PM targets Indira Gandhi, questions 'hand pump' development model

Morbi, Gujarat, Nov 29: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday targeted former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for showing 'disrespect' to the suffering of the local people here during the 1979 Machchhu dam disaster.

Addressing an election rally here, Mr Modi mocked at the Congress claims on development. "The Congress model of development has been hand pump; and our model is to extract water from the Narmada. There has to be a difference," he said.
Attempting to highlight the commitment of RSS and Jan Sangh workers who were tirelessly working for the people during the 1979 disaster, he said there was also a much talked about photograph that showed the then Prime Minister visiting the affected areas with handkerchief put on her face.
"When Indiraben (Gandhi) came to Morbi, I remember there was a photo of her in a magazine with a hanky over her nose due to the foul smells, but for Jansangh and RSS workers the streets of Morbi were fragrant....it was the fragrance of humanity," Mr Modi said.
"There were two contrasting photographs and two different captions -- 'Manavta-ki-Mehek' (Humanity smells) and 'Rajkiye Gandegi' (the dirt of political power)," the Prime Minister said trying to highlight the Congress indifference to the people's problems.
The infamous dam-related flood disaster had occurred on August 11, 1979 and thousands of people were killed and rendered homeless. In later years, books like 'No One Had A Tongue To Speak' were penned on the disaster by Tom Wooten and Utpal Sandesara. The book also strongly contested the official claims that the disaster was an act of God.
Reports later said the failure was caused by excessive rain and massive flooding leading to the disintegration of the earthen walls of the four-kilometer-long Machchu-II dam.
Morbi is a Patidar belt in close proximity to Rajkot in Saurashatra region which sends 48 legislators to the state Assembly. The region would go to the polls on December 9 in the first phase. 
Mr Modi pointed out at various initiatives undertaken by the BJP in both Gujarat and in the Centre. "In Gujarat we initiated a mass movement to conserve every drop of water. This is because we understand the adverse impact of lack of water. Development for us is not about winning polls," the Prime Minister said.
Mr Modi commenced this fresh round of election campaign from Kutch region on November 27 and had taken a day's break on November 28 -- Tuesday -- when he had gone to Hyderabad to interact with the US delegation led by Ivanka Trump.
On Wednesday's rally at Morbi, the Prime Minister said through the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana, there is an effort to help farmers in value addition and earn more.
"We attempted to send Narmada water in every nook and corner of Gujarat. Dams in Saurashtra are being filled due to SAUNI Yojana. But, I do not think the Congress can see all this," he said. Out of 182 seats, as many as 89 assembly segments would go to the polls on December 9. UNI