Ahmedabad: Criticising the Congress for
opposing Garib Kalyan Melas, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra
Modi on Saturday said those who thought that poor people are their
property are perturbed with this initiative of giving direct
benefits by organising such melas.
Speaking at a Garib Kalyan Mela in Bapunagar area of the
city, Modi without taking the name of Congress said, "For the
last 60 years they thought that they only have right over poor
people. They have looted poor people. But when we are trying
to give direct benefits to poor people, they are feeling
insecure".
Modi made this statement as a large group of Congress
workers waved black flags and protested against him by saying
that the government was cheating poor people by way of such
melas.
About 150 Congress workers were detained by the police
after commotion at the Bapunagar cross roads, who were
released later, police said.
Modi said our leaders so far had just provided lip
service to the poor, used them as vote banks and filled their
own coffers.
Modi addressing the gathering said by such melas they
have discovered a way to cure problems of poor people by
establishing direct contact with them and eliminating
middlemen.
This method of giving direct assistance to poor has
made them capable to fight poverty, Modi said.
Assistance and equipment worth Rs 21.38 crore under
31 schemes were distributed to 7,094 urban poor of ten wards
of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation at the mela.
Modi has decided to organise 50 such melas before the
budget session starting February 24 and give direct benefit of
government schemes to poor people.
Modi has also announced that after the budget session
he will organise more such melas.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, February 20, 2010, 22:36