By Mahmood Asim, TwoCircles.net,
Gujarat model of development is much-talked about and much-hyped in the mainstream Indian media especially after the projection of Modi as a PM candidate of NDA. Apart from lip service against Modi (when needed for their own vested interest) elite and ruling class has always given their full hand to Modi because of his weight and clout thrown behind them in order to make the hay while the sun shines. However, the real projection of Modi is basically for two reasons as professor of IIT (Delhi), V.K. Tripathi mentions “One, he let 2000 helpless countrymen burn alive and did not even blink an eye, i.e. he is brave. Two, he provided lands to Tatas, Reliance and other industrialists for peanuts”.
Today here, let us not discuss the game and role Mr. Modi has played during 2002 pogrom in Gujarat instead the level of development he is boasting of as a role model for whole country, with special focus on Muslims’ condition during his regime and before. Gujarat adopted Bhagwati model which suggests unconditional encouragement to new investment in the economy and expenditure on infrastructure development instead of Amartya Sen’s development model that considers human capital as most precious thing and focuses on public welfare programs such as education, health etc. In the light of data presented by NSSO, Socio-Economic report of Gujarat Government etc., we came to know that Gujarat has been for centuries among the developed states in term of Agriculture, Industry, Natural Resources etc. It is not Modi who touched the height of development in Gujarat. As far as Muslims of Gujarat are concerned they also were more developed than other communities before Modi.
In this regard, we wish to introduce a group which is working for the cause of poor and betrayal by political leader of the common man. Bhor Bhai, a forum against political lies that consist of students from JNU, DU and Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), has prepared a 37 page long report on Gujarat Development with focus on Tribals and Muslims, citing data from government sources.The report compares the overall development of Gujarat during ten years of Modi regime with the Gujarat of pre-Modi time, ranging from Investment, Industry, Infrastructure,Road, Electricity, Water to the Corporate Loot, issue of Verghese Kurien, founder of AMUL, state’s Income and Expenditure, employment, consumption, Condition of health and Education, Povertyetc. According to the report ‘Gujarat’s model of development is “pornification of the neo-liberal model of development”. It Criticizes the report of Abu Saleh Sheriff(feb2011) that BJP and Modi went around the town quoting that the Muslims of Gujarat were economically and educationally better off than the Muslims of west Bengal while “this new report of Sheriff questioned the deteriorating condition of Muslims in some other walks of life in Gujarat during the same period of time”. The Reportrefers to the data from Sachar Committee Repot that “Muslims constitute about 9.7 % of the poor population in Gujarat. The share of Muslims in most schemes (for poors) is below this figure. Their share is satisfactory only in SJSRY and NSAP schemes. In Krishi Bima Yojana Muslims got only 3.5% benefits; 1.4% of total power tiller; and 4.1% of total allocated tractor; while no loan from co-operative department or from Rural Development Department has been given to Muslims”.
Giving the detail in education sector report reads that “In 2001 when literacy rate (age above 7Year) in Gujarat was 69.1% the literacy rate of Muslims in Gujarat was at 73.5% but in 2007-08 when literacy rate of Gujarat went to 74.9% the literacy rate of Muslims in Gujarat remain at 74.3%”. The report reaches to the conclusion that “Gujarati Muslim is marginally ahead of most of the Indian state and national average but in past (in pre-Narendra Modi Gujarat) they were much ahead of other communities. During Modi’s rule the condition of Gujarati Muslims deteriorated and if it will continue to do so in future, within decade the condition of Muslims in Gujarat will be worse from every other state. Time of India 16 May 2012describes the report.
Modi has projected himself as a true follower and sympathizer of Hindu community but in reality he is only loyal to corporate sector. According to this report “when one looks at the progress of Hindus in relation to Christians and Parsis, it appears that Modi’s present himself against Muslims just to get vote from Hindus while most of the favours to state were derivedfrom the Christians and Parsis. It is the financial power of Parsis that attracted Modi, after all Parsis are the business community of Gujarat. The highest gainer in terms of proportion of self-employment during Modi’s rule are non-Hindu and non-Muslims while their contribution in rural labour decreased with similar pace as self-employment increased”. It is also mentioned in the report that “The proportion of non-Muslim and non-Hindu landholding above 4 hectare is almost double of both Hindus and Muslims”.
Describing the whole game of Modi projection by Media, the report says “Narendra Modi claims to useSwadeshi products but he himself hired American advertising agency for this election, i.e. Frank Simoes-Tag and Utopia. Citing the details from Times of India and Economics Times about earlier campaign of Modi for Vibrant Gujarat, the report says “Earlier (August 2007) they hired APCO from America. It is the same lobbying firm (Apco Worldwide) which has campaigned for former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha and President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev. It was also hired by former communist youth leader turned Russian billionaire with mafia links, Mikhail Khodorkovsky
Talking to Two Circles.net Sanjeev Kumar who prepared the report, told us “let us forget what happened in Godhra for the time being and analysis what development and Vibrant Gujarat made by Modi actually is. Gujarat development model is a myth”. I wonder why people only talk about 2002 and why not any serious discussion on his vibrant Gujarat in main stream media as prime time debate” questions Mr. Kumar in an upset mood. Kumar joined the forum because he wants people to know reality of Gujarat model. Some people, at least, must come forward to fight for truth” said Gaytri Verma of IIMC, member of the Forum. “The only thing in Modi’s speech is that nothing true what he says or quotes specially about history” says Atif Nesar, a research scholar at JNU who is also a part of forum.
The forum has also formed a Theatre group Jagiriti Natya Manch that has performed a play based on the report called ‘Joote Ki Chadar’ referring as a symbol of poor, in different parts of Delhi and Bihar. Another play ‘Be Naam Admi’ has been performed recently in JNU to show the plight of aam admi and how he is being exploited by every single party with no exception.