BIG B on Gujarat. Why am I targeted, he asks.

BIG B in his blog has "wondered" why is he being hounded for promoting Gujarat. He says he will be promoting destinations in Gujarat, not the Gujarat government.

here is the blog....

Prateeksha, Mumbai March 23/24, 2010 Tue/Wed 1 : 55 AM

23 rd March, the day three freedom fighters of the country were hanged by the British - Bhagat Singh, RajGuru and Sukhdev. We honor them and remember them on this day. Their sacrifice for the nation was beyond imagination.

The correction on the idols of the deity in Jagganath Temple - they are changed every 12 years and apparently not buried in the earth. Thank you FmXt for the information !

So … back at the familiar address, tired but still full of energy. The flight more smooth and calm today and most of the flying hours spent in catching up on films missed out - Kameenay, Wanted, New York, Love aaj Kal and on … Revealing !! All of them, in more ways than one. I should not shy away from protocol and discuss them. But I am not sure in what spirit they will be taken. Generally whenever my name is involved, there is the obvious tendency of finding deliberate fault with it, irrespective of what the conditions or circumstances are. Guess my comments would stir up the beehive above Mayawati’s head as she addressed a public function recently. This is not an original. A cartoonist in one of the dailies did one where he addressed this very moment by stating ‘the bee hive must be the doing of the Big B’. ROTFL !!!!

It is, as another FmXt observed, more a desire to find sensational content, than wishing to address an issue or problem. What would I be doing in Gujarat that could possibly be of adverse interest to the polity, politically. I would talk of the Somnath Temple, Gandhigram,the white sands of the Rann of Kutch, old civilizations of Harrappa, the Gir lions and their extinction close by and try to entice as many visitors I could to this glorious land. Where is the connect with the glorification of the present Government ? Nothing ! But when you tickle and titillate in order to camouflage fact and detail, you do great disservice to the institutions that flourish and exist there.

Making me deliberately political, the idea is not to dissuade me from accepting the position, but indeed to get many of their facets and shortcomings an endorsement for integrity. You want to stop me from promoting tourism in a State, because you have reason to believe that there are political connotations to the event. This is such rubbish ! All I shall be doing will be the working in a short film that shall highlight the various places of interest in the State, so that it encourages more tourists to visit the region. And that is what I would precisely do when I would be asked to similar acts in Kerala. It is a petty act of cheap convenience to prevent me from doing that, and by pitting me up against political connotations and maneuvers without paying any respect for the actual work that would be done. Fair enough ! I shall abide by the judgement of the State Government. I did not ask them for it, they came forward with the invitation, I accepted, now they want to decline it, fine. Not the first time such incidents have happened. Invitation to be chief guest at the Goa International Film Festival and when I get there, they decline it. Fine !

It is a common Indian media trait - finding fault at any cost to any act or event. Merit for the moment and the work, not interesting enough to sell and so …. demerit the moment ! And in such matters if you could highlight a celebrity, preferably from the film world, into the matter, you would have discovered a way and means to keep the story rolling for a few weeks.

You take umbrage at my association with Gujarat, but never have the guts or courage to stop a Ratan Tata, or an Ambani from investing in the state and running successful factories and ventures there. Would you have the guts to tell them to not associate with the State, to pull out all their investment and man power they build through years and years of their ‘association’ ? I guess not. You would happily bring politics into the matter just to dissuade. But what good does that do to a person that is non political. Reason and common sense overrides all else in moments like this. Such a shame really. You visit a foreign country and they decorate you with respect and dignity - Morrocco, UK, USA, France, Mid East, South Africa, China Hong Kong … and you come back to your own country and they have nothing but ugliness for the subject and your merit.

Reason enough to leave this excessive topic and move towards more pleasant times !!

Tomorrow the Government of Maharashtra invites me to inaugurate the opening of the remaining four lanes of the Sea Link connecting Bandra and Worli. Time for media to start finding fault in that as well. May the lord god almighty bless you and keep you from all evil … Amen !!

Love to all .. this has been a rather scrappy post … but what can you expect at 2:52 AM after a 5 and a half hour flight !!

Amitabh Bachchan

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's OPEN LETTER.

My beloved countrymen,

Namaskar,

I am constrained to write to you with a deep sense of anguish. Since last eight years, canards have been spread against me. For the past one week, if we analyse the allegations leveled against me, then the truth will become evident. Truth cannot be suppressed. It is now my duty to place before you the facts that brings out the importance of understanding what the truth really is.

After the 2002 Godhra incidents, I had categorically said in the Vidhan Sabha and in public that no one is above the Indian Constitution and the law, even if he happens to be the chief minister of a state. These are not mere words. My actions have reflected this statement in its true spirit. I assure you that this will be my stand in the future.

