'Should We Run Relief Camps? Open Child Producing Centres?'

On September 9, Narendra Modi's Gujarat Gaurav Yatra rolled into Becharaji, where he delivered his by now infamous Hum paanch, hamare pacheesspeech -- that the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) wanted a text of for its apparently inflammatorycontent.The speech that the Gujarat Government claimed it had been unable to trace a copy of.

Indian Express reported: "Modi’s Principal Secretary P K Mishra had earlier told The IndianExpress: ‘‘Since the government has neither any tapes nor a transcript of the CM’s speech, it is notin a position to send the same to the NCM.’’

Excerpts from a translation of an audio recording of the speech, courtesy NDTV and Indian Express

Power hungry people are out to defame Gujarat. At such a time, the five crore people of Gujarat will gainstrength from the blessings of Becharaji to build tomorrow’s glorious Gujarat.

We are dubbed Hinduwadi because we have allocated Rs eight crore towards the development of Becharaji. Isit our fault? Are we communal?

The Congress also accuses me of bringing the Narmada waters to the Sabarmati river in the month of Shravan.But the dam has already been built... I want to ask the Congress, why do you object if people on the banks ofthe Sabarmati derive spiritual peace through the Narmada waters brought in the month of Shravan? When you cometo power, you are free to bring water during Ramzan.

When we allocate funds for Becharaji, they do not like it. And if we bring Narmada waters in the month ofShravan, then too they say they dislike it. So what should we do? Do we go and run relief camps? Should weopen child producing centres?

We want to firmly implement family planning. Hum paanch, humare pachees (We five, our 25) (laughs).Who will benefit from this development? Is family planning not necessary in Gujarat? Where does religion comein its way? Where does community come in its way?

The population is rising in Gujarat, money isn’t reaching the poor? What’s the reason? They make abeeline, fix cycle punctures (Audience laughs).

If Gujarat is to be developed, then an economic system has to be developed where every child born inGujarat gets education, manners and employment. And for this, those who are multiplying population at a rapidrate will need to learn a lesson. If we object to population growth, then too they dislike it. Will someoneplease tell me is there any (such) country in the world? Is there BJP rule in China? Yet, China has enactedlaws to control population growth. Arrey, what does religion have to do with this?

We talk of madrasas. Madrasas have flourished in Gujarat. A child has a right to primary education. But achild going to a madrasa is deprived of primary education. What will such a child do once he grows up?

Those who have got no education, and got only religious education, would they not become a burden onGujarat?

We started thinking about madrasas in Gujarat. When we express concern over madrasas, they call uscommunal. Why? The Communist government in West Bengal applies laws in madrasas, curbs their activities, andit is still secular? And if we try to regulate madrasas in Gujarat, we are dubbed as communal? After all, anyinstitution has to be regulated.

If Gujarat needs peace, a long-term plan has to be drawn. The merchants of death will not be allowed to runtheir activities in Gujarat as they like.

And as I sit here at this seat of strength, standing at the feet of mother Becharaji, I want to assure youthat the high seat (of power) may go today or tomorrow, but I will not allow the merchants of death who wantto destroy Gujarat and harass the innocents to settle here.

Gujarat needs prosperity, it needs peace. Gujarat is forging ahead on the unity and strength of its fivecrore people. The days are gone when Dawood Ibrahim sitting in Karachi could instruct the merchants of deathhere and Gujarat could be set on fire. We will not allow this.

What for? For power? Power may go today or tomorrow. We have not applied Fevicol on the chair. We aresitting at the feet of the people of Gujarat. If people feel we are performing, they will welcome us,otherwise they will throw us out.

If the Congress is afraid of going to the people, then they should come out openly and say that since theyare sure of their defeat, the election should be delayed. Indira Gandhi had done it too. You do it, who’sstopping you?

But no, they abuse Gujarat and Gujaratis instead. If you abuse Gujarat, that is not acceptable to us. Comeout openly and give us a fight if you are strong enough. Why do you escape instead?

It is I who has been defamed. Yet, I am ready to go to the people. You go straight to Italy, plead with theElection Commission to stop polls. But we are not like you, we are proud of approaching the people. We takepride in applying the dust from people’s feet onto our foreheads.

Italy’s daughter has insulted Gujarat and its five crore people. The land of Sardar Patel is insulted.This has got to be explained. Sanjay (Gandhi) was only Maneka’s husband. Yet, it is his samadhi thatlies in Delhi, not that of Sardar Patel. The Congress is out to erase Sardar Patel’s name, but beware.