Prashant Panday
11 March 2013, 09:35 AM
11 March 2013,, TOI
Let me group all of Modi’s lies into 5 distinct categories:
1) Comparing Gujarat with India: Even a 5th standard student knows what averages are. India’s GDP growth represents the average of all states – dynamic ones like Gujarat, Maharashtra, AP, Haryana and TN as well as poor performing ones like Rajasthan, UP, MP, Karnataka, and (in the past), Bihar and Orissa. Quite obviously Gujarat growth rate will be higher than India’s. When Modi uses this to show that he would make a better PM than Manmohan Singh, it’s plain chicanery. What he should do is compare Gujarat – a powerhouse since decades – with other powerhouse states. But he’s smart. He won’t do that!
2) Gujarat growth barely comparable with other big states: The top 5 states in terms of state GDP are Maharashtra, UP, AP, TN and Gujarat in that order. Modi will be embarrassed to note that the pecking order of these states has remained largely intact over the last 6-7 years (since 2004-5) – in spite of Modi’s “dynamic” rule. The only exception is that WB used to be 5th back then, and is now just behind Gujarat. Let’s look at how much each state economy has expanded over this period and I am using data from Wikipedia here (which in turn quotes the Ministry of statistics and Program Implementation Govt. Of India). Between 2004-5 and 2010-11, the Maharashtra GDP has expanded 2.49 times in nominal terms, Gujarat’s by 2.52 times, Tamil Nadu’s by 2.50 times, UP’s by 2.28 times, AP’s by 2.62 times and West Bengal’s by 2.27 times. So Gujarat has kept pace with the big states; nothing more, nothing less. Compared to the noise that Modi makes, the actual numbers are nothing to write home!
3) Takes undue credit: Gujaratis are genetic coded to demand that any CM of the state has to be business minded. Remember Gujarat is a state in which college graduates take up jobs only when they cannot start their own business. And even when they do jobs, almost all of them do something “on the side”. It may be playing the stock market, or doing a small side business in the wife’s name. Growth in Gujarat pre-dates Modi. This is proven by the growth rates recorded during the tenures of the previous CMs. For the purpose of this analysis, I have used Net State Domestic Product at factor cost at constant prices in Rupees as the measure of economic growth. The data taken is from the RBI’s “Handbook of Statistics of Indian Economy” readily available on the internet. Under Modi (between 2002-3 to 2009-10), the average growth rate in Gujarat in nominal terms has been 16.25% per annum. In the Keshubhai Patel era (1998-99 to 2001-02), Gujarat grew at only 7.5% per annum. BJP messed up during Keshubhai’s time and that’s one reason he was replaced. Take the period before Keshubhai Patel. There was a period of rapid changes in CMs in Gujarat between 94-95 and 98-99; the BJP, Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Party ruled the state and achieved between 14% and 31% growth rates. The previous strongman of Gujarat used to be Chimanbhai Patel who ruled as CM from 1990-91 to 1993-94. The growth rate during his period was 16.75%. Err…..higher than what Modi achieved. Prior to Chimanbhai Patel was the rule of the Congress for 10 years from 1980-81 to 1989-90. During this period of time, Madhvsinh Solanki and Amarsingh Chaudhary were the Congress CMs in the state. The growth rate during these ten years was 14.8% – a shade lower than Modi’s achievements. Remember back then, India wasn’t quite the dynamic growth engine it is today. Modi can surely take credit for sustaining Gujarat’s growth; but he cannot claim to be the diva of India’s growth miracle!
4) Vibrant Gujarat: The biggest lie that Modi dishes out is Vibrant Gujarat. Modi talks of “lacs of crores” of investments “promised” to the state. But promises have not translated into actual investments. A recent report shows that not even 20% of that investment has actually materialized over the last 4 years. The Tatas, the Ambanis, all claim to love Modi and Gujarat and they heap praise on him. They realize Modi loves such public encomium and these business leaders are smart enough to give him that. But they also love Prithviraj Chavan and Maharashtra, Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Haryana, Jayalalitha/Karunanidhi and TN and whoever it is in AP. Businessmen want pragmatic governance and all these states offer that. The only difference is that these states are quiet performers, while Modi croons from the roof top.
