AHMEDABAD: Following the United Progressive Alliance Government's decision to call for a review of the height of the Sardar Sarovar dam, the Congress in Gujarat has adopted a more aggressive stance to demand "no stoppage of construction."

The new president of the party's State unit, Bharat Solanki, warned the Centre of a "confrontation" if it adopted a pro-NBA posture and stopped the construction.

Congress sources said the present hurdle to the construction of the dam had been created not by the Congress Ministers at the Centre but by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan of the BJP.

The sources said the Narmada Control Authority gave its clearance for raising the dam height from 110.64 metres to 121.92 metres last month on the basis of the assurances given by the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Babulal Gaur, for simultaneous rehabilitation and resettlement of the project-affected people. But immediately after the clearance was given, Mr. Chauhan wrote to Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz saying it was impossible for his administration to complete the rehabilitation process by the stipulated date of June 15, 2006.

Mr. Soz was believed to be planning to write to all concerned, including the Chief Ministers of the States, calling for immediate stoppage of the construction. However, realising that such a letter would be damaging to the BJP in Gujarat, Chief Minister Narendra Modi is said to have urged some senior Congress leaders in Delhi to stop Mr. Soz from writing it. Sources in the CMO, however, refused to deny or confirm whether Mr. Modi had approached Delhi-based Congress leaders to stop Mr. Soz from writing the letter.

BJP leaders, however, blame the Congress Ministers at the Centre for "playing into the hands of NBA leader Medha and perhaps some hidden hands guiding the agitation to stall the construction of the dam."

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