he said.

"Today, BJP's double engine governments are becoming a symbol of good governance. Whatever resolution the BJP takes, it makes honest efforts to fulfil it. Today, the people of the country are saying that BJP is the guarantee of good governance."  He also appreciated the work of the CM Bhajanlal Sharma-led BJP government in the state.

"In the last one year, Bhajanlal ji and his entire team have worked very hard to give new momentum and direction to the development of Rajasthan This first year has, in a way, laid a strong foundation for the many years to come," he said.