Modi projected as man with agenda at youth conclave

As he warms up to the responsibility as the chairman of the campaign committee of BJP for 2014, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday positioned himself as a man with the agenda of inclusive development.

He addressed a youth Conclave attended by people from all over the country (who were at the event strictly on invitation) at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, which, significantly, had 30 out of 200 attendees from the minority communities.

Besides some of the eminent Islamic scholars, the conclave also had in attendance the former President APJ Abdul Kalam.

“The people who were invited were below 45 years of age and well settled
professionals from all over the country,” said an organizer of the event.  Called Young Indian Leaders Conclave, the event deliberated on “How Government and Business can change to provide better opportunities for Indian youth”, said an organizer. “The guests included Muslim youths from Kashmir, Hyderabad, Uttar Pradesh, Mumbai, Lakshadweep apart from Ahmedabad,” said prominent industrialist Zafar Sareswala, who has been involved with the organization of the event. “Further there were eminent young Islamic Scholars like Mufti Aijaz Arshad from Darul Ulum Deoband and Mufti Mubin Madni, a graduate on Islamic Jurisprudence from Madina University, Saudi Arabia.”

The event provides an impetus for the new campaign manager with BJP readying a
vision document for minorities to woo Muslims ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 and Modi’s cyber campaign managers preparing to release an online blitzkrieg on
programmes for muslim’s development in Gujarat.

Keeping in tune with the proposed vision document, Sareswala said that the event is an endeavour to mainstreamize the Muslims.

“This is a good start,’ he said. “Muslims also need to be a part of the mainstream and this is a step in that direction,” he added.

At the event, Modi interacted with the youth directly and unveiled his vision for development, said an organizer adding that Modi delivered his address on how to create “Shrestha Bharat” for Indian youth. 

“For the first time Muslims spoke so candidly before Modi and he heard their issues with rapt attention,” said Sareswala.