Connect with Sardar Patel first, Modi tells Congress at Gujarat rally

THARAD (Gujarat): Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted the Congress over Sardar Patel's photo missing from advertisements in newspapers given by the party-led government in Rajasthan on Monday, the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, and advised its leaders to first connect with the man who unified India.

The PM's attack on the Congress came at a time when Rahul Gandhi is undertaking the Bharat Jodo Yatra and its senior leader, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, whose government issued the advertisements, is in Gujarat for campaigning for the upcoming Assembly polls in the western state.

“The Congress has given full page advertisements in at least two dailies of the state. Today's is the birth anniversary of Sardar Patel. In the advertisements, there is not even a small photo of Sardar Patel. He was a big leader of the country, the Congress and deputy prime minister in the government of your Jawaharlal Nehru,” Modi said.

The PM was speaking at a rally at Tharad in Banaskantha district after inaugurating or laying the foundation stones of various development projects in the region.

“They want to unite the country (referring to Bharat Jodo Yatra of Rahul Gandhi). First connect yourself with Sardar Patel who united the country. What an insult! The people of Gujarat will not take this insult lying down,” he said.

The Rajasthan government on Monday gave advertisements in Gujarat dailies highlighting its achievements, development and welfare programmes in the Congress-ruled state.

Modi also targeted Gehlot, a multiple term CM of Rajasthan, for opposing the Sujalam Suflam water canal project when he was chief minister of Gujarat.

“When I was chief minister (of Gujarat) and present chief minister of Rajasthan was also chief minister of that state, he had written a letter to me opposing the Sujalam Suflam project. I had told him do whatever you want to do, but I will go ahead with the (canal) project as it will benefit the people of north Gujarat,” he said.