Gujarat birthday song drowned in poll din

While the state government is planning to celebrate Gujarat’s 50th birthday in 2010 as ‘Swarnim Gujarat’, ironically not a single political leader or even commonman bothered to pay homage to the students martyrs of Mahagujarat who had lost their lives in police firing during the Mahagujarat movement.

Their memorial is located in Bhadra area near Sardar Patel National Memorial. Scene at the memorial on May 1 was like any other day. While it is understood that the state government could not organise any function because of the model code of conduct, no civic body or any other public organisation cared to pay respect to the martyrs.

Talking about the neglect of the Gujarat Day, Prakash Shah, veteran journalist and social activist said, “People talking about ‘Swarnim Gujarat’ are unaware of Gujarat’s tradition and movements. They only want to influence common people.”

Prof JK Patel, a retired professor of political science, who had participated in the Mahagujarat Movement, is not at all happy with the scenario in Gujarat today. He said, “We had joined Mahagujarat Movement with an aim to make Gujarat a model state in the country as our culture is sensitive and tolerant. But Gujarati community has become reactive, narrow and divisive in nature and elements with such mentality are in power today. We had vision to address problems and pains of poor people in the state, but I must say that today’s Gujarat is totally opposite to our dream. I believe our indifference is one of the reasons for this situation.”