Jaipur, Apr 8 (PTI) Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Friday said that he would quit politics if Prime Minister Narendra Modi had ever announced to declare Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) a project of national importance during election rallies in Rajasthan.

Shekhawat made these remarks when Rajasthan PHED minister Mahesh Joshi was highlighting the grim situation of drinking water in 13 districts of the state and importance of ERCP during a regional conference with 11 states/UTs organised to review the progress under the Jal Jeevan Mission here.

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As Joshi mentioned that Prime Minister Modi had promised to declare ERCP a project of national importance twice during his tour to the state, Shekhawat intervened and asked him to get the facts corrected.

"Mahesh ji...you and the chief minister should get the record corrected. If you do not have the videos then I can provide you. Not a single word was uttered in the meetings of Jaipur and Ajmer that you keep mentioning about," Shekhawat said.

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He further said, "In the Jaipur meeting, it was only said that a proposal was received. We should speak but we should also ensure to check what was said in the past. If you want I will provide you both the records and I can claim in front of everyone that I will quit politics if a single word was said in Ajmer meeting or else you and your chief minister should quit politics."

Shekhawat said it was not the platform to speak about the project. He said if the prime minister had said the Centre would declare ERCP a national project then the issue could be discussed.

To this, Joshi said, "If we are not able to prove ourselves then we will not ever mention about it. This is what I also promise. But, this is an important project for Rajasthan. Whatever the circumstances, please declare ERCP as a national importance project."

After the event, Joshi shared video clippings of Prime Minister Modi's public meeting tagging the PMO and Shekhawat on social media saying that “now it is up to you whether you want to resign”.

"Honorable Shekhawat ji, you have to take the decision to resign and leave politics. It is at your discretion. But, after watching these two videos of the honorable Prime Minister, take the initiative to make ERCP a national project in the interest of the people of the state by apologising for your little knowledge and untrue reading," Joshi said.

In one of the videos, the prime minister had said the Centre is getting the project technically examined on a serious note and after evaluating all aspects of the project, a decision will be taken with utmost sensitivity.

In another video, Modi had said Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the project has been given to the Union Water Resources Ministry and a technical examination is underway. The Centre will keep a positive approach towards the project and a decision will be taken with full sensitivity.

The prime minister had mentioned about the drinking and irrigation water benefits of the projects to the 13 districts of Rajasthan. But he had not announced to make ERCP a project of national importance in the video.

Joshi and Shekhawat have been at loggerheads after the phone-tapping controversy erupted in July 2020 in Rajasthan.

Audio clips of alleged telephonic conversations between Shekhawat and Congress leaders surfaced amid a rebellion against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot by his then deputy Sachin Pilot and 18 party MLAs supporting him.

On the basis of the audio clips, chief whip Mahesh Joshi had registered cases with special operations groups (SOG) and anti-corruption bureau (ACB) of Rajasthan Police in July 2020 but the FIR did not mention that Gajendra Singh referred to in the clip was Union minister Shekhawat. The SOG later closed the case after the Congress high command intervened to resolve the issues between Gehlot and Pilot.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said it is unfortunate that the Union Jal Shakti minister refuted the prime minister's “promise” to give ERCP the status of project of national importance.

He said for the last three years, he has been reminding the prime minister's promise to give national project status to ERCP.

In a statement, Gehlot said Shekhawat should have fulfilled the PM's promise by getting the status of 17th National Project to ERCP, along with 16 ongoing national projects.

Shekhawat is also an MP from Rajasthan and is sitting Union Jal Shakti minister. He has no interest in other projects of Rajasthan, but it is unfortunate that he has no interest in getting national project status for his own department's important project (ERCP), Gehlot said.

The chief minister said the Jal Shakti minister's statement that he would quit politics if the prime minister had uttered a word on ERCP in Ajmer rally is unfortunate.

Gehlot said the PM in his speech at Jaipur rally on July 7, 2018 has clearly talked about taking a positive stand on granting national project status to ERCP and reiterated this promise at Ajmer rally on October 6, 2018.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)