“Sadbhavana demands ‘Sauna Saath, Sauno Vikas’, meaning inclusive growth with collective efforts”
“It is an apolitical social movement to spread the message of peace and harmony from Gujarat to showcase to the world”
– Narendra Modi at Patan
Ahmedabad, Monday: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today reiterated that the Sadbhavana Mission undertaken by him to spread the message of peace, unity and harmony across the World is a social movement and not a political one.Spe aking at a largely attended assembly of people while rounding up his daylong fast as p art of the district-wise Sadbhavana Abhiyan at Patan in north Gujarat, he s aid, “I have undertaken this path of fasting to tell the world that the feeling of goodwill is ingrained in the people of Gujarat. The people of Gujarat will change the social system based on the same feeling of goodwill.”
“The people of Gujarat has reposed their confidence on me and I am trying my best to stand up to their expectations, not to blow my own trumpet,” he said.
The statewide mission was started from Ahmedabad on September and is now being held at every district to reach out to the people of different talukas in each district. Today’s mission was attended by people from 521 villages in seven talukas in Patan district.
T aking a dig at his adversaries, the Chief Minister s aid that Gujarat has nevertheless progressed in leaps and bounds during the last ten years despite adverse criticism and anti-publicity by vested interests bent on maligning Gujarat. The state has adopted ‘ development’ as its mantra. Any visi tor could see the development in Gujarat, but this mission is to carry this message to outside state and even outside the country.
The Chief Minister said that the people of Gujarat has not seen any riots over communalism or casteism, no bloodsheds, no farmers’ violent agitations. It is all because the people have realized the strength of sadbhavana or goodwill.
“The mission is being carried to each district for the people’s involvement to make democracy stronger from the villages-level upwards, removing poverty, malnutrition and miseries. The feeling persisted in our villages for long, but was lately forgotten. Now the same feeling is being rekindled,” he said.
He said the first stepping stone for Sadbhavana or goodwill is ‘Sauna Saath, Sauno Vikas’, which means inclusive growth with collective efforts. He listed steps undertaken by his government like ‘Mission Mangalam’ to empower rural women and the poor and make them self-reliant.
BJP National Vice-president Purshottam Rupala said how the Congress party had begun adverse speculations even before Chief Minister Narendra Modi left for China. He said that Gujarat Government has made administration transparent and there is no place for mafia rule as was prevalent during the Congress rule in the state.
Others who spoke on the occasion included Gujarat’s Revenue Minister Anandiben Patel, Education and District Guardian Minister Ramanlal Vora and Health Minister Jay Narayan Vyas. They spoke about the development Gujarat made in diverse fields. MPs, MLAs, ex-Minister Ranchhod Desai, religious heads were also present in large number.
