She announced her decision to launch her 'padayatra' (march) along the course of the river from Ganga Sagar in West Bengal early next month. pti file photo
Uma Bharti on Tuesday announced that she will soon embark on a 'padayatra' along the banks of the river Ganga, although Prime Minister Narendra Modi relieved her of the responsibility of overseeing his government's ambitious programme to rejuvenate the river.
"I have a personal bond with Ganga and no one can come between Ma Ganga and me," Uma told journalists on Tuesday, two days after she lost the portfolio of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation in the latest reshuffle of the Cabinet headed by Modi.
She announced her decision to launch her 'padayatra' (march) along the course of the river from Ganga Sagar in West Bengal early next month.
Uma, who was once a heavyweight leader in the ruling BJP, got the lighter portfolio of drinking water and sanitation in the reshuffle on Sunday. She, however, made it clear that she would seldom make herself available at her new office as her 'padayatra' would keep her away from New Delhi.
"I told the secretary (of the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation) that I would come to New Delhi only for a few days in a week to attend meetings of the Union Cabinet or to clear files," she said, insisting that her "padayatra should not be seen as an act of defiance" against the prime minister or the leadership of the ruling BJP.