Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh today voiced support to Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Medha Patkar and alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was looking at reaping "political benefits" from the Sardar Sarovar Dam (SSD) in Gujarat getting filled to its capacity.
After meeting Patkar at the Dhar district jail here, he said Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan should talk to the people of the state, who would face displacement due to the filling of the dam and make arrangements for their rehabilitation.
"Chouhan and the state BJP are scared of Modi, who wants the dam to be filled, which would help him reap electoral gains in the Gujarat Assembly polls," alleged Singh.
The Gujarat Assembly election is due later this year.
Patkar, who was on an indefinite fast demanding a proper rehabilitation of the dam oustees, was arrested on August 9 under section 144, CrPC (prohibitory order).
"I support Medhaji," the Congress general secretary said, alleging that the state government was "suppressing the voice of the dam oustees to please the prime minister".
The Centre, in June, gave its nod for the closing of gates of the dam on the Narmada river.
According to Narmada Bachao Andolan activists, around 40,000 families living in the catchment areas of the dam in Alirajpur, Barwani, Dhar and Khargone districts of Madhya Pradesh would face displacement once the reservoir was filled as their houses would be submerged.
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