The Hindu : Waghela's call to boycott Modi functions

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 02, 2003

Other States

Other States - Gujarat

Waghela's call to boycott Modi functions

By Manas Dasgupta

GANDHINAGAR May 1. A ``Save Gujarat'' rally in the state's capital city, where the Congress declared a virtual ``war" against the BJP Government and the official ``Gujarat Gaurav'' rally in the ``cultural capital'' of Vadodara marked the state's 43rd foundation day celebrations co-inciding with the May Day ceremony.

In keeping with the May Day spirit, the Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, announced in Vadodara a bonanza for the landless farm labourers increasing their group insurance benefits from the present Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 50,000 for which the premium is entirely paid by the State Government.

In Gandhinagar, the pradesh Congress president, Shankarsinh Waghela, called upon partymen to stage protest rallies and boycott all the official ceremonies of the Chief Minister and his colleagues all over the State till the BJP Government was forced to bow out of office.

``We had given the Modi Government 100 days to show results but in the four months it has been in office it has only demonstrated its callousness and lack of concern for the people,'' he said and claimed that the people in the State were already ``repenting'' bringing the BJP back to power in the December Assembly elections.

The party also submitted a nine-point memorandum to the Governor, Sunder Singh Bhandari, highlighting the Government's failures in various fronts, including law and order, power supply, economic and welfare measures, tackling the prevailing drought situation, water supply and unemployment. ``Today is the beginning of our war against the BJP governments in the State and at the Centre,'' Mr. Waghela said.

The official ceremony, the first since Gujarat was carved out of the erstwhile Bombay state on May 1, 1960, began with the lighting last night of 43,000 candles and oil lamps in Vadodara's picturesque Sursagar lake which drew more criticism than support for the `extravaganza' when the State was passing through an unprecedented economic crisis.

During the day today 43 programmes were organised in Vadodara, including inauguration of a new city museum, science exhibition, painting exhibition, industrial meet, a farmers' convention, drama and dance festivals, screening of Gujarati films and other programmes.

Aware of the criticism of the `extravaganza', Mr. Modi while addressing the main function at the sprawling Navlakhi grounds defended his Government's decision to celebrate the day.

``Questions should be asked why all these years Gujarat's pride of being a separate State was ignored and not why we are celebrating it,'' he said. In its five-year term, the BJP Government would ensure that similar celebrations were organised in rotation in every major city and town in the State every year so that the future governments would not ``dare to overlook it,'' he said.

Braving the hot sun, thousands of Congress workers from all over the State gathered in the state capital for the ``Save Gujarat'' rally where speaker after speaker criticised the Modi Government for its ``abject failures'' to address the problems of the people.

``All its election promises have proved hollow. The safety and security of the people which was the BJP's main election plank, has boiled down to the safety and security of only one person, Narendra Modi,'' said the leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly, Amarsinh Chaudhary.

Mr. Waghela, however, had to snub some of his party leaders who earlier gave calls for ``dharia rally'' as reply to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's ``trishul rally'' and Laloo Prasad Yadav's ``lathi rally,'' and another ``navnirman-type'' bloody upsurge of the people. ``We in the land of Mahatma Gandhi believe in our moral powers. We do not subscribe to any form of violence or carrying dharias or lathis. We will continue our agitation in a peaceful non-violent way,'' he told Congressmen.

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

Other States

Stories in this Section

Waghela's call to boycott Modi functions