Thread by @urvish2020

Thread #RealGujaratModel Part-1
For the interested, here are few specimen/paper clippings from #gujaratscrapbook. How the 'model' was projected and how it was a sham from the beginning. The trailer of a pathetic & dark farce released nationally later on.
Pl feel free to share.

Guj Home dept instructed police not to share news directly with journos, after clamping the info from Secretariat. Journos opposed. Min for state Amit Shah said police misunderstood & promised to amend. (9-1 2004, Gujarat Samachar) #GujaratScrapBook-1 #RealGujaratModel

Banner of protesting journos read: Modi Govt pouncing on the freedom of journalists. Suffocating the right to information. (Sounds familiar? It’s in 2004) #GujaratScrapBook-1
Man with the banner: Prashant Dayal, the journalist who broke the Sohrabudding fake encounter story

CM Modi’s machinery started ‘Gujarat Satya Samachar’ to counter bitter criticism of ‘Gujarat Samachar’. With similar lay out & ‘Gujarat’ copied from original logo. (Indian Express, Oct 16, 2003) No social media and hence no cyber cell then. #GujaratScrapBook-2 #RealGujaratModel

2003: Gujarat Samachar vs. Gujarat Satya Samchar 2021: The Guardian vs. The Daily Guardian Sounds familiar? #RealGujaratModel

Modi's face turned in to Sardar's face. Literally. On a website privately managed by an 'old friend' and RSS man, who had direct link and access to Modi. Shameless and juvenile self-indulgence, here you go. (Indian Express: Nov 11, 2002) #GujaratScrapBook-3 #RealGujaratModel

Modi the CM saluting the national flag, donning a black RSS topi. Independence Day, 2003. Courtesy: Gujarat Times (a weekly published from US), 29-8-2003 #GujaratScrapBook-4 #RealGujaratModel

First, Modi managed a parachute entry as a CM of Gujarat ejecting Keshubhai, sidelining younger & older BJP leaders. With Advani’s blessings. Advani protected him from getting sacked after 2002. Then it was Advani’s turn to be pushed aside. #GujaratScrapBook-5 #RealGujaratModel

Journalists opposed when Modi’s Govt invoked Official Secret Act against 3 newspapers. Writing on the banner: ‘In Modi’s regime press freedom is in peril-Down with Modi’s dictatorship.’(Feb 8, 2005, Gujarat Samachar) #GujaratScrapBook-6 #RealGujaratModel

The God of Petty Things: (L) an idol of Lord Ganesha sitting on CM Modi’s shoulder. Aug 27, 2002, IE. (R) Modi as Lord Krishna in a poster at Shivaji Park rally. Jan 13, 2003. His only claim to fame at that time: 2002. #GujaratScrapBook-7 #RealGujaratModel

Just months after the longest spell of large scale violence in Gujarat, CM Modi came up with Gaurav Yatra (Pilgrimage of Pride). In photo, he’s weighed in silver during PoP at Vijapur (North Gujarat). 10-9-2002. ToI #GujaratScrapBook-8 #RealGujaratModel

‘Rasta Roko’ A call to jam the roads. By Gujarat Khedoot Sangharsh Samitee (Gujarat Farmers’ Agitation Committee) Demands: Abolish the increase in rates of electricity & irrigation. Remove meters from farming. Dt: 12-3-2004 #GujaratScrapBook-9 #RealGujaratModel

CM Modi attached sarkari pride with people’s fest of Kite flying. His projection: Criticism of 2002 riots insulted ‘Gujarat’. Forget shame. Let’s take pride. In any damn thing. He gathered NRI Gujaratis for events too. 30-12-2003 #GujaratScrapBook-10 #RealGujaratModel

Gujarat Govt under CM Modi declared signature of parents a must for registration of marriage. The decision was widely resented and had to be withdrawn ultimately. An illustration with the report. Gujarat Samachar. 25-7-2005 #GujaratScrapBook-11 #RealGujaratModel

When Gujarat was ravaged by floods in 2004, CM Modi had his cut out (pic 1) over the photo of flooded landscape (p 2) to give the impact of aerial survey (p 3). It was an appeal card for CM Relief fund. Enlarge pics to see self-projection. #GujaratScrapBook-12 #RealGujaratModel

Pic-1&2: possibilities of telemedicine. speech at Indian Science Congress, 2005. By CM Modi. Pic-3: Need to take telemedicine to villages: PM Modi, 2021. And also see how he mixed up yog on tv with telemedicine. #GujaratScrapBook-13 #realgujaratmodel

Ref. ‘An inconvenient truth’ (2006) by Al Gore, CM Modi ‘wrote’ a book ‘Convenient Action’(2010),McMillan Education. Ghost-written by an IAS. Launch presided by Kalam. Chief Guest RK Pachauri. His hollowness all out for statesmanlike image. #GujaratScrapBook-14 #realgujaratmodel

Juvenile word play was a fav toolkit of CM Modi. “Catchwords wrap Modi’s plans in smart packages.” ToI, 18-2-2004. (See box item) It reports a CD on a project is ready but not released ‘because Modi has not come up with a suitable name.’ #GujaratScrapBook-15 #realgujaratmodel

“World’s biggest industrial centre, bigger than Shenzhen Industrial City, will come up in Dholera.” reads the headline, as a part of the interview of CM Modi. “There will be mini-Japan & mini-Europe in Gujarat.” Divya Bhaskar, 14-10-2008. #GujaratScrapBook-16 #realgujaratmodel

“I haven’t discriminated against anybody. Gujarat is a picture of communal harmony.” claimed CM Modi at Friends of Gujarat, London. Gujarat Times, 29-8-2003. He claimed Gujarat also has right over water of (Pakistan’s) Indus River. #GujaratScrapBook-17 #RealGujaratModel

Prompt at gobbling up all the credit, CM Modi claimed 108 ambulance service was totally state funded. Centre didn’t give a penny. Turned out Centre gave ₹61 Crore and state ₹14 Crore. Gujarat Samachar, 26-2-2009 #GujaratScrapBook-18 #realgujaratmodel

A Yatra to honour constitution. Its replica was put on an elephant. Touted as a first of its kind. Held at Surendranagar. (24-1-10) Remember CM Modi bowing to Keshubhai? Advani? To Parliament as PM? Beware when he bows. #GujaratScrapBook-19 #realgujaratmodel

3 attempts on the life of CM Modi followed by ‘encounters’. Indian Express (19-6-2004) finds a pattern. The Saviour Is In Danger. Curiously, there was not a single attempt after all fav ‘encounter-specialists’ were sent behind bars. #GujaratScrapBook-20 #realgujaratmodel

“Modi, time to pack up” (Editorial, Indian Express. 29-5-2004) “By every possible measure, Modi’s continuance in office has become unfeasible, untenable, indefensible.” “Even politically after over 60 BJP MLAs came out against him.” #GujaratScrapBook-21 #RealGujaratModel

‘Ahmedabad Eye’(à la London Eye), a tethered balloon, “like Paris, Las Vegas, Berlin” was “dedicated to people” at A’bad. CM Modi took first ride. Was greeted as part of Vikas. Gujarat Samachar 9-9-10 pic courtesy: deshgujarat.com #GujaratScrapBook-22 #realgujaratmodel