5) Hides all non-GDP data: And the last lie of course is that by talking only about GDP growth, Modi diverts attention from everything else. Be it is his communal record (he hasn’t apologized for the post-Godhra riots, or for the fake encounter killings), or his state’s data on Human Development Indices (The HDI for Gujarat, in 2008, was 0.527 and it ranked 10th among major states), or social indicators (In Gujarat, the Life Expectance at Birth during 2002-06 was 64.1 years and it ranked ninth among major Indian states. In the areas of Mean Years of Schooling and School Life Expectancy, during 2004-05, it ranked seventh and ninth, respectively. Kerala ranked first in all three indicators. Even Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka performed much better than Gujarat (source: Gujarat: Myth and reality: Dr Bhalchandra Mungekar Jun 12, 2012, TOI online edition), Gujarat is a laggard. This is what prompted Chidambaram to state in his budget speech that this is not the growth model that the UPA wants to practice.
The real truth is that the Gujarat economic story has to be narrated correctly. The public has to know the real truth. Even if it takes a hundred such posts. Of course Gujarat is a developed state; just as developed as Maharashtra, AP, Haryana and TN. That’s why people come back impressed from Ahmedabad. But is Modi being truthful by claiming credit for all this? No way. In fact, he is lying through his teeth. And its time the lies are exposed….
Related articles
- Professor Ania Loomba on why Narendra Modi was stopped at Wharton (kractivist.wordpress.com)
- Truth About Narendra Modi (kractivist.wordpress.com)
- Narendra Modi’s Rs 9,000 crore gas misadventure (kractivist.wordpress.com)
- Petition against Narendra Modi’s keynote at Wharton (kractivist.wordpress.com)
- Gujarat- Mirage of Development (kractivist.wordpress.com)
kracktivist 
Mar 11, 2013 @ 13:49:59
Mr Narendra Modi is a true representative of BJP which largely rep resents sinners of the past centuries and speak lies to prove their points.They only believe in Aastha and not in logic. The modi tries to prove that his criticism is insult of six crores Gujratis as if he gets that many votes. Now BJP stalwarts are stating that by not giving him chance to speak US university had insulted India. a very Ridiculous statement!
Mar 14, 2013 @ 16:43:04
Look who is complaining against Modi. He himself cooked rating on his blog to make his blog look good for which rating on his blog is blocked by Indiatimes. Let me nail all the lie told by Padu Pandey. You clearly proved in your point no 1 that even a 5th standard kid is smarter then you. In 3rd point you tried to compare the GDP growth under various government ruled by various parties. But you forgot to mention even thought riots happened in Gujarat since India’s independence and before but never before a state or any CM demonized as much as Modi. People are boycotted for campaigning in-favor of Gujarat ( Amitab Bachan, Vastanvi and Irfan Pathan etc). Even with so much opposition from center and hostile media Gujarat is still growing just because of Modi’s leadership. In point no 4 you are trying to say Vibrant Gujarat project is not materializing. Since I know you did your MBA from a crappy place( IIM Bangalore is not counted in top 100 in the world) so I know you don’t know what kind of steps a entrepreneur needs to take for setting up his plants. India still ranked 166 for setting up business. You might also have read in newspaper that most of companies participating in Vibrant Gujarat Summit were raided by Income tax. But still the no of companies participate in Vibrant Gujarat every year is increasing. In point no 5 you are trying to use the old data to demolish Gujarat growth story. But in the same report Gujarat performance was much better then India. In the same report you mentioned Kerala which toped in Human development index but in terms of unemployment is worst in India. In rural area the unemployment rate in Gujarat is lowest (without NREGA). Since 60 % of India’s population is consist of youth so I am sure they can figure out what is more important for them. In your point no 5 you tried to use Dr Bhalchandra Mungekar article to discredit Gujarat growth story. But you forgot to mention he got Rajya Sabhi Ticket through Congress party.
Look who is complaining against Modi. He himself cooked rating on his blog to make his blog look good for which rating on his blog is blocked by Indiatimes. Let me nail all the lie told by Padu Pandey. You clearly proved in your point no 1 that even a 5th standard kid is smarter then you. In 3rd point you tried to compare the GDP growth under various government ruled by various parties. But you forgot to mention even thought riots happened in Gujarat since India’s independence and before but never before a state or any CM demonized as much as Modi. People are boycotted for campaigning in-favor of Gujarat ( Amitab Bachan, Vastanvi and Irfan Pathan etc). Even with so much opposition from center and hostile media Gujarat is still growing just because of Modi’s leadership. In point no 4 you are trying to say Vibrant Gujarat project is not materializing. Since I know you did your MBA from a crappy place( IIM Bangalore is not counted in top 100 in the world) so I know you don’t know what kind of steps a entrepreneur needs to take for setting up his plants. India still ranked 166 for setting up business. You might also have read in newspaper that most of companies participating in Vibrant Gujarat Summit were raided by Income tax. But still the no of companies participate in Vibrant Gujarat every year is increasing. In point no 5 you are trying to use the old data to demolish Gujarat growth story. But in the same report Gujarat performance was much better then India. In the same report you mentioned Kerala which toped in Human development index but in terms of unemployment is worst in India. In rural area the unemployment rate in Gujarat is lowest (without NREGA). Since 60 % of India’s population is consist of youth so I am sure they can figure out what is more important for them. In your point no 5 you tried to use Dr Bhalchandra Mungekar article to discredit Gujarat growth story. But you forgot to mention he got Rajya Sabhi Ticket through Congress party.