In spite of that, some vested interests, without losing a single opportunity and with malicious pleasure and without bothering to ascertain the truth based on mere whims and fancies, have been tarnishing the good image of Gujarat, my government and me.

Recently, there has been a systematic campaign to defame Gujarat through propagation of false reports titled 'Special Investigation Team (SIT) summons Narendra Modi'; 'Narendra Modi did not appear before SIT' and 'Modi has shown disrespect to Supreme Court and SIT'. Such baseless allegations are being leveled once again against me to defame Gujarat.

I am therefore compelled to place the facts before my countrymen.

FACTS:

As soon as newspapers began reporting that Modi has been summoned by the SIT, the government spokesperson immediately said that Shri Modi is bound by the law of the land and the Indian Constitution. He has always extended his cooperation to every procedure of law. And he is committed to do so in the future.

It is a matter of grave concern and needs investigation as to why and who started spreading lies that 'SIT summons Narendra Modi on March 21, 2010'.

The purveyors of untruth failed even to think that March 21, 2010 happens to be a Sunday and a public holiday.

These purveyors of lies even did not once bother to check whether the key SIT officers, who are appointed by the Supreme Court, were present in Gujarat on March 21, 2010.

SIT had not fixed March 21, 2010 for my appearance. To say that I was summoned on March 21 is completely false. I shall respond to the SIT fully respecting the law and keeping in view the dignity of a body appointed by the Supreme Court.

The date of 21st March 2010 was invented by some vested interest and as a part of their effort to interfere in the due process of law. They wanted to paint me as a person who refused to respond to the SIT. This country has in the last twenty four hours witnessed a campaign of disinformation in which a section of the media became an instrument of the disinformers. I hope this section will now take corrective steps.

My beloved countrymen,

The people of Gujarat and this country have identified those who are defaming Gujarat continuously since 2002. But I want to tell the truth; spreading falsehoods has only one single purpose and that is to instigate people. It is a sinful action which will harm the working of a democratic state. Seen in the backdrop of events in the last 24 hours, it shows that there is a nexus among the vested interests in spreading lies against me, in order to defame me. This machination has come unstuck and the people have seen through this charade.

The government of Gujarat has always honoured and cooperated with the investigative agencies, commissions and Supreme Court looking into Godhra and post-Godhra incidents. And that is why I never thought of giving a public statement on this issue.

Despite unbearable pain, I decided to maintain silence in the belief that the due process of law would take its own course.

But now, as the lies reach a crescendo as never before, I am compelled to bring the facts before the countrymen. I also consider it my humble duty.

I hope the truth is not twisted by the purveyors of untruth to misguide the investigation. And I expect that the media would bring my deep pain and despair to the notice of the people.

Thanks,

Narendra Modi

Criticize Narendra Modi and get Rewarded!!!

Thats what PIONEER tells us.

nb: Pioneer is owned by Chandan Mitra of the BJP.

Criticise Modi and get rewarded!

It may be coincidental, but what a coincidence! A number of public figures who openly criticised Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the recent past have been rewarded by the UPA Government, either in the form of a Padma or even a Rajya Sabha nomination.

The recent nomination of noted lyricist and screen play writer, Javed Akhtar, to the Rajya Sabha is one such coincidence. He has time and again proved his worth by scripting classics and authoring memorable songs. But equally significant has been his petition filed in the Supreme Court that put the Narendra Modi Government on the mat, by raising a stink on all encounter killings in the State.

Filed in 2007, the petition is pending in the apex court. It was the same year when Akhtar added another feather to his cap — the Padma Bhushan — in the field of literature and education. With notice issued on his petition by the Supreme Court, the petition assumed significance after the Gujarat Government was pulled up by the Supreme Court after the State police admitted its mistake in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter killing.

With two other instances of Ishrat Jahan and Javed Sheikh alias Pragnesh Pillai also coming under the spotlight, Akhtar’s petition was separated from the bunch of petitions filed on the Godhra riots and is slated for further hearing on May 14 this year.

Akhtar’s case alone is not a coincidence. The same year when he was awarded the Padma Bhushan, the Government awarded Teesta Setalvad with Padma Shri — in recognition of her ‘fight for justice’ for Godhra riot victims. Her NGO, Citizens for Justice and Peace, was formed in response to the 2002 Gujarat carnage and her petition filed in the Supreme Court laid the foundation for reopening of riot cases, shifting of trial outside Gujarat in several cases and protection to witnesses. The apex court is seized of the petition.

Another public figure that shot to prominence with her classical dance and won recognition and several awards, is no less known for her tirade against the Modi establishment. Danseuse Mallika Sarabhai too is on the list of Padma Bhushan awardees this year. In 2009, she stood in the Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate from Gandhinagar (Gujarat) challenging the might of BJP leader LK Advani. For Mallika, who has earlier been endowed with the Padma Shri, the recent accomplishment has come as an added privilege. It was after the Gujarat riots that Sarabhai was vocal in her criticism against Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

One other awarded personality who has found fault with Modi, accusing him of conniving with the perpetrators of the post-Godhra riots, is former Chief Justice of India VN Khare.

