Congress to expose "lopsided" development under Modi regime
New Delhi, Nov 1 (UNI) In a clear indication that the post-Godhra carnage of minorities would not be the major campaign point against the Narendra Modi government in the forthcoming Gujarat assembly elections, the Congress today sought to demolish the "myth" about the development of the state under the BJP government.
Senior Congress Leader and Union Minister Kapil Sibal today set the tone for the Party's campaign for the two-phase poll in Gujarat, when he highlighted the "lopsided" development of the state under the Modi regime.
"There is no infrastructure for development in Narendra Modi's Gujarat, but only infrastructure for terror," he told mediapersons at his official residence.
Mr Sibal, who is also Convenor of the National Media Committee of the AICC, said there was no investment in Gujarat under the BJP rule, though the government had signed several Memoranda of Understanding. This had given the wrong impression that investment was flowing in the state.
In this context, he said the BJP government had transferred lands to several big industrial houses. But no major industry had come up.
He said the number of engineering and medical colleges and also Informational Technology and Biotechnology Institutes were less in Gujarat as compared to states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Mr Sibal said though 47 per cent of the people in Gujarat were dependent on agriculture, the contribution of agriculture to GDP was just 15 per cent. The per capita debt of farmer was the highest in Gujarat with Rs 15,526.
He said the condition of farmers was the worst in the state with more than 300 cases of suicides being reported in 2006. The death of about 600 people were registered as "cause of death unknown." Citing report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Mr Sibal said as many as 3.6 million children dropped out of school during 2001-06.
Saying
that
the
power
situation
in
Gujarat
was
dismal,
he
complained
there
was
electricity
supply
only
for
six
hours
a
day
in
many
places.
Asked
if
the
Congress
would
raise
the
demand
for
prosecution
of
Mr
Modi
in
the
light
of
the
Tehelka
expose
on
post-Godhra
carnage,
Mr
Sibal
said
"it
is
the
expectation
of
law.
We
are
not
demanding
it."
Asked
if
the
Centre
would
take
the
initiative
for
the
prosecution
of
Mr
Modi,
Mr
Sibal,
an
eminent
lawyer
himself,
said
there
was
no
provision
in
the
Constitution
for
the
same.
It
was
for
the
state
government
in
Gujarat
to
prosecute
him.
"We
want
to
be
a
law
abiding
government
at
the
Centre."
Mr
Sibal
said
the
Congress
would
present
before
the
people
the
failures
of
the
Modi
government
on
all
fronts,
including
the
atrocities
on
the
minorities.
"It
is
for
the
people
to
give
their
verdict
in
the
elections."
UNI