NEW DELHI: In what is probably a case of open defiance after being shunted out of the Ganga rejuvenation ministry in the cabinet reshuffle, a sulking Uma Bharti on Tuesday said that she has a personal connection with Ganga and none can come between her and the holy river.
She also announced that she will undertake one year long Ganga Yatra on foot starting from Gangasagar in West Bengal from October to reach out to people along banks of Ganga to clean it.
“I have a personal connection with Ganga and none can come between me and Ganga. I will always work for saving Ganga. None can separate me (from Ganga),” Bharti told reporters a day after assuming charge as the Minister for Drinking Water and Sanitation.
She also stressed that PM has never scolded her for Ganga related work and stated that she successfully implemented most of the projects of the Ganga Rejuvenation ministry.
On a query that whether it will be seen a defiance as her Ganga Ministry has been taken, Bharti said, “There is no defiance as she had announced Ganga Yatra a year back but could not complete.”
Brushing aside allegations of failure to implement Ganga related work, Bharti said if she had failed, how Gadkari could get the Ganga Rejuvenation portfolio because he was assisting her in all project related to Ganga cleaning.
In the latest cabinet reshuffle undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, Union Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation which was led by Uma Bharti was given to Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. Bharti was given the charge of Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation.
The decision of her removal was apparently a result of her poor performance on two important projects under the ministry – Ganga cleaning and river interlinking. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has been severely criticized by courts including the National Green Tribunal (NGT) for being unsuccessful in cleaning up of Ganga.
The removal from ministry has apparently not gone down well. Bharti had skipped the swearing-in ceremony of new ministers on Sunday.
“I have worked hard for Ganga related works like tendering for sewage treatment plants and now prime minister has given me a bigger responsibility for implementing one of his another pet project of sanitation. During my Ganga Yatra, I will also raise awareness about open defecation free country,” said Bharti.