Manmohan Singh lied, he did meet Modi: Vijay Rupani

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has described as a lie former prime minister Manmohan Singh's statement that Narendra Modi had never met him to discuss the Sardar Sarovar dam project.

"Manmohan Singh lied when he said that Narendrabhai Modi had never met him about the Narmada dam. Narendrabhai had met him more than once, and also written to him to clear the hurdles in way of the project," Rupani told the media on Wednesday, a day after Singh's comment.

Rupani presented copies of letters dated May 17, 2011, and September 7, 2013, which the then Gujarat CM Modi had written to Manmohan Singh.

"Narendrabhai also raised the issue with Manmohan Singh during the latter's visit to Ahmedabad on March 26, 2011. Among other issues, the dam was also discussed again during a 45-minute meeting between them on February 6, 2013," he said.

Rupani stated during his tenure as a Rajya Sabha MP from 2006 to 2012, he was a part of the delegation that had met Singh twice to discuss Narmada dam and other important issues of the state.

"The people of Gujarat have been shocked by Manmohan Singh's statement, which exposes Congress's anti-Gujarat mentality. The people will give a suitable reply to the party in the upcoming elections," the BJP leader said. He stated that though the Narmada dam project was initiated in 1961, 94% of its work was completed only after Narendra Modi became CM in 2001. He pointed out that approval to install gates was granted just 17 days after Modi became the Prime Minister.

At a press conference in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, Manmohan Singh had said, "(When he was Gujarat chief minister) Modiji never had a meeting with me about Narmada dam."

Singh had further said that when the World Bank cut funding for the project in 1992, he as the Finance Minister had stepped forward to provide funding from the Centre. Rupani, however, clarified that funds were never allotted, which is why the state had to come out with a bond issue to raise money.