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Journalism of Courage
Alleging that Gujarat suffered a lot due to the “divide and rule game” played by the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Monday that the people of the state saw through the Congress’s trick and united against “divisive forces” 20 years ago.
“Our mantra is peace, unity and harmony. The root cause of Gujarat’s progress is unity here. On the other hand, Congress’ core ideology is to divide and rule — make people fight among themselves anyhow so that its interests are protected… This was the Congress’s trick and due to that, there was a time when Gujarat was not a separate state, it made Marathas and Gujaratis fight against one another. After Gujarat was formed, it made Gujarat fight with Kathiawar region, Kutch with Gujarat, A community with B and C with D, A sect with B and B sect with C. It committed all these sins and Gujarat had to suffer a great deal,” PM Modi said.
At the time of Independence, parts of present-day south and central Gujarat regions were included in the then Bombay state, while Saurashtra and Kutch regions were made separate states despite people in all these regions speaking a common language, Gujarati. Later, Saurashtra and Kutch were merged with Bombay. However, after the 1956 Mahagujarat movement which demanded a separate state comprising areas speaking the Gujarati language, Bombay was divided into Gujarat and Maharashtra in 1960.
PM Modi said people saw through the tricks of the Congress. “Thanks to walking the path of unity, compared to the times when bombs used to explode in markets, temples and when an atmosphere of insecurity prevailed all around, today Gujarat has been progressing constantly for the past 20 years,” he said, adding, “The situation changed after the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power.”
The BJP formed a government in Gujarat for the first time in 1995. Narendra Modi became the chief minister in 2001 and served till 2014 before he was elected the Prime Minister. “After BJP took its place, people’s faith in it started increasing and BJP’s faith in people also kept growing.”
PM Modi said safety, harmony and unity define Gujarat today. “And when Gujarat united, divisive forces didn’t have the strength to intrude. Therefore Congress had to bid adieu.”
“While leaving (India), the Britishers had predicted doom, saying the princely states will get divided and that states will fight on linguistic grounds. But when the question of unity and unifying the country popped up, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel undertook the task of uniting the country and merging princely states. Why did he succeed? It was because even though many kings and Nawabs were dithering, my Bhavnagar, my maharaja Krushnakumarsinh, my Gohilvad thought about the country and for the unity of the country, dedicated the kingdom to maa Bharti. Once Bhavnagar took the initiative, all of Hindustan had to follow suit.”
Palitana is also the native place of Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who was present along with other local BJP leaders at the public meeting on Monday.
PM Modi said the Assembly election in Gujarat will set the trajectory of the state and India as a whole for the next 25 years. “This election is to resolve to make our Gujarat developed, prosperous and touch new heights,” he said, adding, “Now, we cannot afford to tread. We have completed 75 years of Independence and whatever capital we have formed, strength that we have gained, whatever difficulties we have overcome, we cannot afford to walk for another 75 years. Whatever we want to do, has to be done in 25 years. This election is to resolve that we want to take Hindustan and Gujarat to that height, come what may.”
Gujarat will vote in two phases on December 1 and 5, while the results will be declared on December 8.
