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That on
29th October, 2001, the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
announced the decision to go ahead with the Sethu Samudram project!
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That
even before making this announcement the Vajpayee government had made provision
for Rs. 4.80 crores in its budget for the fiscal year 2000-2001!
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That
the NDA convenor George Fernandes in his capacity as the Union Defence Minister
had announced in 1999 that the project would be completed within three years!
-
That
the BJP leader Arun Jaitley in his capacity as the Transport Minister had
directed the NEERI (National Environmental Engineering Research Institute) to
prepare a techno-economic feasibility report for the project!
-
That
the NEERI had informed V. P. Goyal, the then Transport Minister in the Vajpayee
Government that the canal for the project shall pass through the old bridge!
That the NEERI had made a presentation to him on that day! That the man who had
been a National Treasurer of the BJP did not register any protest on that day!
-
That
the Minister of State for Shipping Thirunavkarsar did request his senior
Minister V. P. Goyal on 25th October, 2002 that he should get the
approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) for the depth of
the canal to be 9-10 meters!
-
That
on 29th October, 2002, V. P. Goyal gave his approval for commencing
the project! That this project was given the fast-track status and a committee
under the chairmanship of the Secretary, Shipping had been set-up to oversee its
implementation!
-
That
the then Union Shipping Minister Shatrughan Sinha reaffirmed the new route
suggested by NEERI to Prof. Shankarlingam on 23rd November, 2003!
-
That in
its manifesto the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) promised that the project
would be completed!
-
Can the
BJP deny these facts?
-
The
answer is a resounding NO.
-
To
cover up its lies, it is back to its old tricks. It is misleading the people
with falsehoods.
-
Beware
of the BJP.
-
Beware
of BJP?s double-speak.
