Modi lauds anti-encroachment drive, Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel
Modi, who is on a three-day visit to his poll-bound home state of Gujarat, said a lot of government land was recovered
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lauded the anti-encroachment drive taken up along Gujarat’s coastal belt, including in Beyt Dwarka, and said there was hardly any resistance to it while lauding chief minister Bhupendra Patel as a firm person.
“I used to say that Bhupendra Patel is a firm person and the people of Gujarat also got a glimpse of this recently. On the coastal belt of Gujarat, people, who set up illegal structures, watched in silence as they were all removed.”
He said when a determined person is ruling, the message trickles down. “Without any resistance, everyone picked up their belongings and left. The law and order have to be maintained,” said Modi on Monday after inaugurating developmental projects in Jamnagar.
Modi, who is on a three-day visit to his poll-bound home state Gujarat, said a lot of government land was recovered. “Not only Beyt Dwarka but the entire coastal area of Gujarat is also being cleaned up. Some people did try to make some noise and oppose [the demolition drive] but within half an hour they understood that nothing can be done here.”
The drive was carried out in Beyt Dwarka island in Dev Bhoomi Dwarka district, Porbandar, and Gir-Somnath region for five days. About 50 illegal structures were razed.
Modi said everyone stands to benefit by following law and order. “Due to brotherhood and unity, Gujarat is moving ahead...There was a time when riots used to take place frequently in Gujarat, including in Jamnagar. We are free of these issues. In Gujarat, the double-engine government of Narendra and Bhupendra is implementing schemes at a rapid speed and we have to maintain this pace.”
He said it is a matter of pride that 35% of India’s crude oil is refined in Jamnagar, which is emerging as the hub of manufacturing and coast-led development.
Modi recalled how the city once faced traffic issues and added that work was being done to increase the number of flyovers and underpasses to ease the lives of the citizens.
He said the Amritsar-Bhatinda-Jamnagar corridor was being constructed at the cost of ₹26,000 crore while reiterating his commitment to ensuring ease of doing business.
At a separate public meeting in Anand, Modi said the relationship between Gujarat and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not about politics but belongingness. He added the BJP government has been removing the barriers to development for over two decades and highlighted how the farmers have benefitted through improved water supply and electricity distribution.
Modi said the BJP government in Gujarat has strived for creating an environment that helps industries flourish. He added it has created opportunities.