Jaiswal lobs publicity barb at Akhilesh govt

Union Minister for Coal Sriprakash Jaiswal on Friday criticised the state government for spending more on its own publicity than providing better infrastructure for the devotees at Kumbh 2013.

Speaking at a press conference here at Circuit House, the minister said: "On my way from Kanpur to Allahabad, huge hoardings of the state government inviting people to Kumbh were visible at many places. But the traffic moved at a slow pace right from Kokhraj (around 30 km from the main city) to Allahabad because the road has not been widened. All this money that was spent on publicity could have been utilised for providing better facilities."

Without taking names, Jaiswal also attacked right-wing organisations and the Bharatiya Janata Party for politicising Kumbh. He said it was for the first time that the spiritual arena was being used for political lobbying. "Some fundamentalist forces are involved in all this and we all know what these forces are," he said, when asked as to who were the politicising the Mela.

Asked about Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde's statement on Hindu terror, given on January 30, Jaiswal said the phenomenon of terror should not be tagged with any religion or community.

On his ministry, the senior Congress leader said that all the coal-based power plants, which were announced or are being set up after 2009, will soon be able to get regular coal supply, as a decision to import coal has been taken. He added that all the National Thermal Power Corporation plants, which are coal-based, are now getting 100 per cent supply.

Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Subodh Kant Sahay also visited Kumbh.

ALSO READ

SHO suspended for using 'foul language' against Akhilesh, Mulayam

BJP leader accused of killing woman, on the run

In Rae Bareli, Priyanka Gandhi tells Congress workers to be 'visible among public'

'Shiv Sena' activists thrash 'couples' during protest against Valentine's Day