Revive Narmada spirit for development: Modi

He made the appeal after moving a resolution at the Swarnim Gujarat Sansadiya Parishad held in the state Assembly on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the state’s formation. The session was attended by sitting as well as former MLAs and MPs from the state barring a few who chose to abstain.

Modi urged them to take a united stand on the issue of state’s development in the same spirit as was done on the issue of constructing the Narmada dam decades ago.

“We can take the state on the march towards development only by following the Narmada spirit,” he said.

Supporting the resolution,Opposition leader Shaktisinh Gohil,however,said the credit for development of Gujarat could not go to any individual. All Gujaratis,including those living abroad,had a role in the development,he said.

“When anti-Narmada activists had assembled at Pherkuan to oppose the dam,every ‘pujari’ and ‘maulvi’ in Gujarat had got united to realise the dam,” said Gohil,pointing out the need for harmony and unity of all communities to achieve development.

Referring to excavations at Dhoraji and other places throwing light on the development of Gujarat even 5,000 years ago,Gohil said: “Development is in the genes of every Gujarati and Gujarat was always developed.”

Former CM Madhavsinh Solanki highlighted the contribution of Gujarat leaders in nation-making.

Another former Chief Minister,Keshubhai Patel,skipped Modi’s name during his speech while mentioning the names of Congress leaders like Gohil and Madhavsinh Solanki. Patel also stressed upon the point that benefits of all development must reach the poor.

Another speaker was senior BJP leader L K Advani. Stating he was proud of

getting elected to Lok Sabha five times from the state,

he said his father had settled down in Kutch after migrating from Sindh at the time of Partition. Advani said the state had developed not only because of the efforts of the government,but also because of an equal contribution by the people of the state.

Minister of State for Small and Medium Enterprises in the UPA Government Dinsha Patel,without naming Modi,said those running the state should not listen to sycophants and follow a simple life like that of Pt Ravishankar Maharaj.

He said a transparent administration was a must for development. He wanted the Modi government to focus more on rural development.

In the concluding address,Governor Kamla Beniwal said the development was a never-ending process. “I congratulate everybody,including former chief ministers,who contributed to the development of the state during their rule.”

Other prominent leaders who were present at the

special session included Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha and BJP leader Arun Jaitley,Ministers of State in UPA government Bharatsinh Solanki and Tushar Chaudhary,Former Union Minister and Congress leader Naran Rathwa and former Rajya Sabha member Y K Alagh.

Leaders who gave a miss

* Former Union Textile Minister and senior Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela

* Ex-CMs Suresh Mehta and Dilip Parekh (both of BJP then)

* Mahagujarat Janata Party (MJP) President Gordhan Zadafia

* Madhusudan Mistry

* Narhari Amin

* Naresh Raval

* Former MLA and now MJP General Secretary Sunil Oza

* Former MLA (now with MJP) Siddharth Parmar

Collective resolve needed for highest level of achievement: Vajpayee

Assembly Speaker Ashok Bhatt read out the messages sent by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel who could not make it to the Swarnim Gujarat meet on Friday. In his message,Vajpayee,who was once elected to Lok Sabha from Gandhinagar in 1996,has hoped that Gujarat would reach the highest level of achievement through collective resolve of the people’s representatives. “Active participation of people’s representatives is important not only for good governance but also for useful democracy,” the message further read. Ahmed Patel,who represented the Bharuch Parliamentary seat thrice and is now Rajya Sabha member,stated in his message that “the people of Gujarat are rightful claimants of universal felicitation for Gujarat’s pride and I bow before in humble applause before the people of Gujarat”. He regretted for his absence saying: “I am indisposed”.