Faced with CM boycott, Modi asks heckling Jharkhand crowd to behave

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing a rally in Ranchi, had to dampen the spirits of his enthusiastic supporters and ask them to behave themselves and respect the Chief Minister.

There were a few seconds of silence, as the stunned crowd, accustomed to cheering the acerbic attacks of campaign-mode Modi struggled to understand ‘statesman’ PM Modi.

The packed rally, which Modi addressed along with Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, had started off on an unpleasant notice, when the hundreds of Modi bhakts booed Soren as he attempted to address the crowd.

Soren is the third Chief Minister to be booed by Modi supporters.

First Haryana Chief Minister Hooda was heckled by a pro-Modi crowd on his own home turf in Kaithali at a National Highways Authority of India event.

The incidents have prompted Congress Chief Ministers including Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan to refuse to share the podium with the Prime Minister, saying that the incidents of heckling seemed ‘planned’.

However, soon the Prime Minister, who is obviously aware that Jharkhand is going to polls soon, was all praise and platitudes. Saying that Jharkhand was still in a stage of adolescence in terms of development, Modi said the state had the potential to even overtake Gujarat in terms of development.

“People of Jharkhand chose the path of progress. I thank the people for the love and support they have given to us,” said Modi. “I have come here to assure you that the government will return the love you have shown.”

“Jharkhand has the ability to became a state even more developed than Gujarat”. He then said that this potential of Jharkhand had not been properly utilised till now. “Atal ji (Atal Behari Vajpayee) created Jharkhand with the hope that this land rich in natural resources will benefit the country,” said Modi.

“I was shocked that a thermal power project which was started by Atal Behari Vajpayee has not been taken forward here,” the Prime Minister added. “Taking Vajpayee’s vision forward is part of my destiny.”

Modi then talked about the importance of comprehensive development in India as he said that “no state of India should be weak if we want to bring about development in the country. Whether east or west, north or south, development should be consistent in all parts of India.”

The prime minister also talked about specific schemes and plans for Jharkhand as he stressed on the importance of setting up gas grids in the country so that every household in India would get gas supply. “Jagdishpur,Phoolpur-Haldia gas pipeline will ensure that gas reaches every house,” said the PM.

“There is lot of scope for the development of electonic goods manufacture in Jharkhand,” said Modi. “The objective of Digital India is to bring the government into the hands of every citizen of India,” said the PM as he stress on development of mobile technology. “The government will start work on the establishment of Indian Institute of Information Technology in Jharkhand,” said Modi.

The Prime Minister ended his speech with a remark as unusual as the one with which he began it as he compared Jharkhand to a child hitting puberty. “Jharkhand is entering that important age which children reach at 12 or 13 years of age,” said Modi as he said attention to Jharkhand’s development at such an age was crucial.