A day after corporate bigwigs visited the sixth edition of “Vibrant Gujarat” summit, the Congress reminded them of Nazi Germany, where the corporate world found a ‘similar fascination’ for another ‘gentleman’ in the 1940s.
“The industrialists should not forget history. In the 1940s, the business community in Germany had a similar fascination for another gentleman. But we all know what happened after that,” said Manish Tewari, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and party spokesperson at a press conference here.
“We have seen the dangerous implications of flirting with right-wing forces. The corporate world should keep that in mind,” he warned.
Mr. Tewari was referring to the merciless killings of Jews at the hands of Adolf Hitler and the subsequent World War II that devastated Germany. Hitler, in his early days as the head of the nation, received tremendous support from the business community for the measures he took to promote industrialisation.
Mr. Tewari, who targeted Chief Minister Narendra Modi, without naming him, said there were several Congress governments, including the one in Maharashtra, which have won three straight elections.
Top industrialists from the country, including Ratan Tata, Ambani brothers and Ruias of Essar, to name a few, on Friday participated in the summit, showering praise on Mr. Modi. The companies have committed an investment of Rs 1.49 lakh crore in the State.
Mr. Tewari said the figures thrown by Gujarat were more of a fantasy than facts. “Maharashtra [ruled by the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party] is way ahead of Gujarat in inviting foreign investment, if you calculate figures from last 12 years. Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are also ahead of Gujarat. The fictitious figures should not close our eyes.” Gujarat stood much lower in the social sectors than any other State.