Apr 09, 2014 @ 05:57:33
i think you have just made a fool of yourself here, pranjal. none of what you said challenges any of the author’s claims seriously
Mar 12, 2013 @ 17:13:27
Appreciate the analysis backed by data/facts.
It’s not about Congress vs. BJP or MODI vs. X in 90’s. I don’t think India’s GDP growth was 9% last year. We are in the worst part of the decade. growth-wise.
NaMo has created good governance, infrastructure and development in the state in the period when the other parts of the country haven’t seen significant momentum.
The bureaucracy and red-tapism is reduced (or at least seem to be. I am open to be corrected for my misinterpretations) as I have personally heard from businessmen of different statures.
Think of it, how many CMs were ready to take an immediate call to have TATA’s in Gujarat when Singur thing happened. It’s about the urgency that matters.
Appreciate more views, eye-openers on the same.
Regards,
Sharad
Mar 12, 2013 @ 18:36:12
The problem with Modi haters is that they equally fail to portray the correct picture, If Modi presents a shining picture you guys represent only bad shades. The truth is its neither. A complete truth will represent both sides and then compare whether his rule is overall positive or negative. Just by posting good things about Modi or by only posting negatives will not solve anything, infact such negatives are only going to help Modi become a national figure because you are doing publicity for him directly or indirectly.
This blog is a classic example of attitude in this country. We take pride in criticizing everything. If something good happens, we are hell bent on finding something bad in it.
Mar 12, 2013 @ 18:40:03
Guess you’re the one lying here. India’s growth rate was 6.9% and not 9.2% as you claim. Here’s the data: actually, the author is the one lying here. India’s GDP growth rate last year was 6.9% and not 9.2%. Here’s the data: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG
I wonder where the future of the country is going with activists who don’t even bother looking up their facts.
Mar 12, 2013 @ 22:31:59
The 9.2.% you quote as yearly growth was in fact the Jan-March growth for the financial year ending March 2011. The next year the same quarter saw the GDP growth at 5.3%(lowest in 9 years).The full year FY 12 GDP growth was 6.5% . Its estimated that the growth for FY13 will be 5% (CSO estimate). As evidenced by the numbers ,GDP has been slipping over the last few years.The masses continue to face runaway food price inflation(10% plus CPI). This ‘Exemplary’ growth that you talk of has not been an inclusive growth.at all.
Despite the alarming economic indicators, the UPA government has been only focussed on saving its skin in the plethora of corruption cases Political expediency has been more important than honest governance.The government has been forced to unleash reform since September 2012 only due to the fear of a country downgrade. Such a downgrade would probably have triggered an outflow of USD causing a Balance of Payment crisis similar to 1991.
Modi may not be a great leader…but what is the alternative? Rahul Baba?- He who has been foisted on the nation in the great Gandhi tradition or should Manmohan Singh be the prime ministerial candidate again- who despite his acumen has been reduced to a mere puppet by Sonia Gandhi
Mar 12, 2013 @ 22:53:41
Only 47% votes represents entire Gujarat??? it’s amazing???
Mar 13, 2013 @ 00:27:09
Whoever you are, Thank you for writing this. Its so important to bust these lies and myths which are now becoming common sense among the middle classes in India. Modi has a propaganda machine, and all other people have are such pieces of hard work and good investigative writing. Its an unequal war of words, but good for you for writing this and getting it out there. Really appreciate it. I suggest you send it to some magazines and newspapers! Get your words out there!!!
Mar 13, 2013 @ 09:29:08
I think in an article based on comparision ..it fails to note that when u actually talk to people of Gujrat they seem happy … well when you have such colossal faliures in delhi right now ..how can you not consider a person who does well God … this article seems to be stupid n trying to create false propaganda while claiming to cahallenge someone eles’s figures ..its plain stupid !!!!
Mar 13, 2013 @ 11:13:19
I have never been to Guj, but if this article is the best that Modi opponents can write to counter Guj growth story, it only increases my belief in Modi’s story..
