The ceremonies began with recital of Narsinh Mehta's poem, 'Vaishnav Jan To' by Shymal & Saumil Munshi. The event, attended by thousands of party workers, had senior Congress leaders Madhusudhan Mistry, Tushar Chaudhary, Arjun Modhvadia and Shankersinh Vaghela among the audience.
The state Congress unit had earlier announced that it will boycott the Swarnim Gujarat celebrations hosted by chief minister Narendra Modi. Their grouse is that Modi had ended up celebrating 10 years of his rule instead of the state's history and had ignored people like Sardar Patel, B R Ambedkar, Narsinh Mehta, Narmad, Jhaverchand Meghani and other leaders who contributed to the state's legacy.
On Sunday, braving 40 degrees Celsius temperature, Congress leaders managed to attract a large gathering which clapped on every joke cracked at Modi. The party also felicitated several freedom fighters and accused Gujarat government of forgetting the real heroes who contributed to the formation of Gujarat. Congress corporators from Gandhinagar were given a separate status and every leader on the dais made a point to congratulate them.
However, Congress leaders minced no words when stating that the development credit taken by Modi government was false.
"Instead of crores of investment promised in Gujarat, there are more than 11 lakh unemployed in this vibrant state where nothing has been done for adivasis, dalit and minority communities," said Mistry.
Leader of opposition, Shaktisinh Gohil, said that the Gujarat Day celebrations should celebrate the spirit of Gujarat and its people; instead it appeared to be that of only chief minister Narendra Modi's.
Several Congress leaders also claimed that the government gives out crores of rupees as sops to cash rich corporates and ignores farmers and underprivileged in the state.
"The government comes to know a month in advance about terrorists like Ishrat Jahan entering Gujarat, but fails to end the fake police menace on streets which has caused fear and panic among women in the state, who used to move freely earlier," said Vaghela.
The audience got euphoric when Vaghela said that he was told that many people have spotted beer cans lying at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar. He also said that the difference of opinion between the state government and police about CBI, highlighted the double standards of policy makers.
