Gujarat EDN
TOI 13SEP2012
Chief Minister’s Rathyatra Icon Is Swami Vivekananda Who Shunned Publicity, Politics
Ajay Umat | TNN
Ahmedabad: They are namesakes — both good orators and bachelors. But, the similarity between Narendra Modi and Narendra Nath Datta, famous as Swami Vivekananda, ends here.
When Modi launched his assembly election campaign on Tuesday in the garb of Vivekananda Yuva Vikas Yatra from Becharaji in north Gujarat, there were some eyebrows raised on seeing the statue of the monk perched atop Modi's rath while the CM was making blatant political speeches.
Modi chose September 11 to launch his election yatra to mark the 120th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s speech at a world religion meet in Chicago.
It may be noted that core members of Ramakrishna Mission desist from voting during elections as per the constitution of the organization written by Swami Vivekananda himself.
“We remain completely aloof from politics,” said a Ramakrishna saint. He added that Vivekananda always shunned personal publicity and prohibited his followers from projecting him over his message. Besides, even though Modi claims to have been greatly influenced by the saint's preachings, the swami's idea of nationalism was all-inclusive, irrespective of caste, creed, colour, religion and even nationality. P 2
Valsad collector takes down yatra posters: BJP leaders and Valsad collectorate were at loggerheads on Wednesday following collector Roopwant Singh’s instruction to remove banners for chief minister Narendra Modi’s Swami Vivekanand Yuva Vikas Yatra. Modi is scheduled to address rallies in the district on Thursday.
‘ Anti-Modi ’ cartoonist’s legal travails continue: Aseem Trivedi was released on bail in Mumbai on Wednesday, but in Indore, cartoonist Harish Yadav appeared in the court for his umpteenth hearing. Last September, a case was filed against him for drawing a cartoon that lampooned Narendra Modi. Since then he has been doing the rounds of Indore lower court every fortnight or so. Strangely, police are yet to file a chargesheet.
Assembly polls likely in Nov-Dec: Assembly elections are likely to be held in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh by the end of November and early December. It is likely to be a two-phase poll in Gujarat like the last elections in 2007, commission sources said. The term of the current assemblies of Gujarat and Himachal ends on January 17 and 10 respectively. But the commission is in favour of holding elections much earlier, as any delay would make the winter conditions in Himachal quite difficult.
