Vaghela mocks govt claims: ‘As if Gujarat did not exist before 2002’

Leader of Opposition Shankersinh Vaghela Thursday rubbished development claims made by the state government while speaking on the first day of debate on motion of thanks over the Governor's address in the Assembly.

"Going by claims being made, it looks as if Gujarat did not exist before 2002 and it came into being only in 2002", the Congress leader said.

Governor Kamla Beniwal had addressed the Assembly on January 23, the first day of the newly elected government. The speech had lavishly praised the state government's achievements.

Terming the state government's claims as "half-truth", Vaghela said the promises made in the past 12 years were misleading and never saw light of the day. He also accused the BJP of "spreading communal venom".

Dismissing claims of development, the senior Congress leader said the state government enriched only top industrialists, which would become clear if one cared to check the balance-sheets of top five companies in the state.

"Yes, development has been achieved in theft cases, slaughtering of cows, rising public debt, number of suicide by farmers and unemployment," he said. "I know the BJP much better than all of you," he told ruling party MLAs when they protested against on his remarks.

Taking a dig at Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the former CM said the government need not brag about India using salt and milk produced in Gujarat. "Does any other state say so? Does Madhya Pradesh ever say Gujarat is drinking its Narmada waters?" he said.

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