The Hindu : New Delhi News : Centre politicising power crisis, says Uma

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Sunday, Jun 06, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Centre politicising power crisis, says Uma

By Our Staff Correspondent

The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Uma Bharti, at a BJP workshop in Bhopal on Saturday. Photo: A.M. Faruqui

BHOPAL, JUNE 5. The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Uma Bharti, lashed out at the Centre today saying that the Union Minister for Power, P.M. Sayeed, had tried to politicise the power crisis by writing a letter to her with the obvious purpose of shielding those who had conspired and harmed the interests of the people by diverting the State's share of electricity and coal last month.

Ms. Bharti made this allegation at a crowded press briefing at the State BJP headquarters here this afternoon. Referring also to "some" statement by the Union Minister for Coal, Mines and Minerals, Shibu Soren, the Chief Minister said the Union Power Minister's assertion that Madhya Pradesh was continuing to get additional electricity during the peak demand period was not based on facts. She went on to inform newsmen that a May 21 order of the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) to divert the State's share electricity and coal calls off Mr. Sayeed's bluff and exposes the real situation that soon after the formation of the Congress-led Government at the Centre, the State's share of electricity had been diverted by NTPC, which is a Government of India enterprise.

Ms. Bharti said that she was not holding Mr. Sayeed directly responsible for NTPC's decision as he had not taken over as the Union Power Minister on May 21. However she went on to allege that some elements had tried to play "dirty politics" and harm the interests of the people of this State. It is these same people, who were now being protected by Mr. Sayeed, she emphasised.

Ms. Bharti even accused the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, saying that along with some of her close confidants she seemed bent upon spoiling Centre-State relations and playing havoc with the lives of the common people.

Ms. Bharti said that a senior leader like Mr. Arjun Singh should intervene and send the message at all levels to convey that "we are not living in a feudal era when the Centre could adopt a revengeful attitude towards a State".

Mr. Bharti said she had as much faith in the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, as she had in the former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Dr. Singh, she said, is not just a Congress party leader but is also the Prime Minister of this country. The Chief Minister said she would continue to take up issues concerning the State with the Centre and fight for the State's rights at every stage.

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