Value of allegation that it’s a ‘five-star AC’ fast is big zero

Editor’s note, Ahmedabad, 16 September, 2011

While there’s shouting from Congress side (and from the side of pro-Congress journalists)terming Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s fast as a ‘five-star’ fast, following things should be considered on this issue.

It’s rainy season and therefore Modi needs a covered space to sit on fast.

As he is a sitting Chief Minister, and by-and-large a popular leader(who can deny it?) it is expected that not thousands but possibly over a lakh visitors may visit him during his fast. This is most likely because his party is in process to mobilize the people. But even more than that the common people are expected to rich in big numbers as well. This has been witnessed in past too when he sat on fast on Narmada dam issue. A queue of those coming to greet him was unending and continuous even in late hours of evening. They were common people: collegians, housewives, teenagers, among others. Same is expected this time.

Thus the covered venue of Modi’s fast must be bigger enough to accommodate expected number of crowd with proper safety and security in place to maintain general order.

And when it comes to find a big covered space to accommodate thousands of people, the obvious choice is Gujarat University’s Convention centre( also known as exhibition hall) in Ahmedabad. Another choice could be Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, but remember it is in Gandhinagar, a sleepy government city. Gandhinagar is not heart of Gujarat, the city of Ahmedabad is.

Gujarat University’s Exhibition hall is same hall where in Navratri Devang Patel’s indoor AC garba are planned for five days(ticket per person Rs 250). This is the same hall where Travel and Tourism Fair (TTF) was organized last month. When Jain monk Chandrashekhar Maharaj passed away, a large public meeting of Jains was held in the same hall(Jain monks don’t use electricity, but they were here in this AC hall in full strength, because this was the hall where thousands of Jains could gather in rainy season). Gujarat University’s this hall is pillar less. It is the biggest covered indoor facility in Ahmedabad. In Surat there’s an indoor stadium which is ofcourse bigger, but we are talking about Ahmedabad here, because when Chief Minister wants to deliver Gujarat wide message, Ahmedabad is natural choice.

Other thing is that, Gujarat University hall has a big space available for parking. The ground next to indoor hall can accommodate thousands of vehicles of common Modi supporters. It can accommodate dozens of buses which are expected to arrive from other cities. It can offer parking place for scores of police vehicles which are to be there to bring jawans for security of the event. The space is big enough for parking of broadcasting vans.

Now when Congress people term Modi’s fast as five-star they mention presence of AC in this hall without failure.

My question is that, so what if the hall is fitted with the Air conditioner system? Is there any non-AC covered facility of similar size available in Ahmedabad in this rainy season? The answer is clearly No.

While AC is a non-issue, being in AC is not all that bad. We should come out of comparing everything with what Gandhi did and how he did. Being practical and living in 2011 is better than always insisting for symbolic expression of socialism. A common youth wearing jeans and t-shirt is better than a corrupt politician wearing Khadi in the name of Gandhian values. Sitting on fast in AC hall is not hypocrisy but having fitted AC in every room of house(Vaghelaji listening?)through corruption money and sitting on fast for three days on footpath could be easily termed as hypocrisy.

Congress party wants to hold fast on the footpath of Gandhi Ashram. This could be worst for traffic moving on that busy road(Ashram road). This could be worst for common people wanting to walk. This could be worst for the tourists who want to enjoy peaceful atmosphere of Gandhi ashram( the only popular international tourist place in Ahmedabad). More so this is a silent zone.

Note:

Respected Gujarat Congress President Shri Arjun Modhwadia’s tweet inspired us to write this piece. On Twitter he said yesterday :Narendra Modi is having five-star Sadbhavna fast in AC hall at the cost of public exchequer like all his festival extravaganza.

DeshGujarat replied Shri Modhwadia in three tweets: (1) Sir , isn’t it merely a practical decision to hold fast in biggest available indoor facility due to rain and the crowd expected? (2) So what if it is fitter with AC? Is there any similar size non-AC indoor facility available for expected big crowd in rain? (3) About the cost of this fast, yes it may cross Rs 50 lakh, but 30 lakh will go to Gujarat University as rental (means within the system).