Once written as diary when NDA’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi was just 36 years old, has taken a form of a book and released on Friday by spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
Speaking at book release function of his own book – Sakshibhaav at Gujarat University convention centre, the Gujarat Chief Minister said that generally people know him by newspapers, but with this book they would be able to know him by themselves. Accepting the fact about tight security around him, Modi said that he knew that reaching at him is difficult, but this book would give people opportunity to know him.
“When I wrote all this I was never in politics. In fact, I used to burn what I wrote after 6-8 months of writing it. One day, a Pracharak, Narendrabhai Panchasara saw me doing it and he said do not do this, don’t burn this. That is why I did not burn it and the book has taken share. It is Narendrabhai Panchasara who should be givencredit for this and that is why I dedicated this work to him,” said Modi.
Modi recalled that for years these papers were lying somewhere and that is when he gave it to Suresh Dala, noted Gujarati writer, who persisted the work be published. “Sureshbhai told me that from these bits of paper we can make good furniture I said no. For a month there was a tussle and finally 4 years ago I said yes, it can be published. And after the process to publish it began I took a lot of interest” he added.
In lighter tone he said that if the book was released 30 years back, critics might have seen it as literary work, but what would happen to his book, he couldn’t imagine. “Today, I can see events occurred around me 36 years back,” said nostalgic Modi saying that in the book his letters addressed to Ma Jagdamba (Jag Janani Maa) have also been published.
He urged the readers to write to him about their experience of reading the book. Sri Sri Ravishanker, who released the book said that country desperately required a lion hearted leader, which India got in form of Narendra Modi.