PM launches college, flags off train in poll-bound Gujarat
Prime Minister NarendraModi is taking no chances on dissent from several quarters of Gujarat, with an Assembly election due by December.
The first day of his visit on Saturday saw him offering the latest revision in Goods and Services Tax (GST) as an 'early Diwali' gift to businesses.
Sunday saw him reach out to other regions that have seen turmoil. At his home town, Vadnagar, the PM launched the first medical college in north Gujarat, epicentre of the Patidar agitation for reservations in government colleges and jobs.
Later in the day, Modi flagged off the Antyodaya Express that would connect workers and labourers in Surat (south Gujarat) with their home towns in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Surat has also seen growing dissent on the back of dissatisfaction with GST, as well as the Patidar agitation. The new train comes as workers in the textile and diamond industry of Surat would be looking to travel back home for Diwali.
From businesses to labourers, the GST roll-out has led to negative feedback in the Surat industry, which the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would want to quench ahead of the Assembly poll.
Inaugurating the GMERS medical college in Vadnagar, Modi took a dig at the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance regime at the Centre for allegedly ignoring health policies during its 10-year stint.
“The previous government had no interest in bringing about changes in health care programmes. The last health policy was announced during Atalji's (Vajpayee’s) regime around 15 years back. After that, such a government assumed power which used to hate development. It did not have any empathy for people. As a result, a new health policy was introduced after almost 15 years by our government,” said Modi during a public address earlier on Sunday, adding that it was his government which had (by capping the maximum price) brought down prices of cardiac stents and was working constantly “to make health care affordable to the poor”.
After a warm welcome by locals during his six-km road show in Vadnagar, Modi visited the B N High School and Hatkeshwar Temple, among others, reliving his childhood memories.