Modi’s lust for publicity humiliates Gujarat: Cong

Severely criticising Chief Minister Narendra Modi,Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Shaktisinh Gohil said that the “culture of Gujarat is full of humility,and something given with one hand is not known even to the other hand”.

“But publicity-hungry Modi behaved in a manner that hurt the pride and self respect of Gujarat and gave a chance to the Bihar CM to play politics on the issue and insult the state,” said Gohil.

The Congress leader said that even the family of Mumbai terror attack martyr,Hemant Kirkire,had returned the money from Modi just because of the publicity strings attached. He sought an apology from the CM for this.

Gohil said that while the CM is bragging about himself around the country,widows and family members of martyrs of the Akshardham temple attack are not getting adequate compensation.

The Congress leader said that as Nitish Kumar was ruling the government in Bihar with the support of BJP; it is the duty of BJP to teach a lesson to those who had insulted Gujarat.

“The BJP leadership should take action against its party leader who has created such a situation,” Gohil said.

State Congress president Siddharth Patel said that the aid given to Bihar was not from the personal account of Modi but from the state exchequer earned through hard labour of the people of the state.

Ad sponsors deny any political pressure

SURAT: The Surat businessmen behind the Modi-Nitish ads have said they now regret it,but have ruled out any political pressure. They said the sponsors belonged to the Bihar Sanskriti Samiti and Bihar Vikash Mandal,led by the Bihar Vikash Parishad (BVP). According to BVP functionary Vinod Paliwal,who organised the release of the advertisement,the idea was floated at a BVP meeting and others were roped in. However,K K Sharma,chairman of the Indian Diamond Institute and president of the BVP and whose name too figures in the ad,told The Sunday Express that he had nothing to do with it. “I was unaware that my name was published in the advertisement. I am the BVP president and no such meeting was held under the BVP’s banner. I need to find out how my name cropped up in the ad. I am not a politician and I have not given a single paisa for that ad,” he said.

Meanwhile,sources said that the list of businessmen who contributed along with their PAN and cellphone numbers have been forwarded to officials in Patna probing the affair. They said a total of over Rs 20 lakh was pooled for the ad.

— KAMAAL SAIYED