The Hindu : Modi sees `bid to tarnish Gujarat's image again'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 21, 2003

National

National

Modi sees `bid to tarnish Gujarat's image again'

By Manas Dasgupta

PHAGWEL (GUJARAT) Dec. 20. The Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, today launched a scathing attack on the ``five-star activists and pseudo-secularists'' who were ``again trying to tarnish the State's image in the country and abroad.''

Without naming the voluntary organisations and the human rights activists who have filed petitions in the Supreme Court for review of the communal riot-related cases, Mr. Modi said that before the elections these people had criticised his administrative experience to handle the State's affairs. ``But the people have given them a fitting reply by voting the BJP back to power and these five-star activists have no right to question the collective wisdom of the people of Gujarat,'' he said.

These activists and ``pseudo-secularists'' were again ``conspiring'' to defame the State and were looking for new loopholes to tarnish its image, he said and cautioned them that the ``five-crore people of Gujarat'' would never ``fall into their trap.''

His obvious reference was also to the Congress which too had criticised his administrative experience as he had not held any elective post, not even that of a sarpanch, before taking over as Chief Minister. He said he was ready to rectify the problem if his lack of previous experience had caused any administrative problem for the people, but he would not take criticism from those who had been ``rejected by the people.''

Mr. Modi was launching his ``Siddhi yatra'' (one year performance of his present Government after the last December elections) from this sleepy village in Kaira district in central Gujarat that shot into limelight before the Assembly elections last year following a political tussle between him and the Pradesh Congress president, Shankarsinh Waghela, to seek the ``blessings of Bhathiji Maharaj,'' the presiding deity of a large section of the Kshatriya voters. Mr. Modi, who had picked Phagwel to launch his ``Gaurav rath yatra'' last year, had twice postponed his programme as the dates clashed with Mr. Waghela's last-minute decision to hold a rally at the same place to launch the Congress campaign for the elections.

In an obvious reference to the political tussle, Mr. Modi said that though both of them sought blessings from Bhathiji Maharaj, who sacrificed his life some 400 years ago to uphold Hindu sentiments, he did not bless the ``pseudo-secularists'' who did not honour Hindu sentiments. The BJP ``Gaurav yatra'' later turned into ``Vijay yatra'' and today he was back before Bhathiji Maharaj to launch his ``Vikas yatra'' (development programme), he said.

Comparing his Government's achievements with that of the Congress Governments in the past, Mr. Modi said that while in 40 years the State Government had constructed just about 4,000 check dams, the BJP Government in the last couple of years had built more than 40,000 check dams that helped increase the sub-soil water level and improve agricultural production and water shortage in the villages. He also referred to the progress made in women's education, power supply as well as reduction in the revenue deficit from Rs. 7,000 crores to Rs. 2,500 crores.

Meanwhile, talking to mediapersons, Mr. Waghela said the Modi Government was making ``tall claims'' about achievements but in reality Gujarat was ``sliding back'' on the path of progress. The Congress would organise public meetings at different parts of the State from January 1 to 10 to educate the people about the Government's ``lack of performance,'' he said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National