The article begins with a lie.. India’s growth rate is not 9.2%+. In fact, the forecasts have been moved to less than expected level of 6.2% http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/03/13/hsbc-morgan-stanley-cut-indias-fy14-gdp-idINDEE92C02Y20130313?feedType=RSS&feedName=specialEvents1
About other points:
1) This is not even a separate point ~ Same as #2
2) All these states have substantially larger population than Gujarat. Smallest of these TN has 20% more population than Gujarat. Per capita GDP would perhaps be a more accurate comparison, and in that Guj is near or at the top.
And about the growth rate, having second highest growth rate in the country is definitely more than “nothing to write home”
3) Interestingly, 16.75% of Congress time of 3 years is definitively higher than Modi’s sustained growth of 16.75%, and 14.8% of Congress time is just “a shade lower than Modi’s achievements” 🙂 Overall, I don’t care what Keshubhai did, but if pre-Modi growth was 7.5%, then, Modi has definitely pressed the accelerator!
4) If the pledges have yielded 20%, it is not a poor conversion! 20% of “lakhs of crores” is still big money.. I don’t have the historical figures, but currently Gujarat is the top Indian state by in terms of investments: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/states/article3707524.ece
5) HDI data is interesting, and of course, shows some areas where Modi can do better (although some of these indicators like life expectancy cannot be expected to change overnight). However, to maintain consistency of arguments, I would like to see how other states that the author mentioned in previous points are faring on this: Maharashtra and TN are just slightly better ; UP, AP, and WB fall under poor human development!
I would also like to see how these figures have changed for Gujarat over years (and if the author has omitted that part, I am sure that these must have improved too!).
If Modi can not be allowed to take credit for all the entrepreneurial attitude that Gujaratis have traditionally had, he cannot be blamed for their traditionally lagging HDI indicators, as long as they are improving in the absolute sense!
Of course, things may not be as shiny as Modi wants us to believe.. But he has a CEO attitude, and a CEO understands the power of marketing and PR.. But if a CEO is reliant too much on just marketing and PR, he will be out of business soon! That definitely is not the case with Modi..
Mar 13, 2013 @ 13:00:44
Thank you Amit Bhatnagar for a well thought and neutral rebuttal.
Getting orgasmic over “higher growth rate” in early 90s, are we ? Is comparing growth rates in GDP across decades valid or logical? Base effect anyone? Not only are you a liar (9.2% growth rate in India’s GDP) but an idiot too.
Mar 13, 2013 @ 14:41:32
you can’t believe the data on wikipedia ..it is not an authentic page . it is a page managed by 150 members team only and edited by millions of wiki-freaks readers from the world. the page you are talking about.. it was recently edited several times. i myself checked the edit history. if you have any ranking for that PCI report ..then cite it by screenshot or by other means. Because as far as I remember.. 5 days earlier gujrat was on top by nominal gdp and today’s it is on 5th position.
if the numbers which you are citing here, are wrong then there is surely no base in whatever you said above. !!
Mar 13, 2013 @ 14:45:24
Why does your article quote no sources for your numbers on which you have based your report?
Mar 13, 2013 @ 15:03:48
1) You have got both the numbers (stats) and logic wrong. Research well before you write such articles. By giving wrong data, you have done worse of what could have been an eye opening post.
2) Just because everyone is enterprising in Gujarat, doesn’t automatically mean that any of the other tom, dick & harry you mention can lead Gujarat or any other state in a better way. What is required is able leader who, can make decisions when it matters and Modi has delivered that time and again (eg. TATA Nano factory setup).
3) Every great institution, country, state, company needs leaders/CEO’s and Modi is great one. Your argument that business minded Gujarati are better off without Modi is like saying TATA group/ TATA SONS (having hundereds of independently run profit making companies) could run without Ratan Tata till now or without Cyrus Mistry from now on. The fact of the matter is they can’t.
Your article sounds more like the Rahul’s fart speech.
Mar 13, 2013 @ 15:32:09
Why should Modi apologize for the post-Godhra riots? It shows bias that you assume Modi is responsible for the riots. So any other point you are going to make is going to biased as well. DId Rajiv Gandhi apologize for 1984 killings? Is Kiran kumar reddy apologizing for telangana suicides? I don’t see Shiela Dishit apologizing for Rapes in Delhi?
Gujarat is the most peaceful state in India right now. You keep going back to one black mark that happened 10 years back. Your whole post is filtered and biased view on the second best CM in India.
By the way, You forgot Malnutrition in Gujarat.
Mar 13, 2013 @ 15:50:04
Prashant Pandey Ji – the states you have termed as poor performing states are the ones which have shown the fastest GDP growth in last 5 years including Rajasthan, Bihar and MP. All other facts thrown by you have already been busted by other commentators, so first check your facts and then bark in public
Mar 14, 2013 @ 01:20:19
A conversation between an Indian and communist / dynasty faithful M. Katju (M. does not denote Mullah).
