PM Narendra Modi to woo Patidars with temple in Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over the groundbreaking ceremony of Vishva Umiya Dham Temple in Gujarat on Monday. Lakhs of Patidars, whose deity Umiya Mata the temple is dedicated to, are expected to attend the ceremony.

The Patidar community of farmers, industrialists and businessmen is among the most influential in Gujarat. As many as one-fourth (44) of the current 182 lawmakers in the state assembly belong to this community.

The groundbreaking ceremony is being organised ahead of the national polls this summer. Building and unveiling of the community’s ambitious projects have coincided with elections. Ahead of the 2012 assembly polls, Patidars conducted the groundbreaking function of Shree Khodaldham Temple near Rajkot. The temple was inaugurated in the run-up to the state polls five years later in 2017. Modi attended both the events.

“These are shows of strength and unity. The message they are trying to send is loud and clear — they are the strongest community and be it, chief minister or prime minister, the political class has to take note of this. Along with temples, these complexes offer educational, health, and agricultural services, and create an image of a self-sustaining community,’’ said political analyst Jwalant Chhaya.

The organisers said leaders from Congress were also expected to be at the event .

In 2017, Congress president Rahul Gandhi visited Shree Khodaldham soon after Modi inaugurated it. Like Shree Khodaldham, Vishva Umiya Dham is being built on a sprawling 100 bigha land. It will have a hostel to accommodate 1,000 students, hi-tech medical laboratories and clinics, skill development centres, agriculture research facility, and a placement cell.

The development of the first phase of the project will coincide with the tenure of the next elected government at the Centre. According to the organisers, if the next government gets a full term then the Vishva Umiya temple and hostel will be ready for inauguration by 2024.