So how was Modhwadia’s big day, and what exactly he said

Gujarat Congress’s newly appointed President Shri Arjun Modhwadia today took over the position in a public function attended by about 3,000 persons just outside the Gujarat Congress headquarter in Ahmedabad. The function was held in naked sunlight of pre-noon, noon, and post-noon time. Neither the stage, nor the audience side was covered with tent. About half of the audience was dominated by Muslim men and women arrived here in the leadership of their local Muslim leaders. There was nothing like festive atmosphere, but the atmosphere of hope was in the air. Most of the Congress leaders spoke on need of unity in various groups of the party. Most of them spoke about poor, tribal and minority class. The function was interrupted twice by Ajaan voices coming from illegal loudspeakers of nearby mosques. Shaktisinh Gohil stopped his speech to respect it for few seconds, but continued his speech and said ‘the voice of Aarti and Ajaan are considered auspicious, therefore I had stopped for few moments in respect.” When loud voice of Ajaan were again in air during Arjun Modhwadia’s speech, he to stopped for some seconds, but resumed his speech with the background voice of Ajaan. The event went on from 11.30 am to about 1.45 pm. The best speech was delivered by Kadir Pirzada, because it contained some valid points, the other good speech was delivered by Pravin Rashtrapal, because it was short. Central ministers Bharatsinh Solanki, Tushar Chaudhary, Dinsha Patel also spoke.

But the centre of the event was Arjun Modhwadia, whose installation was the occasion today.

In his speech, Modhwadia remembered Sardar Patel who was the President of Gujarat Congress for a period of 21 years. Modhwadia remembered Induchacha, Prabodh Rawal and Brahmkumar Bhatt who fought for the statehood of Gujarat five decades back. He remembered Ravishankar Maharaj who inaugurated the Gujarat state in 1960 and said that all Congress workers should take pledge to live according to what Ravishankar Maharaj said in his speech while inaugurating the Gujarat state.

Modhwadia narrated major curves of his political career. He said he started his political career in Congress party by becoming Porbandar Taluka NSUI President. “Then I became Congress Secretary and was fortunate enough to work with late Shri Prabodh Rawal. Later I worked with late Shri C.D.Patel as General Secretary, and also worked with late Shri B.K.Gadhvi and late Shri Amarsinh Chaudhary. When Amarsinh Chaudhari was leader of the opposition, I worked as MLA and party’s Chief Whip. Later I worked as leader of opposition in assembly with late Shri Gadhvi. I was new but was helped by all my colleagues. I worked with Bharatbhai(Solanki) for two and half years before 2007 when he was the state President of the party and I was leader of opposition. When Siddharthbhai became President, I said I wanted to stay away from media for some time, but on his request I accepted to become party’s spokesperson.”

Modhwadia said, “I have good wishes of senior leaders like Shankarsinh Vaghela, Madhavsinh Solanki, Kumudben Joshi, Urmilaben and others.”

Modhwadia’s speech had clear indication that he was banking on the unity of various fractions of the party for victory in next year’s assembly election in the state. Modhwadia’s message for the people was that the present regime of Gujarat is capitalist, it is not good for tribal, poor and marginal people, therefore it should be removed, and change should be brought.

Modhwadia in core part of his speech said: “Some youths of the party thought that Gujarat Congress’s 15-17 leaders should work unitedly to ensure party’s victory. To achieve this goal, the first meeting was held at Siddharth Patel’s place, the other meetings were held at my place and at Shri Shankarsinh Vaghela’s place, and the last meeting was held at Shri Narhari Amin’s farm house. Earlier there was an atmosphere that one party worker would say ‘Arjunbhai’s leadership would not work’ and some other would say ‘Siddharthbhai’s leadership would not work’. Our party workers used to talk like this. But for last three months such workers are shown door for talking in this manner. All leaders are united. Our new stand is that whoever is allotted Congress’s symbol to contest the election is party’s candidate and whoever opposes him is out of the party.”

“We fist put this stand in practice in recent Khadia assembly by-poll. For last forty years we were not able to step in this BJP bastion, but this time we could set up booths on the ground and we assigned responsibility of booths to senior state level leaders. In just 20 days exercise we created a situation thanks to which the party lost the election with margin of just 2400 votes. In recent polls of 27 Municipalities, we gained 9 bodies, and in three our supported body will take charge. Before the election, we had just one body with us, but now we have half of the bodies that witnessed election. We need to take this ‘Khadia spitit’ to the streets and villages.”

“I request all party workers that the talks centered around unity are over, and now there is a time for battle. Nobody is enemy of Congress, but this is the fight of ideology. This is not the fight for capturing throne. Mahatma Gandhi used to say that each action you take must have a poorest of poor person in its center. But presently Tata and Niira Radia are in center of the decisions taken by this government. A poor person is out of periphery of the circle of decisions. While they give away benefits worth Rs. 30,000 crore to Tata Motors for Nano plant, and give away land to Satyam Computer’s scamester Raju, a person in slum in Ahmedabad continues to wait for allotment of land for last 17 years. Five lakh farmers and those are put in dark zone are ready to pay for power connection, but they don’t get it. They are ready to sign MOU for getting power but they would not get. Donation is obstacle for a youth who wants education, Tata Motors was barred from the rule that suggests compulsory 80% employment to local people. This is capitalist government and therefore it should go.”

“Congress workers are powerful and they can give a kick to break this gate of Gandhinagar. For last 17 years this gate is closed for all those poor, farmers and youths. We need to open this gate. Power will come and go, it makes no difference to us, but the last person will remain in the center for us, and for that I request that we open this gate for poor person.”

“When a wolf goes for hunt it keeps its head down. There are recent instances that they(the Gujarat BJP) talk about backwards and tribal. They are wolves who want to hunt their votes for feeding of the people like Tata. The backward and tribal people need to understand that they would get nothing. We need a change in regime for poor, farmers and small people of the society.”

“None other but their(BJP) own leader had publicly said that the state government was not following Rajadharma.”

“We should stop now giving advises to each other in the party. When Kutch earth quake happened, Ahmed Patel didn’t wait to give advises, he first reached there and then asked me and Siddharthbhai to come there. Sonia Gandhi camped there for three days in a tend. It is different thing that now people live in a tent in Kutch spending Rs. 7000 per day in Rann Utsav with all facilities.”

“We have to remove tears of poor people, we need become a sword of poor people. I have great faith in our leaders and I wish we need to become a voice of the people. The government is changing the laws of 80s and 90s. They are reversing the decisions taken by previous governments.”

“Remember, Gujarat’s battle is nation’s battle, because Gujarat is the fascist face of BJP.”

“I wish some people in the party take a pledge to skip desire of getting any party post or other position till the next assembly election.”