MP Cong to launch ‘Save Narmada’ campaign

The Congress on Monday announced a Save Narmada Campaign that will be launched by Hindu saints. Accusing the ruling BJP of allowing rampant mining along the banks of the Narmada,the Opposition party said that the holy river’s religious and cultural significance had been endangered during the past eight years.

The BJP had taken to the streets recently to protest the insult to ‘Ma Narmada’ after Congress MP Sajjan Singh Varma accused Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his family of “raping the river”. The agitation had been called off after Varma’s apology.

Ironically,leading the Congress campaign on May 3 will be Varma who,along with other leaders will land by a helicopter at Amarkantak,the river’s origin,and take an oath,along with hundreds of saints to “save the honour of Narmada”. The party would involve tribals and others who inhabit villages along the river by holding its first convention at Bilaspur village on the same day.

“The river has given an identity to Madhya Pradesh and should be saved from illegal mining and pollution,’’ said Congress leader Pramod Gugalia.