Respected Annaji
On the eighth day of fasting in the Navratri, I am inspired to write to you early at 5 O’clock early in the morning.
When you were sitting on fast in Delhi, same time, I too was fasting on the occasion of Navratri, the period that symbolizes the embodiment of Divine Shakti. Indeed, I was pleased that by the grace of Maa Jagadamba, I happened to be a co-traveller in your crusade albeit indirectly.Observing the Navratri fast and being busy in election campaign, I was fortunate to have the darshan of Mother Kamakshi in Assam. When you were fasting, naturally I did pray to Kamakshidevi about your health and I’m sure that the divine power has been kind enough to bestow her blessings on you.
Today, I came back from Kerala campaign to Gandhinagar early morning at 2 a.m. And it was yesterday that I got the encouraging news of your expressing kind words towards Gujarat and me. I am fortunate and grateful to get your blessings.
Respected Annaji, my respect for you is decades old. Before I entered politics, I was full time RSS pracharak. At those time, national leaders of the RSS who came to attend our meetings invariably discussed your rural development activities so that it could be emulated. It has tremendous impact on me. In the past, I also had the good fortune of meeting you. I and my state of Gujarat are indebted to you for the courage and conviction you showed in saying good words for me and my state.
In this show of courage, you exhibited commitment to truth and a soldier-like conviction. And because of this, your opinion has been universally accepted. I request you to also bless me that your praise shall not make me complacent and commit mistakes. Your blessings have given me the strength to do what is right and it is good. At the same time, my responsibility has also gone high. Because of your statement, crores of youth would be having great expectations and therefore even a small mistake on my part will disappoint them. Therefore, I have to remain vigilant and seek your blessings for the same.
Respected Annaji, in this delicate moment, I must share with you that I come from a simple family and I am a common man too. In my family, no one is even distantly connected to politics or close to power; I do not have any illusion that I am a perfect human being. Like a common man, I too have my own limitations; good and bad qualities.
I pray that I am always blessed by Mother Jagadamba so that bad qualities do not take possession of me. Always thinking of doing good to Gujarat, I would devote myself to the progress of Gujarat and therefore like to wipe out the tears from the face of the poor. In doing this, I pray that I am never short of your blessings, and this is my humble request. Respected Annaji, you are a Gandhian and a Soldier.
Yesterday, during election campaign in Kerala when I heard about your blessings to me and my state, I feared that you will be subjected to vilification. A certain group inimical to -Gujarat will not miss this opportunity to malign your love, sacrifice, penance and commitment to truth. They will try to tarnish your name because you spoke well of me and my state. As bad luck would have it, this has come true. Once again, these inimical forces have come to the fore.
On the occasion of Navratri, I pray to Maa Jagadamba that no one sullies your fair name. You will be aware that whosoever talks good of Gujarat, he or she will be subjected to the vilification campaign. In the past, a senior Muslim parliamentarian from Canoor constituency hailing from the Communist Party Shri P. Abdulla Kutty was ostracized from the party following his praise of Gujarat’s development. The superstar of this century, Shri Amitabh Bachchan when he promoted Gujarat Tourism, was also attacked by the same group of inimical forces. They spread falsehoods against Bachchan so as to snap his old ties with Gujarat.
At a public function in Mumbai where he was invited, this group stopped him from entering to the venue. Also, a campaign was let loose to malign the leading Gandhian of Gujarat Shri Gunavant Shah who is speaking for the atma-gaurav of Gujarat and development of Gujarat. Maulana Ghulam Vastanavi of Gujarat who was elected as Head of the Darul Uloom of Deoband has also been subjected to vilification campaign when he praised the development of Gujarat. He had publicly said that Gujarat is surging ahead on the road of fast paced development, and without any religious discrimination everybody is reaping the fruits of this development. Soon, he has been silenced by constant harassment by the same forces.
Recently, Major General I. S. Singha of Golden Katara Division of Indian Army when he praised the development of Gujarat he too was subjected the same treatment by the same forces and there was even a demand for disciplinary action against the Major General.
These are only a few examples. But Gujarat’s real developmental journey is an anathema to this group bent upon heaping calumny on my state. Whenever the name of Gujarat is mentioned these forces immediately swing into action to spread canards and falsehoods. Respected Annaji, Gujarat’s six crore people do not want that the same group should sadden you.
I am still afraid that, this group will put you in trouble. May God give you strength. I humbly bow to the sacrifices and penances you have made for the country. Let the Almighty bless you with supreme health and long life so that many like me would benefit from your guidance. This is my prayer to the God from core of my heart.
Yours’
Narendra Modi
April 11, 2011,
