Modi launches BRT,attack on critics

He was addressing residents of Vasna at the Chandranagar BRTS bus stop.

He said Ahmedabad was the jewel of Gujarat and no attempt to deprive it of its shine will be tolerated. “They (the Centre) want Gujarat to move around with a begging bowl and keep insulting it,but this will not be tolerated because Gujarat has equal right over the country’s resources,” he said.

Modi said the BRT will enable the common man to whiz across like wealthy persons while travelling in the city,adding that the state government’s concern for the common man was not digested by those who were spending trillions of rupees for building airports. “What could be more unfortunate than such people not being able to accept the good of the common man,” he asked.

He also took a dig at the media for negative reporting,saying reporters were not to be blamed for this because of their compulsions. “It is the owners (shethiya) who are to be blamed,” he said to a chuckling audience.

Modi said the people of Ahmedabad need not be explained the advantages of using BRT as a major time and fuel saver. “Friends,your savings will translate into Gujarat’s prosperity,” he said while explaining how problems of fuel price and waste of time besides pollution would be taken care of by merely switching to BRT.

He also lauded autorickshaw operators of Ahmedabad for heeding his advice to switch to CNG unlike their Delhi counterparts who had to be convinced the hard way.