Though it has been posed as a neutral organisation to raise the issues of people in Gujarat, the grand old party Congress is whole-heartedly backing Gujarat Jansangharsh Sena (GJS) floated on Saturday evening to mark ‘Kranti Divas’ (August 9th).
In a meeting held under the chairmanship of Prakash N Shah, known critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Gujarati language columnist GJS was launched with a purpose to launch agitation against polarisation in the name of religion, problems of farmers and other issues.
Terming GJS as protest of people against the power (State Government), Shah said that it was not a fight between the Congress and the BJP. However, apart from Shah himself and couple of left ideologist social leaders, the Congress leaders like Shailesh Parmar, Congress spokesman in Gujarat Assembly, Jagdish Thakore, Ami Yagnik and others not only remained present at the function but also addressed a large gathering there.
Professor and economist Hemant Shah said that Gujarat Model was nothing but an illusion. “The State Government has cut the facilities given to common man. The State is first in child-labour with as high as 32.15 per cent,” he added.
Former Congress MlA Dr Jitu Patel raised the increasing crime rate in the State saying that milk for the poor people’s children is not available but one can get tanker of liquor in the dry state easily. Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) spokesperson and advocate Ami Yagnik claimed that crime against women has increased in Gujarat. Former Congress MP Jagdish Thakore and Patel were appointed as conveners of GJS.