MODI, PM SPAR OVER IRON MAN
Wednesday, 30 October 2013 | Nayan Dave | Ahmedabad
In a veiled attack on the Congress in front of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the country’s destiny would have been different if Sardar Patel had become the first Prime Minister of India.
Sharing dais with the Prime Minister here for the opening ceremony of Shri Sardar Vallabhbhai Smruti Smarak, Modi credited Patel, the first Home Minister, with uniting the country and said the same unity and integrity was under threat from terror outfits.
Although, the function organised at the Ahmedabad-based heritage property of Sardar Patel Memorial was non-political, Modi’s comment invited slogans from Congress workers and angry rebuttal from the Prime Minister himself.
Terming Sardar Patel a visionary, Modi targeted the UPA Government in the context of the women reservation Bill and said that way back in 1919, as a Municipal Councilor of Ahmedabad Corporation, Sardar Patel moved the motion for women’s reservation and his proposals were accepted unanimously by the local self-government. He also praised Sardar for his vision of urban town planning as Ahmedabad Mayor.
Unlike his recent speeches elsewhere, he refrained from directly criticising Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as well as the Congress-led UPA Government. On the contrary, he paid respect to Dr Singh in the beginning of his speech. Keeping all differences, aside he addressed him as ‘’Respected Prime Minister” and endorsed his visit to Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram as well as Gujarat’s Congress headquarters ‘Rajiv Gandhi Bhavan’.
He also spoke about Sardar’s work for unity of nation. “Today Maoism, terrorism have merged as major threats for the unity of our country. This is Gandhi and Sardar’s land. The path of bombs and guns should be left and youths should join the mainstream to become partner of nation’s development,” he said, and gave an example of Punjab which has turned over a new leaf after a bitter period of terrorism.
On the other hand, the Prime Minister seemed to question Modi’s claim on Sardar Patel’s legacy, by saying the late leader was secular and liberal and had respect for those having a different ideology. Singh underlined that Patel was a Congressman and he was proud to be a member of the same political party he was associated with.
“Sardar Patel was secular to the core. He had a deep faith in the integrity of India. He believed that the whole country was a village and people of all communities here were his relatives and friends,” he said. The Prime Minister said it was responsibility of everyone to appropriately make aware the people of the country, particularly the youth, about Patel’s contributions.
Unlike Modi’s extempore speech, Prime Minister adhered to pre-written address. “Because of his strong will and capability of good governance, he was known as Iron Man of India. How he inspired farmers of Kheda, Bardoli and Barasad to unite for civil disobedience movement is still being remembered fondly,” said the Prime Minister, adding that he is feeling proud that he is associated with the party which Sardar worked for.
“In fact Sardar was elected as Congress President in Karanchi Session and he worked to make the party strong,” Singh added. He also touched upon Sardar-Nehru relations. Singh said that people talk about their differences but it is noteworthy that there were more subjects of agreement between the two. “Both leaders used to respect thoughts of each-other and Sardar used to say that it was his fortune to advise Panditji. Both leaders lived as good friends and used to trust each other. People should take inspiration from them,” he said.
The function was attended by governor of Gujarat Kamla Beniwal, leader of Opposition in the Gujarat Assembly Shankersinh Vaghela, Union Ministers Dinsha Patel, Bharatsinh Solanki, Tushar Chaudhary, Praful Patel and Karasanbhai Patel, chairman of Nirma Limited who is Vice President of Sardar Patel Society.
Union Minister Salman Khurshid took a dig at Modi over his remarks that Patel should have been the first Prime Minister of India. “Modi is too preoccupied with the thought as to who should be or should not be the Prime Minister. May be he can give us a list of those he wanted to be the PM,” Khurshid said reminding the BJP leader that it was Patel who had banned the RSS.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/todays-newspaper/modi-pm-spar-over-iron-man.html
No comments:
Post a Comment