Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi’s celebrations of the state’s 52nd foundation day in Dahod district on Tuesday were a blend of announcements on water projects, digs at opposition parties and shutting Congress leaders out of the event.
Modi chose the occasion in the tribal-dominated district to announce projects on water supply for drinking and irrigation, and the sewage system. “Our opponents have been celebrating ‘the decade of lies’ while we are celebrating ‘development festival’ in Gujarat,” Modi said.
“Ground-breaking ceremonies, inaugurations and announcements for 500-odd development works worth Rs 903 crore for tribal-dominated Dahod (in the central part of the state) were held to mark the 52nd foundation day of Gujarat,” a press release of the state information department said.
The police prevented Dahod MP Prabha Taviyad and other local Congress leaders from attending the event. “This is Modi’s fascist rule ... where the opposition is not allowed even in the state government-organised function,” Taviyad said.
In Ahmedabad, Modi attended a national-level book fair organised by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation on the Sabarmati riverfront.
“Had a wonderful time at Ahmedabad’s national book fair. Every house should have a ‘temple’ stacked with books,” the CM tweeted after the event.
{{/usCountry}}“Had a wonderful time at Ahmedabad’s national book fair. Every house should have a ‘temple’ stacked with books,” the CM tweeted after the event.
{{/usCountry}}Subsequently, he paid tributes to the leading founder of the Maha Gujarat movement, Indulal Yagnik.