Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s Kolkata address(Video)

By our correspondent, Kolkata, 9 April 2013

Addressing the industry leaders at a programme in Kolkata today Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi alleged UPA government for its anti-developmental policies and for discriminating against the non-Congress states.

“The Centre doesn’t have right to give discriminatory treatment to elected state governments with different ideologies”, he said criticizing the Centre’s attitude of weakening the country’s federal structure. “Time has come for states to raise voice against this negative mentality of the Congress-led UPA government”, the chief minister said.

The programme was organized jointly by the old MCC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Indian Chamber of Commerce and Bharat Chamber of Commerce, and saw presence of around 800 industry leaders. The industry captains were impressed by the chief minister’s views on vibrant growth model.

The chief minister said that UPA was not serious about nation’s development. “Rather it keeps doing injustice to the state governments which are committed to development. It is routine for Gujarat to face unjust treatment from the Centre”, he said.

“The Central government not only negates the decisions and legislations of the non-Congress state governments, but also slaps financial burden on the states for implementing the decisions made by it”, said Mr Modi. He said the UPA is also creating difficulties for federal economy of India.

“Because of the anti-farmer policies of government of India the agricultural growth rate does not move beyond 3%, while Gujarat government has continually achieved over 10% of agro growth rate since past ten years”, Mr Modi said.

He said that due to Centre’s topsy-turvy policies for cotton export the cotton producers of Gujarat went into a loss of Rs 5000 crore. “How then can you trust the Centre’s policies”, he said. Gujarat has chalked out a new textile policy for safeguarding the interests of cotton producers, which is based on five ‘F’ (Farm-Fiber-Fabric-Fashion-Foreign), he added.

While UPA has managed to produce 100 MW of solar power by now, Gujarat has set up Asia’s biggest solar park in the country and is singly producing 650 MW of solar power, said the chief minister.

Coal-based power plants having 20,000 MW of power generating capacity are lying nonfunctional in India, even though India has enough of coal. The coal and gas based power plants in Gujarat are running on half of their capacity. UPA’s power policy is forcing India to dark, he said. “An illusion is created that things have gone out of control on this front. But fact is that you need political will to bring about a change, which is absent in the central government on all the fronts”, said Mr Modi.

Criticizing the foreign policy of the Centre the chief minister said that safeguarding of the nation’s interest has to be a prime concern. The foreign policy of UPA government is such that while the heads of our soldiers are cut off the UPA accords hospitality to the culprits, he said.

Today Gujarat’s development agenda is acknowledged in the entire country. With the same government machinery the state has achieved miraculous development during last decade. Along with an excellent industrial growth, the agriculture has also bloomed. The state has given equal weightage to Industries, agriculture and service sectors. The moves like soil health card, micro irrigation and Krishi Mahotsav has achieved eye-catching success, he said.

“The UPA government is on deathbed now. Its indecisiveness has halted the country’s growth. The prime minister still merely talks about lessening price-rise”, said Mr Modi.

West Bengal has legged behind due to misgovernance of 32 years. It took ten years for Gujarat to fill the holes dug by Congress governments of past. Similarly, it will take time for west Bengal to rectify the situation. Recalling that west Bengal contributed greatly in India’s freedom struggle as well in the field of science he appealed the industry leaders to make best use of natural resources and manpower to fulfill their duty towards their State.

The chief minister also had interesting question-answer session with the industry leaders on various aspects of Gujarat’s development and on making India a strong nation.

MCCI president Dipak Jalan and the presidents of both the Chambers welcomed the chief minister and said the nation feels proud for the achievements of Gujarat and under the leadership of chief minister Narendra Modi the Gujarat is showing path to the nation for realizing its potential.