New Delhi, Sep 27: The Congress on Wednesday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his remark that UPA government showed indifference to Gujarat’s development, saying he should not try to “malign” the reality and history of the state.
Speaking at an event held to mark 20 years of Vibrant Gujarat Summit, Modi said today the world can see the success of Vibrant Gujarat, but in its early days, the then central government showed “indifference to Gujarat’s development.” “I have always talked about India’s development through Gujarat’s development, but those in power at the Centre associated Gujarat’s development with politics,” Modi said.
Asked about the prime minister’s remarks, Congress’ deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi said, “It is very sad that Prime Minister Modi is so obsessed with himself that he can neither see anything nor remember anything beyond himself.” The biggest brand ambassador of Gujarat was Mahatma Gandhi who spread “truth” throughout the country and gave courage to the world to walk on the path of truth and since then the whole world knows Gujarat and Porbandar, he said.
“So Modi ji is trapped in his own self obsession, this is an example of that. It is Gujarat’s history that indusrialists from there have used the sea route to take their business to the world. All goods used to come to the Gujarat ports and goods from there used to go abroad,” Gogoi said.
“I would say – Modi ji don’t be a professor of WhatsApp university, you are the prime minister of the country and don’t try to malign the reality and history of Gujarat,” he said.
In his swipe at the UPA government in Ahmedabad, Modi said that earlier when Vibrant Gujarat was held the then ministers in the central government used to refuse to attend the summit.
“They told me personally they would join, but later refused, perhaps after pressure from the top. Far from support, they were busy creating hurdles,” he said, adding that even foreign investors were threatened not to go to Gujarat.
“Despite such threats, foreign investors visited Gujarat even when there was no special incentive here. They came here because they could experience good governance, fair governance, policy-driven governance, an equal system of growth, and a transparent government in daily life,” he said. (PTI)
