Modi leading BJP to its downfall: Rebels

Nadiad, Aug 25: Chief Minister Narendra Modi was uprooting the BJP from Gujarat, said suspended BJP rebel MLA Balu Tanti of Dhari constituency.
Speaking at a 'sammelan' of the Sardar Patel Utkarsh Samiti organised here today jointly by the Congress and the BJP rebels, Mr Tanti said it was shameful that during the Modi government's rule 550 primary health clinics (PHCs) and 650 animal husbandry hospitals had been closed.

Mr Modi had squandered Rs 17,000 crore for 'Patang utsavs' and 'Vibrant Gujarat' programmes, he charged, adding that he was the 'madari' of the Godhra carnage and Akshardham Temple attack.

Commenting on the law and order situation in the state, Mr Tanti said 110 days had passed yet the killers of a Koli girl in Junagadh had not been arrested.

Throwing an open challenge to Mr Modi, he said ''If he can show a single corruption charge against me in my political career, I will quit politics.'' He called for re-enactment of Uttar Pradesh drama in Gujarat to overthrow Mr Modi. Gujarat must get rid of Duryodhan (Modi) and Dhritharashtra (Advani), Mr Tanti said.

Another rebel MLA (not suspended), Ramilaben Desai of Kheralu constituency said this sammelan had been held to re-establish democracy and end dictatorship in the state.

Reciting a popular Gujarati saying, she said in Modi's regime prices of vegetables and food items have gone beyond the reach of the common man.

She alleged ''Mr Modi and corruption have become synonymous.'' In the recent public urinal construction scheme, there was a corruption of Rs 300 crore.

Ms Desai charged that Mr Modi had three faces -- bogus Hindutva, corruption and dictatorship. The root cause of the Godhra carnage is Mr Modi, she alleged and said ''I am saying this with full responsibility and publicly. Even if I am hanged, I will reiterate what I said now.'' In the Godhra incident, many died and 8,000 were still rotting in jails. All this problem stems from Mr Modi's megalomaniac dream of being the icon of Hindutva, she said.

During the Keshubhai's regime, ministers voluntarily revealed their assets, while in Modi's reign not a single minister had revealed his assets, she charged.

The Modi government had opened umpteen number of self-financed colleges in the State yet only 34,000 students graduated out of these colleges.

Dhirubhai Gajera of Surat said he was the first to oppose Mr Modi. Whether it was the dhoti incident, when former minister Atmaram Patel's dhoti was torn or the spat between Shankarsinh Vaghela and Keshubhai or besmirching the reputation of Atalji, all these had their origins in Modi's machinations, alleged Mr Gajera.

''Mr Modi holds programmes for squandering the people's money.'' As for the people's welfare, the Chief Minister did little, he said and pointed out that during the Keshubhai's rule, 12,800 ST buses were plying all over the Gujarat. Today, only 2,800 ST buses are there, he said.

Also, 96,000 km of roads in the state were not motorable and the government was not bothered about it, he charged.

Though no vegetable could be had for Rs two, Mr Modi was giving land at Rs two per hectare to his crorepati friends, Mr Gajera charged.

In the Modi regime, so far 982 kidnapping cases had been registered and 709 temples had been looted, Mr Gajera alleged. Everyday some announcements were being made by Mr Modi and huge amount of public money was being squandered, said Dinsha Patel, Union Minister of State for Petroleum. ''When a child is born in the state, he carries a debt burden of Rs 18 on his head thanks to Mr Modi,'' he said.

Mr Patel said in the Modi government, one can see Dhrithrashtra, Shakuni, Duryodhan, Kaikeyi and Mandira. MLAs are enjoying their lives.

Former Congress MLA and Amul Dairy chairman Ramsinh Parmar said ''We are not asking who should be the CM, but only when this Hitler would be removed. We have gathered here to save the Gujarat.'' K D Jeswani, ex-MP and former GSFC chairman, said the struggle had begun against the dictatorship of Modi. ''Does Modi or his ministers know the sufferings of the farmers?'' he asked.

He urged the policemen to do good for the common man not act as toadies to Mr Modi.

UNI