Gujarat EDN
IE 07SEP2012
Press
Trust of India : New Delhi, Fri Sep 07 2012, 03:45 hrs
Seeking to turn the tables on the Chief Minister, Union Minister Kapil Sibal
on Wednesday said that he would present the version-2 of Aakash tablet to
Narendra Modi on a public platform in the state on September 22. “After receiving the tablet, Modi may think about taking back his statement,” Sibal said when asked about the Gujarat CM’s remarks made yesterday.
Taking a swipe at the Congress in Gujarat for its promise to provide free laptops if it came to power, Modi had said the much hyped low-cost ‘Aakash’ tablets promised by the Centre had not come down to earth yet.
Sibal said, “I am surprised at Narendrabhai’s statement. This is such a venture that all over the world, it is being talked about but not so in Gujarat because we think about children 24x7.
“But in Modi’s Gujarat, what happened to the future of the children. He is maintaining silence since 2002... Modi may be rich in politics but is poor at heart. In the next five to seven years, each child will have the Aakash tablet.”
Accusing the Centre of ‘dragging its feet’ on the distribution of low-cost Aakash tablets, Modi said it has failed to honour its much-hyped commitment.
Modi’s criticism of Congress had come against the backdrop of opposition
Congress in the state announcing free laptops to students if voted to power in the Assembly elections due by year-end.
“Kash (If only) this Aakash tablet could land on earth, then the lie (promise of free laptops by state Congress) they (Congress) are spreading now would hold some weight,” Modi had said in a sarcasm aimed at blunting Congress’ aggressive campaigning ahead of the polls.
Aakash has been billed as the world’s cheapest personal computer.
The project is a scheme of the Ministry of Human Resource and Development under which 10 lakh low-cost tablet computers are planned to be distributed in the colleges at a procurement price of Rs 2,276 per unit.
