Narendra
Modi, the Indian Prime Minister, slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for
marching with Medha Patkar during the party’s Bharat Jodo Yatra while the
Congress rally passed through Maharashtra. Modi, who was the chief minister of
Gujarat until 2014, said the Congress leader had walked with a person who had
stalled the Narmada dam project, which he said has been Gujarat’s lifeline.

“A Congress
leader was seen taking out a padyatra with a woman who stalled the Narmada dam
project for three decades,” the Indian PM said.

According
to Modi, the Narmada dam project remained stalled for decades because of the
legal hurdles created by activists such as Medha Patkar.

He further
said that Medha Patkar had defamed Gujarat. “Ask the Congress when it comes to
demand your vote that you are taking out a padyatra by keeping your hand on the
shoulders of those who were against the Narmada dam,” Modi said.

Medha
Patkar was the founder of what later became the Narmada Bachao Andolan. She
said the water of the dam would replace thousands of tribal families.

Medha
Patkar had joined Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in 2014. She
contested the North East Mumbai Lok Sabha constituency but lost after receiving
less than 10% of the vote.

She
resigned from the Aam Aadmi Party in 2015.

JP Nadda,
the BJP national president, said Saturday that Medha Patkar is anti-Narmada,
anti-Gujarat and anti-Saurashtra. “If such people join Rahul Gandhi, it
reflects his mentality,” Nadda said.

Gujarat
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said, “Congress and Rahul Gandhi have time and
again shown their animosity towards Gujarat and Gujaratis. By giving Medha
Patkar a central place in his Yatra. Rahul Gandhi shows that he stands with
those elements who denied water to Gujaratis for decades. Gujarat will not
tolerate this.”

The Sardar
Sarovar Dam was inaugurated in 2017.