*CM names BJP ruled States as better models than Gujarat
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 18: After a lot of Modi bashing during hectic election campaign for Parliament elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today admitted that there is `Modi Effect’ in India and only fools would feel that there is `No Modi wave’. He went on to say that `Modi wave’ was clearly visible in two Parliamentary constituencies of Jammu, where polling process was completed yesterday.
Omar also confessed that the UPA gave reasons to BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi to exist as it failed to package and market the steps taken by it including good governance, Right to Education, Right to Food, Land Acquisition etc. Significantly, Omar named some BJP ruled States or previously ruled by the party while describing as “better models of governance” than Modi’s Gujarat. However, he didn’t name Jammu and Kashmir.
The U-turn by the National Conference working president came in an interview with a national television channel today. His statement could embarrass AICC (I) vice president Rahul Gandhi, who is considered to be a friend of Omar, as well as his coalition partner, the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir, whose senior leaders including Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Congress candidate for Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat, Ghulam Nabi Azad and PCC (I) chief, Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz had repeatedly been saying during their election campaign that there was no Modi wave either in the country or in Jammu and Kashmir.
Even Omar himself had during his campaigning in Rajouri and Poonch districts for Congress candidate Madan Lal Sharma maintained that there was no Modi wave and it was only NC-Congress wave in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Those who feel that there is no `Modi Effect’ are probably living in fool’s paradise. There is most certainly the `Modi Effect’, which is clearly visible on the ground,” Omar told the interviewer.
“Definitely and safely, I can say this that there is Modi wave visible. Those who deny are probably living in fool’s paradise. There is huge Modi undercurrent. By design, the BJP has polarized electorates to great extent. Even in Jammu region, there is clear cut attempt to divide pro-Modi Hindus and anti-Modi Muslims. I dare say there is very strong RSS driven ground campaign to divide voters on Hindu, Muslim lines,” Omar said.
He said the BJP, RSS has by strategy adopted voting pattern on both seats of Jammu. Development and governance was purely reduced to election speeches while in door-to-door campaign only `divisive politics’ was practiced, he added.
Charging the BJP with completely polarizing the election in Jammu, Omar claimed that loudspeaker fitted vehicles were moved in Katra with the announcement that how can the people vote for Muslim candidate Ghulam Nabi Azad when a Hindu candidate was in the fray.
He charged that the BJP has completely polarized the elections and was fighting them on the basis of religion.
“The election campaign was completely polarized. It was part of a grass root campaign. Contrary to this, the BJP leaders delivered speeches on global lines, governance and respect for all in the rallies,” the Chief Minister said.
He added that Amit Shah (a close confidante of Modi and BJP’s Incharge for Uttar Pradesh) didn’t turn up himself in Jammu but these were the groups of RSS Pracharaks, who indulged in door-to-door campaign.
“It would be fair to say that the UPA gave reasons to Modi to exist. We took hammering on corruption though governance was not bad. A lot of good steps were taken like Land Acquisition, Right to Education, Food etc but we have taken hammering on issues like corruption. I think we (the UPA) were little less successful in packaging and marketing,” Omar said.
Replying to a question on Gujarat Model being sold by Modi and the BJP and whether it was workable in India, Omar said: “there were better models of governance shown in recent times”. He named Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana as some of the good models. However, he asserted that Modi had the advantage as Gujaratis were entrepreneurs.
“Gujarat has developed because of all Gujaratis. Giving credit to one person is wrong. Gujarat is good for industries,” he asserted.
Significantly, the States referred to as better than Gujarat Models included BJP ruled Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh while in Bihar, BJP had been sharing power with Nitish Kumar till last year before the two parted ways on nomination of Narendra Modi as BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate. The BJP was also ruling Himachal Pradesh till sometime back.
Defending Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, the NC leader asserted that it was very difficult to run the multi-party coalition, a problem Modi didn’t face in Gujarat.
“You can compare Manmohan Singh’s Government with Atal Bihari Vajpayee and not with Modi. He (Vajpayee) had to make lot of compromises, bear insults. I dare say that Modi’s “strong leadership” will come to nothing if he heads coalition,” he said.
On Modi’s remarks over skull cap that why didn’t Sonia Gandhi wear a skull cap, Omar commented: “I am a Muslim and I have little knowledge about Sikhism and Hinduism but I accept that I don’t understand why does Modi shy away from ignorance and little knowledge about Islam. Have you ever seen a woman wearing a cap? Asking a woman to wear a skull cap is similar to asking a man to wear a mangalsutra”.
He said the fears that if Modi becomes the Prime Minister, the division would deepen were “not unfounded”.
Omar reiterated his charge that PDP has understanding with the BJP, which, he claimed, became clear with the selection of the party candidates on two seats of Jammu in which the PDP made all efforts for victory of the BJP nominees.
“I have no doubts about PDP’s understanding with the BJP. The PDP is paying interest to the BJP for its creation with its tactful understanding with the BJP on two seats of Jammu,” he said, adding Mehbooba Mufti (the PDP president) would use all time in the world to attack his Government though the present election is being held to elected Members of Parliament (MPs).
To a question that he too was part of the BJP headed Vajpayee Government, Omar said: “Yes I was part of the Government but there were some good decisions taken that time including Ramzan ceasefire in Kashmir, opening channel of talks with Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, resumption of dialogue with Pakistan etc.”.
On 2002 riots, Omar said: “Modi needs to tender an apology as it was moral question of accepting responsibility. Kishtwar riots happened during my tenure. Legally, I am not responsible for Kishtwar riots. We controlled them within 24 hours but as a Chief Minister, I accepted the responsibility for the riots”.
Follow our WhatsApp channel