Wednesday, September 12, 2012

‘Sops to industries up, mid-day meal quantity down under Modi’

Continuing his attack on Chief Minister Narendra Modi, his bete noire and former CM Keshubhai Patel today criticised the state government for being pro-corporate and anti-people, saying this approach has led to rise in unemployment in Gujarat.
“Tata Motors was offered sops of Rs 33,000 crore from the government’s coffers, but the same government has reduced the dose of mid-day meal offered to primary school students to 150 gram from 225 gram allocated under the scheme,” he said at a public rally in Vadodara.
“In my time also industry would come to the state, but I had made a rule that it gave 80% of the total job to Gujaratis. Narendrabhai Modi gave Tata Motors freedom from this rule,” he said.
On Modi's four-day tour of Japan, Patel said the real purpose of the visit is to make some domestic corporate entities more profitable. “Why has he gone to Japan? He has gone there so as to ensure that various industrial houses in the state get benefited from investments,” he said.
Patel said he decided to contest elections this time because he felt people were looking for options to get rid of the “corrupt” government under Modi. “There is no option but change. But change in government alone won’t do. We need change in the system,” he said.
He questioned the intention behind Modi’s opposition to the appointment of Lokayukta, asking who Modi was frightened of that he opposed the appointment.
“The Governor appointed Lokayukta, but Narendra Modi challenged the appointment in the High Court. The court said the appointment was right, after which he moved the Supreme Court. He would fight for appointment of Lokpal in New Delhi, but wont appoint Lokayukta in Gujarat,” Patel said.
Drawing a parallel between the Modi government and his own tenure, he said Lokayukta acted freely under him. “In my time, there was Lokayukta who had full freedom to take action against me. A few applications came against me but nothing could be proved because I was not wrong,” he said, adding, “In my time, there would be Lok Prahari at the district level. A Lok Prahari would not be from the government or administration, but from judiciary, a retired sessions judge.”
Reiterating that Modi was a “liar”, Patel said, “If there is a competition to choose the biggest liar, then Narendrabhai Modi would emerge as a top liar. He has made false promises to the public on several occasions, of turning cities into Shanghai and Hong Kong.”