New Delhi, Mar 6: Shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid his respects at the winter residence of Goddess Ganga in Uttarakhand, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticized him on Thursday, asserting that the government has merely “deceived” ‘Maa Ganga’ under the guise of cleaning the river.
Modi prayed at the Mukhwa temple, situated in the Uttarkashi district, which is on the route to the Gangotri temple dedicated to Goddess Ganga. Each year, the deity’s idol is transported to Mukhwa temple after the Gangotri Dham closes for winter.
In a Hindi post on X, Kharge remarked, “Modi Ji has claimed that ‘Maa Ganga called him’, but the reality is he has ‘forgotten’ his promise to clean the Ganga!” He pointed out that the Namami Gange initiative was launched close to 11 years ago with a budget of Rs 42,500 crore, to be utilized by March 2026. “However, responses to parliamentary questions indicate that only Rs 19,271 crore has been spent until December 2024.” “This means the Modi government has failed to utilize 55 percent of the Namami Gange funds. Why such negligence towards Maa Ganga?” Kharge questioned.
Following his prayers at the Mukhwa temple, the Prime Minister addressed a rally in Harsil, expressing his gratitude for visiting the winter abode of Goddess Ganga. “I believe Maa Ganga has embraced me. It is her blessings that have led me to Kashi, allowing me to serve the people,” he stated.
Kharge further criticized Modi regarding the Ganga cleaning project, stating, “In 2015, Modi ji encouraged our overseas Indian friends to contribute to the Clean Ganga Fund. As of March 2024, Rs 876 crore has been donated to this fund, yet 56.7 percent remains unspent. Notably, approximately 53 percent of the contributions have come from government entities.” A November 2024 response in the Rajya Sabha revealed that 38 percent of the Namami Gange projects are still incomplete, according to the Congress leader.
He contended that 82 percent of the allocated funds were intended for constructing Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), but 39 percent of these projects are still unfinished. Moreover, Kharge alleged that the completed STPs are not operational.
Citing a Rajya Sabha response, he noted that in Uttar Pradesh, 75 percent of the drains meant for STPs are still discharging their waste directly into the Ganga.
Stressing that 3513.16 MLD of sewage is being dumped into the river, Kharge stated, “Regulations have not been adhered to in 97 percent of the STPs (as of November 2024).” “In Bihar, 46 percent of STPs are non-operational, while the rest do not meet fecal coliform standards (as of October 2024). In West Bengal, 40 out of 40 STPs are dysfunctional; 95 percent violate NGT guidelines; and 76.16 percent fail to meet MoEF norms (as of March 2024),” he elaborated.
The National Green Tribunal expressed significant discontent in November 2024 regarding the administration’s inability to maintain the cleanliness of the Ganga in Varanasi, Modi’s parliamentary constituency, according to Kharge.
“While admonishing, the tribunal suggested placing a sign by the river indicating that Ganga water in the city is unsafe for bathing.
“A recent report from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), published in February 2025, revealed fecal coliform levels greatly exceeding the safe threshold of 2,500 units/100 ml, measuring 11,000 units/100 ml near Shastri Bridge in Prayagraj and 7,900 units/100 ml at Sangam,” noted Kharge.
He further pointed out that another study indicated a decline in the transparency of Ganga water to just 5 percent due to an increase in solid waste, signifying severe pollution.
Kharge added that plastic pollution in the Ganga surged by 25 percent between May and June 2024, worsening the pollution crisis.
“Under the guise of the Ganga Gram initiative, the Modi government has only constructed toilets. The afforestation of 1,34,106 hectares along the Ganga in five states, which was set to cost Rs 2,294 crore, has seen only 22 percent completed by 2022, with 85 percent of funds left unutilized, as revealed by an RTI,” he stated.
“The Ganga is life-sustaining. It represents India’s cultural and spiritual heritage, yet the Modi government has merely deceived ‘Maa Ganga’ in the name of cleaning the river,” Kharge concluded. (PTI)
