PM Modi rally sideshow: chopper, stacked chairs, and Audi
PM arrives for Gibpura rally near Ahmedabad on Sunday. (Express Photo: Javed Raja) PM arrives for Gibpura rally near Ahmedabad on Sunday. (Express Photo: Javed Raja)
Policemen in uniform, men in saffron scarves, BJP flags, and four LED screens at the back are the only tell-tale signs that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be addressing a rally here, on the grounds of a school, in Gibpura village of Sanand taluka, about 11 km from Ahmedabad, on Sunday. There are no banners announcing the Modi rally on the road from Ahmedabad, or his cutouts, typically seen at BJP events.
It is 1.30 pm, and Modi is already running an hour late, so presumably are the crowds. Barring the area right in front of the stage, the rest of the ground, divided into rectangular blocks and holding chairs, is largely bare. At one end of the ground, more chairs are stacked in case the ground fills up. It doesn’t.
A little while later, there is a sudden buzz as tempos drive in carrying men and women from surrounding villages. Women have with them bags full of water pouches.
In the crowd, some people are holding up white flex lotuses, with Modi and BJP president Amit Shah’s paper cutouts stuck on them. They have been given saffron caps, with the slogan ‘Hu chhu vikas, Hu chhu Gujarat (I am vikas, I am Gujarat)’ on them, besides paper hats for protection from the sun. A man wearing a BJP scarf takes photos on his mobile phone, and concludes with a selfie.
As the wait for the Prime Minister drags on, popular folk singer Hitesh Gadhvi tries his best to keep the crowd engaged. He is in the midst of a song when suddenly flares go off indicating the landing of Modi’s chopper.
Sitting at the back, some women climb onto chairs to catch a glimpse, lifting their heavily pleated colourful skirts. Most of them have come from Baldana village, over 100 km away. As the chopper descends behind the stage, they keep standing. Others who have managed to find a better vantage point to see the chopper rush back to take their seats.
There is little doubt that the helicopter matters. At the rally in Himmatnagar on December 8, as Modi landed, former chief minister Anandiben Patel spelled it out to the crowd: “Have you seen three choppers at the same time? No prime minister of this country flew with three choppers. Vote for the BJP so that these three choppers remain with Narendrabhai.”
A little after 2 pm, Modi takes to the stage. From the back where the women stand on chairs, he seems just a speck. But they keep standing, shouting slogans of “Modi Modi.”
As the PM apologises for his sore throat, they sympathise. As he takes on Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s criticism over the Tata Motors project in Sanand, one woman nudges the other, “Nano… he talking about the Nano.” Modi talks about the riches he has brought to the area, saying, “Today in the homes of farmers stands char-char bangdi wali gaadi (car with four bangles, referring to the Audi monogram).” People clap and scream.
Three women, holding expensive phones and sitting apart from the Baldana women, excitedly talk about Kinjal Dave, a local singer who had scored a hit with her number Char bangdi wali gaadi. One of the women in the crowd calls someone up and says, “I am in Modi saheb’s sabha, can you hear him?” and turns the phone’s microphone towards the stage.
A bored child throws a tantrum. His mother tells him, “Shh… Modi maarse (Modi will beat you)”. On the stage, the PM has moved on to the topic of the day: “Mani Shankar Aiyar”. There is applause, followed by shouts of “Modi Modi.”
“Do you remember when Viramgam was last under curfew? Where did this peace come from?” Modi asks.
He will talk about Rahul, the women with phones predict, and he does. As Modi goes on, they nod, “Saachi vaat chhe (true true),” to everything. Around 3 pm, the rally is still on. As a 3-year-old stands up on a chair for a futile attempt at a better view, a woman pats him from behind and smiles, “Lala, do you want to become Narendra Modi?”
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