Deepak Sharma/Gandhidham
The Pioneer
Posted on
TitlAdvani sets a sterling example Author: Deepak Sharma/Gandhidham Publication: The Pioneer DatFeb. 3, 2001 He did not utter a word against anybody. But he realised what had gone wrong and what had to be done. Unprecedented destruction needs unprecedented attention. No wonder he rushed to Gujarat for the third time within five days after the quake rocked the State. But practice what you preach. And his message was straight and simple to those who are spending nights in five star hotels while assessing the situation in Gujarat's disaster zone. The first to react was none other than Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, who finally camped in Bhuj. Spending two days in a tent and eating the same food served to the jawans, 73-year-old Union Home Minister L K Advani kept on moving from one site to other, to move the wheels of excavators in the quake-hit areas of Kutch. Mr Advani first spoke to the people of Bhachau, Ratnal, Adipur and Gandhidham and later summoned Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel to his camp in the tents. He turned the heat on the top bureaucrats and geared up the para military to deliver results. "Patelji, samay barbad na ho. Yahan par aap turant crane bheje. Kambal ki itni zaroorat nahin hae, pehle tents ka intazam ho," Mr Advani told the Chief Minister in front of a motley crowd of survivors. From the site of debris to interiors in the Kutch he even walked to the Government hospitals and enquired, "Where are the sarkari doctors. What about the staff?" With communication lines snapped, Mr Advani operated from a mobile phone and kept on calling officials and Ministers one by one. "Set up more control rooms and rush senior officials to tehsils in the disaster areas," he instructed a top official. At Kandla port he went inside the ships to see what the naval doctors are doing. "How many major surgeries have you done in two days. What about seriously injured patients," he asked Commodore Aspi Bhaskar. At Bhuj, he went inside the Israeli medical camp. "I am obliged that you all are working round the clock," he told Dr Ibit, the leader of the 160-member team of Israel Army Medical Services. Within a few minutes he was talking to District Collector Kamal Dayani, "How long will it take to clear the debris. What more help you need. I feel you need more tents," Advani told him. Once in Gandhidham, he mingled with the crowd and spoke to the natives of Kutch in their language, "Do not worry. I firmly believe that we will together rebuild Kutch. We can do it. We have done it in Morbi and Surat," he tried to inspire confidence among the residents who seemed to have lost all hope. "Purshottamji aap in sabhi ki baat suniye aur yahin rahen. Aur yahan par Bakshish Singh (IG/BSF) hae, jo bhi ho sakega yeh aap ke liye karenge." he assured the people. But the scene was a bit different in Adipur. The Home Minister appeared to be emotionally charged when he visited the quake-hit (in Adipur) where his father had lived for more than four decades. For a while Advani remained silent, as his distant relatives and erstwhile neighbours flocked to him. The Advanis, after migrating from Karachi had settled in Adipur. In one of the damaged house he simply walked inside a room and hugged a 87-year-old man lying on a bed. He was friend of his father. "Have faith. We will rebuild Kutch, better than ever," Mr Advani said, as tears were about to roll from old man's eyes. Mr Advani just smiled firmly holding the hands of the man on bed. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ofbjp.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- A worldwide community of BJP's friends, supporters and activists: Friends of the BJP - Worldwid http://www.ofbjp.org/fob ----------------------------------------------------------------------
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