Gehlot targets Shekhawat over Rajasthan canal project, questions his 'standing' before PM Modi

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday mocked Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, asking if he has the "standing" to get the PM declare the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project a project of national importance.

He also accused the Union minister of being involved in an attempt to topple his government in the state two years ago.

"What kind of minister he is? Rajasthan is in misery despite him being the Union Jal Shakti Minister," Gehlot told reporters here.

If PM Narendra Modi did not utter a word on the project, people can expect from Shekhawat, who is also an MP from the state, to get the ERCP the status of a project of national importance, Gehlot said.

"Doesn't he has this much standing," asked the CM, adding the ground water condition in 13 districts of the state is grim.

He said 16 projects of national importance are running in the state and another project won't affect much as it is a matter of only Rs 40,000 crore.

The canal project aims at harvesting surplus water available during the rainy season in southern Rajasthan rivers such as the Chambal and route this to 13 south-eastern districts that face scarcity of water for drinking and irrigation purposes.

On Friday, Shekhawat and state PHED Minister Mahesh Joshi had come face to face over the project.

At an event in Jaipur, when Joshi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to give the initiative the status of the project of national importance, Shekhawat interrupted him, saying the PM never said this.

Shekhawat had dared Joshi to prove that the PM made the promise and said on being proved wrong, he would quit politics.

Gehlot also accused Shekhawat and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of the bid to topple the Congress government in Rajasthan two years ago.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot and 18 MLAs loyal to him had revolted against Gehlot, leading to a political crisis.

The BJP was accused of the bid to topple the Congress government.

For this reason, party leaders had to stay in hotels for 34 days, Gehlot said.

Apparently referring to a telephonic conversation allegedly about the “toppling of the government” in the state, Gehlot said Shekhawat is running away from giving his voice samples.

If he is not involved then why he is running way from giving his samples, asked Gehlot.

He said the man who played a "key role" in the bid to topple the government is in the line of becoming the chief minister of the state.

The chief minister also hit out at the BJP, saying the party indulges in the politics of polarisation.

They don't have any achievement or issues, he said.

"These people (BJP) are looting the country," he said, adding that earlier the UPA government at the Centre controlled fuel prices.

Now instead of giving subsidy to these companies, the Centre is passing the burden to people by increasing the price everyday, he said.

Gehlot said the BJP dominates social media and people are being misled in the name of religion and caste.

Now, religion is dominating the political discourse and the BJP's "fascist approach is very bad", he said.

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