Rewa versus Pavagada: War of words over solar plants

A war of words between the Congress and the BJP has intensified over whether 750 megawatt solar ‘plant’ in Rewa in Madhya Pradesh is comparable with 2,000 MW solar power ‘park’ at Pavagada in Karnataka.

The Congress has questioned the Modi government’s claim that the 750 MW ultra mega solar power project in Rewa which Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation on Friday, is largest of its kind in Asia.

Congress' Karnataka president D.K. Shivakumar was the first to refute the Modi government’s claim on Rewa solar plant.

He said in a statement, "If the 750 MW Rewa solar plant is Asia's largest as claimed by the BJP-led Central government, what about the 2,000 MW solar power plant at Pavagada in Karnataka's Tumakur district, built by the Congress government in 3 years and in operation since March 2018.

Shivakumar, who was Energy Minister in the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government (2013-18), was instrumental in building the project in 13,000 acres of land owned by farmers.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday endorsed his party colleague from Karnataka with one word tweet and tagged Prime Minister's Office on the social media page. The word is “Asatyagrahi!". In Hindi, the word is opposite of ‘Satyagrahi”, someone who practises the policy of Satyagraha or insists on the truth.

Taking cue from Rahul Gandhi, Madhya Pradesh Congress in its tweet remarked that there is an increase in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s lies while pointing to his claim that Rewa’s solar plant is Asia’s largest.

The state Congress enumerated three solar facilities -- 2245 MW (Jodhpur, Rajasthan), 2000 MW (Karnataka) and 1000 MW (Kurnul, Andhra Pradesh) -- which the party said are larger than Rewa solar plant. The party asked Modi why he doesn’t gradually practise speaking truth.

The state BJP retaliated by wondering aloud whether entire party gets mentally retarded when it commands comes in the hands of mentally retarded.

Claiming that Rewa power facility is a solar plant while others are solar parks, the BJP asserted that comparing the two is like comparing a country with a continent.

The BJP claimed that solar parks are a designated area where various IPP can set up their solar plants without hassles of obtaining land and transmission lines.

Unveiling the power plant digitally from New Delhi, Modi said Madhya Pradesh would be the centre of solar energy, as similar projects were in progress at Neemuch, Shajapur, Chattarpur and Omkareshwar in the state.

The plant, according to the prime Minister , will reduce emission equivalent to approximately 15 lakh tonne of carbon dioxide every year.

Modi said solar power would be a major source of meeting the energy needs of an aspirational India in the 21st century.