Great roads in Gujarat: Okay, but what about malnutrition?
Great infrastructure in Gujarat: Okay, but what about malnutrition?
24×7 Power supply: Okay, but what about malnutrition?
Water in Sabarmati: Okay, but what about malnutrition?
Special incentives for girls: Okay, okay, but what about malnutrition?
Crores of investments: Yeah alright, but what about malnutrition?
Women can move safely: Who cares? What about malnutrition?
Modi is not corrupt & incorruptible: Corruption is normal, what about malnutrition?
Sex-determination tests banned: Minor issue, what about malnutrition?
GDP growth over national average: Fine, fine, what about malnutrition?
Double Digit Agri growth for years: See the “larger” picture, what about malnutrition?
Mar 14, 2013 @ 01:51:05
GDP growth for the last two years is varying between 4 to 6 %, and not 9.2% and these are the govt figures which must be slightly on the upper side.***Coming to states, GDP growth or for that matter any Growth in % terms becomes vague, because if the base is very low, % growth will always look more say for Bihar , the base is very low, any growth in Bihar will look higher in % terms. But if you look to the absolute terms , it will still be much lower. % Growth should always be compared with comparable states.***Modi is not a business minded man. but he is from an OBC cadre but still understands the importance of economic growth for the overall development of the state and its people.****Even Prakash Karat talks of Human Development Index (HDI)whose party ruined West Bengal by converting it from a business capital to a beggar state. For your information, ‘IF YOU DO NOT PRODUCE WHAT CAN YOU DISTRIBUTE , EXCEPT POVERTY. That is exactly happening in West Bengal/ and was happening in Bihar before JD(U)/ BJP combine took over from Lallu an ally of Congress party.****HDI includes even the crime rate. Haryana/ U.P/ Bihar/ Delhi are basically known crime prone states/ Burning of Dalits/ Sexual assaults on women are maximum in these states.***Despite all the investments are not poured in as planned but far better than most of the other states.***Punjab / Maharashtra were used to top on development criteria but now lag much behind of Gujarat. See the conditions of roads in Gujarat and compare with other states? See How many rivers flows in Gujarat vis-a-vis to U.P / Bihar/ West Bengal/ Punjab.Rivers are the biggest source of water needed for irrigation and drinking /and which brings prosperity to the common men and the state. ***I can only say T.N/ M.P are doing equally good.
Mar 14, 2013 @ 14:38:36
Please quote sources for your numbers and I will bust your analysis in my blog. It’s very easy to quote numbers without referring to a source.
Spread facts, not untruths. Many journalists tried maligning Modi on riots issue and failed. Now they are trying to prove 1=0. What makes you think that’ll work?
Mar 14, 2013 @ 14:51:32
If we all just look at the number of likes for pro-modi comments and the number of dislikes for anti-modi comments above I think its obvious who the public wants. Not an economist, not a prince, just an able administrator and that he TOTALLY is. (no matter what facts or figures his haters show)
Mar 14, 2013 @ 23:48:23
This article is incorrect and begins with a lie. Please get your facts right before you start writing articles. Please research well.
Sep 18, 2013 @ 09:34:51
Lol.. 9.2% in 2012??? well it is 3.2 percent. Pakistan is 4.2%, Bangladesh is 6.3%…. looks like you copied some one who has written this BS a year ago….
Oct 06, 2013 @ 22:07:55
you are true many things are blown out of proportion. But if you compare with past gov of gujarat the situation in gujarat whether be it gdp , human development index, or education modi government has done a tremendous work especially after 2001 earthquake with partially destroyed gujarat.
Dec 14, 2013 @ 01:24:27
Namo namo and today this name does not need any introduction and this is becaus his ability to project his state at world level as developed state……..
Mar 27, 2014 @ 22:05:38
all above post based on modi done this ……….modi can do this….
can anybody see that all parties doing politics on the basis of one face actually I want to say if our elected member(saansad) do not want do to any for his area then what modi can do so please think your self what you want modi as a single face or your our saansad
(manmohan singh is also the great personality but reason behind of faliur is his cabinat corrupt members)
so think about pm and his cabinat and also NDA what kind of mentality in this alliance
so dont see the face also see behind the what
Apr 19, 2014 @ 15:13:59
I would say ur right at some extent bt we dnt hve a good leader with us yet Rahul is NT that mch good to run a country we dnt hve option wid us still ur points r really considerble a nice case study u hve done m impress plz guys vote for a true candidate no Modi no Rahul just ho for those who Wl really work for u neither go vote as none of the above