Sunday, April 16 2006 12:33 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Hindupur (AP): Accusing the UPA Government at the Centre of creating a 'messy stalemate' over the Narmada issue, senior BJP leader L K Advani today (Apr 16, 2006) said moves to stop construction work on the dam were politically motivated and made a mockery of government's talk of Bharat Nirman.

"Stopping further work on the mega (Narmada) project in which concerned states have already invested Rs 21,000 crore in 16 years makes a mockery of UPA Government's tall talk of Bharat Nirman," he said.

Moves to block construction work on the Narmada dam were politically motivated, Advani, on his Bharat Suraksha Yatra, told reporters in Rayalaseema.

"It will be a sad day for Indian democracy if Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is forced to go on hunger strike to quench the thirst of his people," he said.

Advani, who spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last night on phone and sought his personal intervention to sort out the Narmada tangle, accused him of showing 'indecision, drift and bias' in tackling an important Centre-State matter.

This was clear first from the Union Cabinet buckling under pressure of anti-dam activists and referring the matter to the Review Committee of the Narmada Control Authority, he said.

Secondly, there was the farce of whistle-stop visit by a three-member central team to ascertain rehabilitation of the project-affected people, Advani said.

Maintaining there was no division of opinion among Chief Ministers of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan on raising height of the dam, Advani said "It is clear the Union Cabinet is buckling under pressure of anti-dam activists in contravention of the spirit of the Supreme Court judgement."

Asked what was the Prime Minister's response to his request, he said, "He only seemed to appreciate the points I made. I told him clearly that he has to provide leadership and sort out the matter."

The Prime Minister, Advani said, seemed to show his helplessnes in the matter saying the opinion of the six-member Review Committee was divided.

"I contested his claim and made it clear that there was no division of opinion among Chief Ministers of the three states," he said.

"As far as Gujarat is concerned, both the BJP and the Congress are unanimous in construction of the dam under the permissible height," he said.

BJP MPs from Gujarat would soon meet the Prime Minister to seek justice for the state for which Narmada dam was the lifeline, Advani said.

He, however, said the Prime Minister had turned a blind eye to the 'blatantly partisan' conduct of his Water Resources Minister.