Rajkot: Targeting Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, state opposition leader Shankersinh Vaghela on Friday alleged that by raising communal issues during elections, he diverts the minds of Hindus from developmental concerns.
"During earlier elections, Modi raised the issue of then Pakistan president Parvez Musharraf by calling him Mian Musharraf. While in 2012, he managed to divert Hindus` minds by calling Ahmad Patel as Ahmad Mian Patel and said that Congress was willing to make Ahmad Patel chief minister of Gujarat," Vaghela told reporters here.
Vaghela was here to campaign for Gujarat Assembly bypolls for Jetpur, Dhoraji and Limbdi constituencies and the Lok Sabha bypoll for Porbandar seat on June 02.
"In Gujarat, election is fought on communal basis where Chief Minister Narendra Modi diverts Hindus` mind and sidelines state`s development achievements," Vaghela said.
He alleged that Modi has no concern for people in scarcity-hit areas and therefore most of projects meant for scarcity-hit areas, remain on paper only.
"The Centre allocated around Rs 864 crore meant to be used for scarcity-hit areas in Saurashtra and Kutch, but the funds remain unused," Vaghela said.
Referring to the Nepali family self-immolation case where five family members committed suicide by setting themselves ablaze in Rajkot Municipal Corporation`s centralzone office last month, Vaghela alleged that the Gujarat government is trying to save political leaders involved in the incident.
He claimed that Gujarat`s law and order situation has deteriorated and its crime rate had also gone up.
When asked about Vitthal Radadiya`s defection to the BJP, Vaghela claimed that Radadiya joined the BJP merely to escape a corruption probe against him.
"This is Modi government`s policy to harass opposition by ordering probes against them and Vitthal Radadiya might be willing to hide his alleged corruption in the Rajkot district bank," Vaghela said.
Vitthal Radadiya is chairman of the Rajkot District Co-operative Bank.
PTI
