With the assembly elections just a few months away, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the message of the deep relationship of his party BJP with Gurjars connecting both with lotus.
Addressing the large gathering of the Gurjar community at the birthplace of Gurjar deity lord Devnaryan in Malesri village of Bhilwara Rajasthan on his 1,111th birth anniversary on Saturday Modi said, "what a coincidence that Lord Devnarayan has been shown sitting on a lotus, in the logo of G20 the lotus has been shown carrying the earth and we are those people who were born with a lotus, that's why our relationship with you is somewhat deep."
PM was expected to announce Devnarayan Corridor here but no such announcement was made by him, though he gave a message of being a devotee of Lord Devnaryan and said that on this auspicious occasion, when Lord Devnarayan called, who would have missed this opportunity, "the Prime Minister has not come. I have come here with full devotion like you to seek blessings, An ordinary person like me has got the virtue of seeing Lord Devnarayan and his devotees. I am blessed to have darshan of both," said Modi to the gathering of the Gurjars who came here in large numbers from across the country.
He recalled the contribution of legends and social reformers of the community and said, "It is unfortunate that their contribution has not been able to find the right place in the history of the country but today's India is correcting the mistakes committed in the past decades."
Modi performs Mandir Darshan
Before addressing the public meeting, the PM performed Mandir Darshan and Parikrma and planted and Neem sapling. Union minister of state for culture Arjun Ram Meghwal, head priest of temple Hemraj Gurjar, and MP Subhash Baheria were also present on the occasion.
Notably, Gurjars are one the big vote banks in Rajasthan with sway over 40 assembly seats of 15 districts, so this religious visit of PM Modi on this biggest occasion of this community has been taken as a political one also as the Bjp wants to cash the disappointment of Gurjars with Congress on the issue of power tussle between CM Ashok Gehlot and the dissident leader Sachin Pilot who is a Gurjar.
Gehlot woos Gurjars by declaring a public holiday
At the same time to woo the Gurjars, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot has declared a public holiday in the state on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Lord Devnarayan. ‘it was a popular demand of the community and its leaders so there will be a public holiday in the state on this occasion,’ said the release from the government.
