A Chinese company delegation, led by its managing director Leng Yong, on Friday paid a visit to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as he held a day-long 'Sadbhavna' fast in the predominantly tribal Bodeli town of Vadodara district.
This was Modi's fifth fast after he launched the 'Sadbhavna Mission' in Ahmedabad on September 17 with a three-day fast, followed by one-day fasts in Dwarka, Navsari and Patan.
It was for the first time, a foreign delegation from TBEA, a Chinese firm, attended Modi's 'Sadbhavna' fast. Following Modi's five-day visit to China earlier this month, Chinese companies have started taking a keen interest in Gujarat for investment.
About Rs 50,000 crore of Chinese investment is expected in the state. TBEA will be setting up a Rs 2500 crore green-energy project in Karjan town of Vadodara district.
Addressing a public meeting at the end of his fast, in which, around 6,000 persons took part, Modi warned a gang of people and agencies trying to defame Gujarat and create obstacles in the development of the state.
"We have experienced the strength of peace, harmony and brotherhood, which has taken Gujarat to great heights. This feat, which we have achieved today, needs to be remembered," Modi said.
"For the last ten years (ever since he came to power replacing Keshubhai Patel in October 2001), Gujarat has not witnessed any agitation and I want to show how peace, harmony and brotherhood could be achieved," he added.
He criticised the Congress-led UPA government for adopting "discriminatory attitude" towards Gujarat.
"Despite water scarcity and Centre's failure in supplying adequate quantity of fertilisers to Gujarat, we have been successful in achieving 11 per cent agriculture growth and more than 12 per cent GDP growth while agriculture growth achieved by the Centre stood at 2.5 per cent," Modi said.
"The path of peace, brotherhood and harmony adopted by the people of Gujarat had made this possible," Modi asserted, saying, credit for the development of the state goes to its people and not to an individual.
He made an appeal to leave behind cast-based discrimination, "as it helps no one", he said. He said 'sadbhavna' (goodwill) has been a legacy of Indian culture for thousand years. Modi attributed the success of his 10 years in power to the six crore people of the state and said that it was their strength that Gujarat has carved out its place on the world map.
Modi also announced schemes worth Rs 225 crore for five tribal talukas of Chhotaudepur, Sankheda, Pavijetpur, Naswadi and Kawant in Baroda district on this occasion.
It will be spent for the construction of bridges and implementation of water related projects and strengthening of infrastructure facilities in these tribal-dominated talukas of the district, Modi said.
Congress leader Naran Rathwa, who was former Union minister of state for railways, his son Sangramsinh and 18 Congress workers were detained by the police, when they held demonstration opposing Modi's 'Sadbhavna' fast.
They dubbed Modi's fast as a "drama and waste of public funds for political purpose". Former cabinet minister Nalin Bhatt and 15 workers were also detained by the police, when they tried to protest against Modi's fast here.
Bhatt said that it was politically motivated. Both the protests, led by Rathwa and Bhatt, were prevented, when they were marching towards Modi's fast venue with black band on their hands, protesting against their unfulfilled demands.
