First Rahul-Modi sparring match on Gujarat poll turf

AHMEDABAD: Campaigning for the December 1 first phase of Gujarat Assembly elections became spicy on Monday with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressing his first poll rally in the state, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi mocking him over his Bharat Jodo Yatra.

At a rally Rahul addressed in Mahuva in Surat district after taking a break from the yatra, he sought to strengthen his party’s traditional bond with tribals in Gujarat, saying they have the first right to land and forest resources across the country.

Criticising the term Vanavasi used by the Bharatiya Janata Party to describe the tribals, Rahul alleged that the real intention behind using this term is to keep the tribal population in the forests, far away from modern education and health facilities. Pointing out that the Adivasis are real owners of the land and forests in India, he went on to allege that the current dispensation at the Centre wants to strip the tribals off their land and give them away to a few industrialists.

As for Modi, he took pot shots at Rahul without naming him at a public meeting in Surendranagar, saying those who have been thrown out of power by the people are now taking out a padyatra to return to power.  “Some people are doing a padyatra to get back to power. They are also taking along those who had stalled the Narmada dam project for 40 years through litigation and kept Gujarat thirsty. In this election, people of Gujarat will punish those who were against the Narmada project,” he said, alluding to anti-dam activist Medha Patkar joining Rahul’s yatra in Maharashtra a few days ago.

He went on to attack the Congress claiming it does not talk about development during elections any longer. “Instead, Congress leaders are saying they will show Modi his aukat (status). Just look at their arrogance. They do belong to a royal family, while I am merely a servant having no aukat,” Modi quipped.

At Rahul’s rally, Bharatsinh, son of former Congress heavyweight Madhavsinh Solanki, attempted a live translation of his speech in Hindi into Gujarati but made a hash of it. The crowd cheered as Bharatsinh was taken off midway by candidate Anant Patel. Rahul went on speaking in Hindi much to the relief of the gathering.