JOIN USThis is a gift from Chief Minister Narendra Modi who completed 10 years in office on Friday at a time when the clouds of political storm hover above his governance.
The chief minister might seem invincible at least in his home state for now, but in the last few months he has had to face some rough weather on several issues, more particularly the fallout of the arrest of IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt. And with elections scheduled next year, even Modi’s 10-year completion was marred by politics.
Even as the party cadre was celebrating at all district headquarters, the Congress opened a battle front claiming that Modi’s misdeeds would now lead to his downfall.
“The way Hitler demolished Germany, he wants to destroy Gujarat. But the people of the state will not tolerate this.
He may have completed his ten years as chief minister but now begins the countdown for his downfall,’’ said Congress in-charge of poll campaign and former Union minister, Shankersinh Vaghela.
The BJP and the Modi government on the other hand utilised the occasion effectively to try and woo the voters, particularly the government servants who, off late, had been peeved at the delays in release of DA arrears.
Cash package
The government ordered the release of the funds to mark the occasion. “The government has also decided a fixed pay increase for more than one lakh employees besides release of cash package and creation of more jobs,’’ announced a government spokesman.
Modi had last year lost the Gandhinagar municipal polls, a municipality dominated by families of government employees. Observers says elections seem to be clearly weighing heavily on the chief minister’s mind, even as the opposition is baying for his blood on several counts.
The BJP, however, rubbished the allegations and boasted that Modi would complete another ten years in the state.
“The opposition has failed on all counts in these last years to take on our chief minister. They are resorting to dirty tricks to dislodge him but he will continue to give them as fitting reply as he has given in last ten years,’’ commented Rajya Sabha member and senior BJP leader, Purshottam Rupala.
Even as political parties were busy using the occasion to score political points, the riot victims and activists planned to hold protest demonstrations to commemorate the day.
“We will be observing a black day as Modi governance enters 11th year on Saturday.
Given his tainted record we are protesting against his rule,’’ said human rights activist, Father Cedric Prakash.