The Rajasthan Assembly witnessed chaos on Tuesday as the opposition Congress expressed dissatisfaction with the state government’s handling of the MoU on the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project. Congress MLAs raised slogans, leading to the adjournment of the House proceedings twice for 20 minutes each.
The tripartite MoU, signed on Sunday in New Delhi, involved the Centre and the governments of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh collaborating on the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP). In response to the opposition’s concerns, the Rajasthan government assured that the state would benefit significantly from the agreement.
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Water Resources Minister Suresh Singh Rawat accused the previous Congress government of neglecting the scheme during its tenure. He emphasized that the recent agreement on the modified Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal (PKC) link scheme would usher in a golden era for both Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, contributing to the overall development of the state.
Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena, speaking on behalf of the government, stated that the earlier Congress government failed to secure Madhya Pradesh’s consent for the project. He highlighted that the current agreement had the approval of both Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Mohan Yadav.
However, Congress MLAs, including Murari Lal Meena and Rohit Bohra, expressed skepticism about the agreement and demanded clarity on the water allocation for Rajasthan. Independent MLA Yoonus Khan labeled the agreement as compromising Rajasthan’s interests, while MLA Subhash Garg accused the government of mortgaging the state’s water interests.
The opposition called for the government to present a copy of the agreement in the House, leading to a prolonged uproar. After Minister Meena’s response, Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani announced the conclusion of the discussion, prompting further protests from Congress MLAs who alleged harm to the interests of 13 districts.
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The House witnessed disruptions, with Congress MLAs shouting slogans and trooping into the well. Despite the Speaker’s efforts, the protests continued, resulting in additional adjournments. Ultimately, the proceedings resumed, with the Speaker stating that the motion of thanks on the governor’s address would be further discussed, allowing the House to continue its business.
The ERCP, announced by the BJP in the 2017-18 state budget, aims to address drinking and irrigation water issues in 13 districts of eastern Rajasthan. The former Congress government had sought national importance status for the project from the Centre.
