By IANS
Ahmedabad : Rubbishing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s claims of economic progress in Gujarat, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday urged the people of the state to vote for the Congress, promising a prosperous future.
In an hour-long speech here, the prime minister said: “The time has come to ring in a change in Gujarat and the power to effect the change is in your hands.”
He said the state was certainly not backward and in many areas it was better placed than most others. He added that this economic growth had started not under the BJP rule, but under the Congress regime since 1960.
“The foundation of many big industries which straddle across the state today was laid in 1960,” he said.
He said Gujarat’s current economic scenario was not as good as it could have been.
Every day falsehoods were being spread that the state was leapfrogging in the growth, he said, adding: “In reality, the situation is not as rosy as it is projected to be.”
“The government is good at talking big. It projects golden dreams through big advertisements. But whether progress has really been made can be objectively analysed. What is apparent is not real. The government claims on development are all false.”
He said the central government had given millions of rupees for the state’s development. Behind the big highways, new rail lines, new airports and the development of cities like Ahmedabad and Vadodara was the investment by the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in New Delhi.
The prime minister singled out the power sector, saying the state had failed miserably in it. He said the power situation was worsening by the day as there were no additions to the generating capacity.
“In such a situation, how can Gujarat become the number one state and attract investments for new industries?”
Reminding the people that the central government had sanctioned a 4,000 MW ultra mega power project at Mundra in Kutch, Manmohan Singh assured the people that if the Congress was voted to power, “we will eliminate the power shortage within three years”.
He said farmers were getting power supply for only four to six hours against 10 to 12 hours previously.
Arguing against Modi’s claims, the prime minister said it was because of the UPA government’s efforts that the height of the Sardar Sarovar Dam project on the Narmada river had been raised to the final target, a feat which the previous BJP-led government in New Delhi could not accomplish.
“If we had not taken a bold stand on the issue and removed all the obstacles, the dam will have been beset with problems even today.”
He said he would like to say much on the law and order situation in the state but would only say it was not good. In the name of combating terrorism, a climate of fear was being created and votes were being sought to be garnered, he said.
Addressing a rally in Vadodara earlier, Manmohan Singh said the BJP did not treat all citizens equally.
“Isn’t the Indian constitution equal for all?” he asked a gathering of senior citizens, freedom fighters, doctors, lawyers and other professionals.
Meanwhile, the first phase of polling was held in 87 constituencies in Saurashtra, Kutch and south Gujarat and the remaining 95 seats go to polls Sunday. The votes will be counted Dec 23.