Godhra: Hitting out at Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh for his "late realisation" of the malnutrition
problem in the country, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi
said, instead of "merely making comments on the issue", the PM
should provide a solution for it.
"Last week, the Prime Minister expressed agony and
pain over the issue of malnutrition in the country and said
that it was a shame for the country. But actually, it is
shameful that the Prime Minister, who holds such a high post
and is also an eminent economist, did not realise it till
2012," Modi, while addressing at his 23rd Sadbhavna fast in
Godhra, said.
"If an academician or a professor had made such a
statement, I would have understood. But he is the Prime
Minister of the country. Merely making comments on the grave
situation is not enough, the PM should do something and give a
solution," Modi said.
Modi said that he himself realised the gravity of the
malnutrition problem in 2004 and started taking measures to
end it in Gujarat from 2005.
Modi also urged the people to decide whether they want
vote bank politics or an all-inclusive development politics.
"In the 60 years after the Independence, other
political parties had adopted vote bank politics just to
gain power. They (parties) are just worried about those
people, who are their potential vote bank," Modi said.
"However, in Gujarat, the government has gone for an
all-inclusive growth in the last 15 years," Modi claimed.
"Now, the people of the country have to choose between
these two political cultures. One is divide and rule through
vote bank politics and other is inclusive growth for
development of all," Modi said.
Coming down heavily on the Centre for the soaring
inflation, Modi said, "Politicians, who are part of the Union
Government, had promised the people, during their election
campaign, that they would tame inflation within 100 days, if
they came to power. However, they were not able to do so."
Modi further said, "For the first time, development
has become a central issue of the nation. It is due to Gujarat
government and the work done by the six crore people over the
last 10 years that development has become a major issue in the
country."
"Earlier, the elections used to be centred around the
vote bank politics, in which, only votebanks got strengthened.
But the common man did not benefit. We have ended this
tradition.
"We have adopted the sole agenda of development and
achieved new heights. Gujarat has now become the benchmark for
development and made other states to look for development,"
Modi said.
Modi further said that during the ongoing election
campaign in Punjab, the former chief minister of Punjab Capt
Amrinder Singh, a Congressman, promised that if he was voted
to power, he would take his state to the same heights as of
Gujarat.
Taking a dig at the Gujarat Congress, Modi said, he
understands the feelings of the Congress, "who have lost
everything after being in power for 40 years."
"Their condition is like a severed tail of a lizard,
which does not stop moving (for a while), even after it is cut
off," he said.
Modi further said, "Godhra has a history of communal
violence and there was a time in 1985, when there was a curfew
for 300 days. But curfews and riots have vanished since the
last 10 years. It is due to the atmosphere of peace, unity and
brotherhood in the state, which has resulted in development."
Modi said, his Sadbhavna Mission would end the vote
bank politics.
PTI
