Gujarat Food and Civil Supplies Minister Narottam Patel turned 77 amidst a novel celebration, where he was weighed with blood on a weighing scale decorated with flowers on Wednesday.
The celebration was organised apparently to impress the Patel community, a big vote bank in the election-bound Gujarat.
BJP party workers and his supporters for last couple of days had organised a blood donation camp across Surat.
They reportedly collected 70 litres of blood to counter balance the minister’s 70 kg body weight on the massive weighing scale, for the bizarre celebration.
On one side of the scale sat the Minister with all smiles over the novel felicitation, and on the other hand an ice box filled with blood bags was placed, party sources said.
Buoyed by the act, the minister said he felt honoured.
Trying to draw mileage from the celebration, the minister drew parallels with freedom fighter Subash Chandra Bose and stated that he (Bose) had once said Tum Mujhe khoon do mein tumhe azaadi doonga (Give me blood, I’ll give you freedom). “I will fight for them (the people), considering that they have given me their blood,” Mr. Patel said.
The blood bags collected by his supporters were handed over to various blood banks in Surat.
Earlier, in a similar show of strength, BJP leader R.C. Faldu was weighed with blood by his supporters about two years ago, sources said.
Keywords: Narottam Patel, Gujarat politics, tula daan, blood donation
The way these type of politicians are trying to publicize themselves by
comparing themselves with a freedom fighter and that too by weighing
against blood is disgusting.. !!
I never realized this, but the subtext of the report actually encourages disgust
and silly politics. Question is it ? Look a little bit more, there is a very bright side
to it all : a successful collection for a blood bank, which we all hope will help
someone desperately in need.
See its not all politics silly or cheap. It also serves a larger purpose. For those who
wish to argue, a blood bank donation organised by a bleeding heart NGO is
valued more, while the same donation on behalf of a politician is less valued, will
have no bearing on those who need blood desperately. They will see blood for
what it is : a life saver.
Weighing against blood is one of freakish ideas i ever heard. Now our politicians are ready to got any extent for publicity. Since the blood bags are handed to blood banks, it cant be said as Hilarious thing.
Weighing against blood..!!!
This is pathetic politics.
I am not sure in which direction we are heading but this is disgusting. Leaders should have more sense than to use cheap and tasteless publicity stunts to promote themselves.
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