As Chief Justice, Khare had castigated Modi Government for failing its “raj dharma” of protecting the life and liberty of its citizens. On his retirement in 2004, Khare gave an interview to a leading national daily where he commented particularly on the State’s ‘collusion’ that he claimed forced him to react to the petitions filed by Teesta and her NGO. He was quoted as saying, “I found there was complete collusion between the accused and the prosecution in Gujarat, throwing rule of law to the winds. The Supreme Court had to step in to break the collusion to ensure protection to the victims and the witnesses.”

It was under him that the riot cases began to be monitored on a periodic basis and the Best Bakery case, where 21 accused were acquitted, got reopened. Khare was the recipient of the Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award for his contribution in the field of public affairs in 2006.

Muslims want to felicitate Modi....

Forget the SIT summons...we will soon update a letter that Guj Chief Minister Narendra Modi has written to vahala desh vasio, to his beloved country men(and women) pleading not to get carried away in the lies perpetuated in name of SIT summons. Now here's a sampling of some exercise to portray Mr Modi in the "right" light.

Monday, March 22, 2010

A group of Dawoodi Bohra Muslim leaders today visited Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in Gandhinagar and invited him to grace the Dawoodi Bohra Chief Priest Dr. Saiyadna Saheb’s 99th Birth day celebration function as a Chief Guest. A grand birth day celebration function of Saiyadna Saheb will be held on 4th April 2010.

The Bohras thanked Gujarat Chief Minister for appointment of one of the leading community members Rukaiyaben Gulam Husainwala as BJP’s Panchamahal district national council member.

Sheikh Imranbhai, Abbasbhai, Dr. Nuruddin were part of the delegation among others.

rumour thats rocking delhi....

and guess who this minister is? email us your guesses pls!

Adani Power disqualified in GUVNL bid.

Gujarat based Adani power has been disqualified in a b id to provide long term power supply . Adani Power Limited(APL) had bid for 2200 MW in a bid floated by Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Ltd (GUVNL) .

"We have disqualified APL at technical stage because the their bid was not responsive to the stipulated conditions of the bid," Mr L Chuaungo, MD GUVNL said.

APL has been disqualified because it failed to provide details for fuel linkage tie up to generate power to be supplied to the state owned entity.

In response to GUVNL's offer inviting bids for supply of 3000 MW power on long term basis, as many as 11 companies engaged in power sector, had bid for aggregated 6800 MW power.

Among the 11 companies, APL had offered the highest power of 2200 while Essar power has offered 800 MW and KSK energy's subsidiary Vardha Power has bif for 1000 MW power.

Now, minus Adani, 10 companies are in the race and financial bids of these companies are likely to be opened this week.

" Adani Power had expressed its interests for long term power supply generated from indigenous coal. However, it failed to ensure any tie-ups for fuel supplies to its proposed plants", top sources said.

According to the sources close to the development, Adani Power has applied for coal linkage with the coal companies but it has not received any assurance from them.

Just recently, APL has given a notice to the Gujarat government terminating a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) inked in 2007 for supply of 1,000 MW for 25 years. Adani’s decision to scrap the PPA has evoked a controversy with GUVNL challenging Adani’s decision.

The PPA was signed following a competitive bidding and Adani group had committed to supply power at Rs 2.35 per unit for 25 years. Since market rate of power has shot up, Adani opted to scrap the PPA.

Subsequently, GUVNL has challenged the APL's notice before Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission (GERC) which will take a final decision on the issue after conducting hearing of parties involved.

Rajgopalan ko Gussa kyo aaya...

Former chief secretary and current chairman of sardar sarovar nigam D Rajgopalan is not a happy man. He is upset for being dropped as chairman of the blue chip baby of the Modi government, the Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation(GSPC).

Yesterday the State govt in a surprised move replaced mr rajgopalan with chief sec A K Joti. Mr Joti will now spearhead the GSPCs proposed and keenly awaited IPO. After he retired as CS, it appeared the Govt was in a mood to continue him at the helm of affairs at the GSPC but the govt sprang a surprise which has shocked, angered and upset Mr Rajgopalan.

P Paneervel to stay back in Gujarat only.

P paneervel, principal secretary revenue who was all set to leave for deputation in Delhi has had a last minute change of mind and change of plans.
His name now stands withdrawn so he will continue to serve Gujarat.
MR Paneervel's name was doing rounds for quite a few lucrative postings like chairman JNPT, establishment officer in the DOPT and a plum posting at the ministry of commerce.