New Delhi: Taking a jibe at Narendra Modi and his 'marketing gimmicks', Union Minister Sachin Pilot said that the Gujarat leader is capable of taking credit for even the businesses set up by Gujaratis across the world over the past many decades.
The minister also dubbed the state government's investor summit, 'Vibrant Gujarat', as a marketing blitz with "exaggerated numbers", and said that Modi should understand that "taking credit and delivering are different things". Modi has been always vocal about the economic progress made by Gujarat and its people and the 'Vibrant Gujarat' summit often witnesses the companies from India and abroad announcing huge investment plans for the state.
"It (Vibrant Gujarat) is just a marketing gimmick," Corporate Affairs Minister Pilot told PTI in an interview. When asked whether he would ask for an enquiry by the Ministry into how many of these announcements have actually materialised into actual investments, Pilot however said: "I am not here to do a witch-hunt on who has done what and not. But, if a complaint comes, I will look into it."
Pilot, however, flayed the hype created around Modi himself and about the state's economic prowess, saying that most of these things were orchestrated. "The marketing, PR machinery and the media blitz, these are all orchestrated. Full credit goes to Modi for organising the media blitz," Pilot said.
Noting that Gujarat has been a progressive entrepreneurial state since 1950s, the young Congress leader said there are Gujaratis living in Africa and who have done wonders in the business community.
"There are also Gujaratis in Canada and US from the 1950s. Let Modi take credit for that also that all Gujaratis who have built hotels and factories in Africa and all over the world," Pilot said.
Taking potshots at Modi, who is the BJP campaign chief for 2014 General elections and possible Prime Ministerial candidate, Pilot said that there has been exaggeration in numbers about certain developmental parameters of Gujarat.
"... Gujarat has been industrially much better place than say Bihar or Uttar Pradesh, it is a fact of history. But by taking credit for everything that is happening, I think that is more political than natural but it is for people to see what is claim and what is delivered," Pilot said.
According to the Minister, on many indices, Gujarat is not so dominant as it is shown to be. "I am not saying it is bad, the numbers are great but there are certain parameters where there is exaggeration of numbers," he added.
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