The Hindu : National : Modi eschews controversy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jan 30, 2007
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National

National

Modi eschews controversy

Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi sought to project himself as a national leader, focussing on the development of Gujarat and generally avoiding controversial issues in his address to the Hindu Mahamela here on Monday.

Inaugurating the event, organised by the RSS, he said that Gujarat's achievements on the developmental front were for the country at large. Tailoring his message to the local audience, he added that about 12 lakh Keralites were working in Gujarat and that Kerala could be sharing their prosperity.

Mr. Modi, however, criticised Kerala for what he termed its failure to ensure security in its coastal areas. Defence Minister A. K. Antony himself had stated that the Kerala coast was unsafe, he said. On the other hand, the Gujarat coast was secure despite its longer length and proximity to Pakistan, he claimed.

He claimed that no farmer had committed suicide in Gujarat. While the rest of the nation was talking of interlinking rivers, Gujarat had interlinked 23 rivers. Consequently, the State's agricultural income had increased from Rs. 9,000 crore to Rs. 34,000 crore. Power had reached all its villages. Memoranda of understanding were signed for Rs. 100 billion in investment, which would generate 12 lakh jobs.

Stressing the need for the uplift of the poor and removal of untouchability, he claimed that consensus-based election of panchayat members had been achieved in 45 per cent of the panchayats.

He said that Hindu unity was needed for national integrity. "To achieve that, you have to get rid of untouchability and embrace the poor and the tribals."

He said Gujarat had introduced a scheme for providing assistance at the rate of Rs. 50,000 in instances of inter-caste marriages if one of the couple is a Dalit or a tribal person.

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