Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi rounded off his 36-part ‘Sadbhavana Mission' on Sunday, observing his final fast at the temple town of Ambaji in the border district of Banaskantha, urging the people to “identify and prevent” the elements bent on defaming Gujarat.
The ‘Sadbhavana Mission' fasts are considered Mr. Modi's attempt to repair his image, which suffered because of the 2002 communal riots, before he could consider joining the national politics. The programme started with his three-day fast in Ahmedabad on September 17 last, soon after the Supreme Court refused to issue any order in the Zakia Jafri petition against him and 62 others.
Buoyed by the success of his three-day fast that brought the leaders of all allies of the NDA to Ahmedabad, Mr. Modi announced that he would take the programme to districts and taluks to garner the people's support for his government.
The fasts, aimed at creating goodwill among all communities and spreading the message of unity, peace and brotherhood, drew a large number of people. And the Congress launched a parallel fast, under ‘Satkarma Mission,' wherever Mr. Modi conducted the programme.
Addressing the gathering at the end of his fast at Ambaji, Mr. Modi, who began the day offering prayers at the Amba Mata temple in the morning, warned the elements “opposing and defaming” Gujarat on every issue for the last decade and asked them to “stop lying against the State, and instead accept its strength, which is unity, peace and brotherhood of six crore people of Gujarat.”
Without naming the Congress and his other detractors, Mr. Modi asked the people to beware of such elements that had “lost their mental balance owing to the tremendous success of the Sadbhavana Mission fasts” and claimed that these elements were “plotting against the State and attacking it with their full strength.” Fresh attacks might begin in the next 24 hours, he said. “If you abuse me I don't care, but if you try to defame Gujarat, I will never tolerate it.”
Attributing the State's development to six crore Gujaratis, Mr. Modi said the State had followed the path of peace, unity, integrity and brotherhood, and this was the sole reason for its growth. “Curfew and riots have become a thing of the past… Development is the sole medicine for resolving every problem of the nation, and Gujarat has achieved new heights in development.”
