Bhildi, Oct 30 (IANS) Days after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s controversial remark about alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late father triggered a political row, the slogan “Modi kahin nahi jaayega” (PM Modi will not go anywhere) echoed across Banaskantha during the Prime Minister’s visit to the district on Friday, with Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi leading a public show of support for PM Modi.
The slogan was raised by students as PM Modi arrived to inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for development projects.
Addressing the gathering at Bhildi, Sanghavi referred to the slogan being heard in villages across Banaskantha during public programmes and cleanliness drives organised ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit.
He then asked the audience to repeat it, linking PM Modi’s continued leadership to a series of national development goals.
“Until India becomes one of the world’s leading economies, Modi kahin nahi jaayega. Until India becomes self-reliant and a manufacturing hub for the world, Modi kahin nahi jaayega,” Sanghavi said, urging the crowd to raise the slogan together.
He also linked it to the government’s goals of providing permanent houses to every poor family, eliminating poverty, creating more Lakhpati Didis, taking development to remote areas and ending dynastic and appeasement politics.
“Until India becomes a developed nation, Modi kahin nahi jaayega,” he said.
The slogan was a direct political counter to the controversy that erupted after Kharge’s remarks at an event in Patna on October 25.
While speaking about alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, Kharge was interrupted by a man in the audience who shouted that PM Modi would not go anywhere.
Kharge responded, “Modi ka baap bhi jayega” (Even Modi’s father will have to go).
The comment drew criticism from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, who accused him of making an objectionable remark about the Prime Minister’s late father.
At Bhildi, Sanghavi, who described his remarks as those of a young citizen rather than merely a Deputy Chief Minister, accused the Congress and its leaders of repeatedly using abusive language against PM Modi.
He alleged that the Prime Minister’s late parents had also been dragged into political attacks and said the response from people across the country had demonstrated their support for him.
“From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from villages to city streets, the same slogan is being heard — Modi kahin nahi jaayega,” he added.
Assembly Speaker and Banas Dairy Chairman Shankar Chaudhary also praised PM Modi’s contribution to the transformation of Banaskantha.
Recalling the region’s earlier shortages of water and electricity, he said: “The introduction of round-the-clock power, the Sujalam Sufalam canal network and other initiatives had changed the lives of farmers and livestock owners.”
Chaudhary said the Govardhan scheme had helped turn cattle dung into an economic resource rather than waste.
He claimed that arrangements had allowed livestock owners to earn more than Rs 100 crore annually from cattle dung.
Referring to the newly inaugurated Bharat Bovine Breeding and Research Centre, he said: “Its objective is to improve milk productivity, with one cow eventually producing as much milk as four cows under existing conditions.”
Deputy Chief Minister Sanghavi also recalled his family’s migration from Banaskantha to Surat around 50 years ago because of water and electricity shortages.
“The arrival of Narmada water, the Sujalam Sufalam scheme and drip irrigation had changed the district, which had since emerged as a major dairy centre,” he added.
Citing figures, he said the annual profit reaching Banaskantha’s livestock owners through Banas Dairy had increased from around Rs 30 crore in 2003 to Rs 1,400 crore.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, in his address, highlighted the 24th instalment of PM-KISAN, the bovine breeding centre, Banas Dairy projects, improved rail and road connectivity and the inauguration and foundation stone laying of Anganwadi-related works.
The Prime Minister’s visit marked 25 years since he first took oath as Gujarat Chief Minister on October 7, 2001.
The programme in Bhildi included the release of the PM-KISAN instalment and the inauguration and launch of projects in the agriculture, dairy and infrastructure sectors.
–IANS
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