Godhra: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that his state has shown India that the politics of development can work. Modi, who sat on a day-long hunger strike in Godhra on Friday as part of his sadbhavana fast, addressed his supporters, saying that votebank politics has not benefitted anyone; on the contrary such politics resulted in lack of development in several regions of the country.
"If anyone has brought development on the center-stage of politics and in elections, it’s the people of Gujarat who have shown that development is the only way. Vote politics has affected the development of the country. Many areas were left alone as they were not votebank areas, development was for only few people. It's Gujarat that has shown that development is for everyone and not for any votebank," said the Gujarat Chief Minister.
Criticising the Centre for not doing enough to help the agricultural sector, Modi said that Gujarat has shown India that this sector, too, can grow at a fast rate.
"Central government has failed in improving agricultural growth. Center's agriculture growth is just three per cent, on the other hand Gujarat’s agriculture growth is 11 per cent," he said.
Pointing out that there have been no riots during his tenure in Gujarat, he said that Gujarat is known for its development-oriented policies.
"There was a time when everyone was waiting to ignite riots, there was time when Godhra had experienced 300 days of curfew, every children knew what curfew was. But now no one knows what a curfew is and what a riot is. Now everyone knows what development is. It's all due to the Gujaratis," he added.
The Gujarat Chief Minister's fast at Godhra is part of his 'Sadbhavana' mission and it is his 23rd fast. The fast venue, Godhra, was the nerve centre of the 2002 riots and Modi is hoping to spread the message of harmony.
The 'harmony mission' comes nearly a month before the 10th anniversary of Godhra carnage where 59 people, mostly karsevaks, were killed when a coach of the Sabarmati Express train was burnt on February 27, 2002.
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