NEW DELHI: In response to a story headlined Centre forms panel after JICA stops funds for bullet train published on September 22, the Railway Ministry said that neither has Japan International Cooperation Agency stopped any funding nor has it demanded that the Government first settle the farmers’ protest over land acquisition. The ministry pointed out that JICA had signed a fresh loan agreement with the government of about 90 billion yen on September 28.
The Ministry admitted that some farmers had filed a case in the Gujarat High Court but pointed out that the court had not granted any stay in the matter.
Our reporter responds: The story very clearly said JICA had only stalled a fresh loan for the project and not stopped it altogether. Moreover, the story was published on September 22, before the second loan agreement was signed with JICA on September 28. While it is true that the Gujarat High Court has not granted any stay in the matter, it has also not dismissed the plea of the farmers and the matter is pending.