Gujarat CM Narendra Modi’s speech criticised as ‘Anti-National’ and ‘Divisive’

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is under fire for saying that Gujarat does not need any Central assistance and is capable of fending for itself and also should not have to give any tax revenue to the Centre.

Modi’s political rivals attacked these remarks as ‘anti-national’ and ‘divisive’

‘In an acerbic speech in Baroda, Mr.Modi said the Congress led UPA government was discriminating against Gujarat that the state contributed much more in Central Tax revenue than what it got as assistance from New Delhi. Mr.Modi claimed that while Gujarat provided 10 % of the country’s tax revenue, it received only 2.5 % total Central assistance.

He asked his audience, ‘Don’t you think it is fair that the centre stops giving us assistance and we stop giving taxes to the centre?’

State Congress leader Mr.Gohil said ‘Modi’s remarks were cheap populism on his part. On the one hand BJP leaders like L.K.Advani and Modi keep saying that there should be no separate rules for Kashmir or any other state. On the other hand Modi encourages people to think of Gujarat as above India. A state which is so independent and self-sufficient that it does not require any central assistance.His separatist view is anti-national in character and encourages disintegration.’

Six months ago Union Finance Minister P.Chidamabaram had rubbished Gujarat’s claims about its high economic growth levels and describes it as a ‘highly indebted state.’He had also refuted allegations of discrimination by the UPA.