Gujaratis make fun of Narendra Modi’s ‘Ballot’ Train

The joke in Gujarat is that the bullet train is actually the ruling BJP’s ballot train.

There is no other reason that could have prompted the superstitious lot of BJP leaders to launch the ambitious project during a period which Hindus believe to be inauspicious.

The state capital itself has been reeling following heavy rain. Crater-like potholes spawned social media jokes that NASA mistook them for evidence of the presence of mankind on Mars. But oblivious to rising resentment among people, the launch was pushed through in undue and unseemly haste.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is known to be extremely particular about ‘Shubh Mahurats’ or auspicious hours dictated by the Hindu calendar. Every time he took oath as Chief Minister of Gujarat or when he was sworn in as Prime Minister, the calendar and priestly advice dictated the timing. He followed the same practice while launching his election campaigns.

And yet, the Bhoomi Pujan or the ground-breaking ceremony for the dream project was held on Thursday during a period that Gujaratis call ‘Kamurta’ and which is generally known as the ‘Shradhh Paksh’ in large parts of North India. No new work is initiated during this period, no auspicious events like weddings held and no purchase of land and houses is undertaken.

This year, the period lasts till September 20, when the auspicious period of Navaratri begins. So, why did Prime Minister Modi push for the launch to take place on September 14? Assembly elections, say observers.

As Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi had laid the foundation of Ahmedabad Metro project. People close to him recall his famous statement that it would be good enough to ensure BJP’s victory in three Assembly elections. But more than a decade later, the Metro is yet to start operations in Ahmedabad. Hectic efforts are, however, being made to ensure that operations start even on a small stretch before the Model Code of Conduct kicks in - a month and a half from now.

Even as tempers ran high over the slackness of the BJP-controlled municipal corporation in dealing with the deluge and the havoc it had caused, came the news of the impending visit of the Japanese Prime Minister and Gujarat’s own Narendra Modi. And the seemingly clueless and lethargic administration jumped into a hyper-active mode, flexing its muscles to ensure that the ‘road show’ of the two prime ministers went off smoothly.

The state capital of Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad were lit up with fluorescent lights and the nine-km-long route from the airport to Sabarmati Ashram was decked up with as many as 28 cultural platforms.

The PM also chaperoned the visiting dignitary to the 16th century Sidi Saiyed mosque, which PM Modi possibly visited for the first time. Old-timers claimed that as Chief Minister, he had never visited Sabarmati Ashram either but after becoming the PM, he has been escorting all visiting dignitaries to the place.

But that did not deter the Indian Prime Minister who acquainted himself well with the history of the mosque and played guide to his Japanese counterpart. In fact, the visit took place earlier than planned by almost 45 minutes to avoid a clash with the magrib namaz. Only a group of pre-selected 22 people were allowed to attend the namaz after the high profile visitors left.

However, the managerial brass of the mosque were conspicuous by their absence at the event. The mosque and its famous latice window depicting the tree of life is a prominent, internationally known feature of Ahmedabad and played no mean a role in the UNESCO declaring Ahmedabad a World heritage city this July.

Clearly, while the Prime Minister would like to savour this relationship for global image building, he shuns a closer connect with the minority community that might annoy the hardline Hindu votebank. The ruling BJP has been vocal about the Hindu and Jain connect of Ahmedabad but has played down its syncretic Muslim legacy.