Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Why did People support Modi?

People of Gujarat gave their verdict in favor of Narendra Modi once again. Political experts might have got surprised or shocked by the outcome which was seen clearly from the comments being passed during whole day on the news channels on Sunday.

These experts and leaders forget that in democracy one should respect decision of ballot box. Unfortunately, media and leaders outside Gujarat fail there. This is the point which triggered defeat of Congress. Many voters feel insulted when national media gives so much biased presentation on Gujarat.

Modi had nothing to do to garner the support, but to press on these sentiments. His biggest advantage was the control on communal riots during his tenure. Which other chief minister can make a claim a better record than this? Not a single man day was lost in Ahmedabad due to curfew in last five years.

Congress leaders coming from Delhi and media does not want to talk about the positive side of the Gujarat. People here are more tolerant than any other place, communal or caste divide here is lesser than any part of the country. People do not want to be labeled as a community or a vote bank. They want some one to call for their respect. Had congress and media only debated on the development issues, result might have been different.

Hatred and law & order was favorite topic of panels. Can we recheck the facts from home ministry data, so that truth comes on the surface. Does it really show Gujarat worse than any state? Then what was the basis of news editors and leaders from out side crying for the same here. Do we expect people of Gujarat to accept that Delhi is more safe than Ahmedabad?

Society in Gujarat is definitely polarized. This polarization is not on the basis of caste or religion, but is on ideology. State leaders of even Congress do accept that their party leaders sitting in Delhi have brought defame to the state and caused the debacle.

BJP was on back foot due to indiscipline within the party, failure in Uttar Pradesh and incomplete promises. Anti incumbency factor was there, otherwise seven ministers would not have lost.

People changed their mind and came out to defend “Gujarati Asmita” – Modi has become symbol of it.

On the other side Bharat Solanki in his blood has local political understanding. He has a great support base in central Gujarat. Shankar Singh Vaghela was the architect of BJP networking in nineties. Together they make a winning combination. But they lack guts to speak truth on the face of central leadership who still wants to do politics on caste and religion combination.

Gujarat is a state of entrepreneurs. People are keen for development and business. Any leader or party who supports and work for on these agenda would lead the state irrespective of the debates on national news channels. We should appreciate it and see as a change in politics of the nation. If this happens even states like Bihar, Orissa and Jharkhand would be back on the business map of the world as they were centuries ago.

There can be some patches in the history which will always give pain. One should learn lesson from them and move forward and carry on the business. Growth comes from the efforts of today and the days to come and not by shedding nostalgic tears on past. Otherwise no part of the country can develop. Right from 1947 every state has its defamed past. Let that go in the history books and work together to right future. What Gujarat is trying.

This is a lesson to be learnt from the verdict of December 23.

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