So what if the Leuva Patel community didn’t give chief minister Narendra Modi a platform to address the mammoth gathering on January 21? Kadva Patels, not only invited the CM as the chief guest for its socio-religious event, but gave a platform to the entire cabinet. Modi kicked off the five-day long silver jubilee celebration function of the foundation day of temple of the community’s goddess Umiya Mata at Sidsar in Jamnagar district on Thursday.
Modi interestingly didn’t use the platform to enlist his government’s achievements in the last decade. On the contrary, he appealed to the community to improve the gender ratio in the state. It is significant to know that Unjha taluka, the main religious place of the Goddess Umiya and the hub of Kadva Patel community, has the worst girl-boy child ratio in the country.
Modi said, “Unjha, which is the source of inspiration from Umiya mata, is the place where the birth of girls is very less than the boys. It is not a natural phenomenon. But we have treaded the wrong path of sin. Our community kills girls in her mother’s womb. We need to understand that if our community does not allow daughters to be born in the world, our sons will not get brides.”
Lauding Patel community’s patronage spirit, he said that they have been donating and nurturing the society in different ways. He said, “Today I demand an initiative from the community to take care of malnourished and undernourished mothers and children of other communities in their villages. They should be sponsoring poor children, expecting and lactating mothers’ health and food.”
Rendering an emotional speech, state revenue minister Anandiben Patel also urged the gathering to end female foeticide. She said, “I belong to Patel community and I admit that the maximum number of female foeticide cases takes place in the Patidar (Patel) community. By killing a daughter in the mother’s womb, we are not killing a girl but motherhood.”
A number of state leaders from various sectors will visit the celebration event during the five days. Ramayan orator Morari Bapu, who inaugurated the Yagna Shala, referred to the huge gathering as Kumbh mela. “While the poorna kumbh is scheduled for January 2013, I see Kumbh at Sidsar. This is a confluence of religion, spirituality and social service.”
Non-resident Kadva Patels were felicitated and they gave an account of activities undertaken by them abroad. In the afternoon session, founder of Art of Living, Sri Sri Ravishankar, blessed the gathering with a Satsang. Praising the community, he said, “I’ve met the Patels in every part of the world I’ve gone.
I’ve also observed that they have preserved their values and culture very well. Reiterating CM Modi’s words, the founder of Art of Living also said that had Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel been given charge of the independent country, there would not have been any issues which we are facing today.
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