BHANVAD, DWARKA, SEPTEMBER 17: On the concluding day of the Gaurav Yatra’s second phase, Narendra Modi made his pride more than apparent. Using the religious card to whip up sentiments, Modi went on the offensive in Rajkot and Jamnagar districts.

‘‘During the riots, did any of you burn down shops?’’ he asked. A loud no came from the crowd. ‘‘Did you kill people?’’ Again a roar went up. ‘‘No.’’ ‘‘Isn’t there peace in your village?’’ Yes, said the crowd.

That was when Modi played his card: ‘‘But people in Delhi don’t think so. They say you are arsonists, rapists, killers. You must reply to this.’’

  Indefinite curfew in Borsad  

VADODARA:Borsad town of Vadodara’s Anand district was placed under indefinite curfew on Tuesday morning after one person was killed and three others injured, one of them seriously, in police firing. Police said they were forced to open fire when the two groups from different communities got violent and pelted stones at each other. The violence was triggered by last night’s incident in which a scooterist belonging to the minority community hit a boy from the majority community after a minor road accident. (ENS)

The VHP and Bajrang Dal had organised a major show of might in Dhoraji, which has a Congress MLA — Vithal Radadia. Though the rally attracted a 10,000-strong crowd, Muslims, half the town’s 25,000 populace, stayed away.

But with the area being a BJP bastion, Modi’s Yatra was received by large crowds everywhere. Modi also continued his Congress-bashing and raised the Narmada issue — but only where he was sure that the problem was not acute.

While the crowds lent an ear to the Congress- and Sonia-bashing, there was not much response to his ‘‘Narmade-Sarvade’’ slogan in many areas.

‘‘We have been hearing of Narmada water since years. Still, there’s no sign of it. I think we will not see it before next year,’’ Kalubhai Goganbhai, a farmer at Jam Jodhpur said. ‘‘I think the water will take some time to reach here. It is too early to celebrate,’’ Rasikbhai, another farmer, said.