“Post-Independence rulers' pseudo secularism politics ensured the nation remains disintegrated, weak”
“Muslim community has been duped and deceived, used as mere ballot boxes during elections, for too long” – Narendra Modi
Ahmedabad, Sunday: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today lashed out at the post-Independence rulers' vote bank politics to divide the people in India on the basis of minority-majority linguistic groups, in the guise of pseudo secularism for the last 50 years.Speaking as the chief guest at a function of Gujarat Ajmeri Charitable and Education Trust to felicitate meritorious students of the Muslim community, he said that education is the key to solve all problems and change the people's mentality.
Mr. Modi said that no society could attain all round and healthy growth if one section was weaker than the other, but unfortunately the past rulers had all these years ensured a large and powerful nation like India remains disintegrated and weak.
He said that Gujarat is scaling new heights in the field of education and human resource development. He invited the Muslim community to join the mainstream and be partners of the progress. “You have been duped and deceived, used as mere ballot papers only during the elections. And, how long would you like to remain like that?” he asked.
The Chief Minister said that Gujarat Government is for the development of all the six-crore people through the development of Gujarati language. The government is keen for girls' education, empowerment of the poor, virtually going to their doorsteps, distributing plots and other benefits. Upgrading skills of the educated youth and ‘Mission Mangalam' for women's empowerment are some of the other welfare schemes.
Muslims comprise 25 per cent of the population in a so-called secular state like West Bengal but only two per cent of them are in government jobs. Muslims in Gujarat comprising nine per cent of the population but five per cent of them are in government jobs. Gujarat's Muslim-dominated districts like Bharuch and Kutch are now the most economically and industrially developed areas.
He wished the Prime Minister change his style of addressing the people of India as ‘Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Parsis' to just ‘countrymen'. The simple definition of secularism should be: “Hindustan First, India First”.
Those present on the occasion, including Ajmeri Education Trust Chairman Abraralo Sayed, Gujarat Ajmeri Muslim Samaj Chief Daud Ajmeri dr Ahesan Ajmeri and others resolved to join the Chief Minister's call for all round development of Gujarat and India first.
