MP govt failed to rehabilitate people affected by Sardar Sarovar project: Scindia

New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday accused the BJP government in Madhya Pradesh of not rehabilitating and compensating people affected by the Sardar Sarovar project, a charge rejected by Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar.

Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said the Supreme Court had asked the state government to rehabilitate them by July 31 but over 2.5 lakh people remained untouched by any official measure.

The chief minister should speak to these people, he said during the Zero Hour.

Tomar, who hails from the state, accused Congress leaders of trying to hamper the developmental project which, he said, would benefit people in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Work on the project has been going on since the rule of Jawaharlal Nehru and the order of the apex court was followed to the last word, he said.

Medha Patkar, a prominent activist who has taken up the cause of people affected by the project, was doing "politics", Tomar added.

Patkar, along with those affected by the Sardar Sarovar Project, have launched an indefinite fast since last week to protest against alleged forced eviction of the affected families from the project area.