Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi on Monday used the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas platform to settle political scores with the Centre. Digressing from the written speech, the Gujarat chief minister lashed out at the Centre and accused it of neglecting developmental demands of Opposition-ruled states.
He also targeted the Prime Minister for not responding to his suggestion to set up solar production units in desert areas in Rajasthan and Gujarat along the border with Pakistan.
Mr Modi said, “Rajasthan chief minister has said he gets all help from the Centre. But I don’t have that fortune. We have to do it on our own.” He said that he does not write letters to the Prime Minister as he does not expect a reply.
However, the Gujarat chief minister refused to answer a question from one of the PBD delegates on his attitude against minorities. Unwilling to take any criticism, Mr Modi passed the question to the session’s moderator, Union minister of overseas Indian affairs Vayalar Ravi. Mr Ravi interfered and said that the platform was not meant for any personal remarks but it should be used for talks on development and investment. Mr Ravi had to interrupt another questioner when he shouted that Mr Modi should be the next Prime Minister. “This is a platform for talks on development and not leaders, “he said.
However, targeting the Centre, the chief minister said he had written a letter to the Prime Minister asking him to allot a satellite for Gujarat. But the Centre was apparently “confused.” He said: “I wrote a letter to the Prime Minister last year. Usually what will a chief minister write to a Prime Minister? He will seek funds. But I never write letters seeking funds. This letter was asking the Prime Minister to allot a satellite for Gujarat. But they were confused on what to do.”
In the same breath he, however, acknowledged that the state received a full-fledged transponder of 36 MHz Q-band on Indian Space Communication Satellite, “which will enable the state implement long distance education system across 12 sectors at a time that will used to improve governance, distance learning programme and telemedicine.”
Earlier, Mr Gehlot promised the NRIs a corruption-free India for their smooth investment in the country. He said that Dr Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi had been putting in their best efforts in this regard.