Jitendra Vaghani, 52, or Jitu Vaghani as he’s popularly identified, was renominated by the BJP from Bhavnagar (West) seat, in its listing launched on Thursday. In an interview to The Indian Categorical, Vaghani, who’s the Training Minister within the outgoing Bhupendra Patel authorities, in addition to its spokesperson, talks about varied agitations by workers and different points the federal government confronted. Excerpts:
You began fulfilling calls for of educating mandals proper after taking on a 12 months again.
Vaghani: Proper after taking on as minister, I took it in my fingers. Most points are associated to my (Training) division. I’m pleased that the workers are so pleased. There isn’t a worker who has not been benefited by Rs 3,000-4,000 monthly.
The state authorities was saying schemes inside hours of Arvind Kejriwal promising the identical for AAP in Gujarat, like, say, a hike in salaries of police jawans.
Vaghani: This can be a unsuitable impression. Speaking about this particular case, our talks have been already in course of. One way or the other this was leaked to them and so they introduced it. As soon as I took over, I made certain to announce it straight with none delay, after a call was taken. These have been completed proper on the desk — proper after points have been resolved, they have been introduced within the media. I had instructed all officers that the information ought to come on to them, with none intermediaries.
Why are you continue to stressing and counting on schemes launched by the Narendra Modi authorities within the state 20 years again?
Vaghani: We’re not elevating these however persevering with them. Gunotsav got here from Shala Praveshotsav, Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK) got here from the scheme underneath which each youngster is tracked. These are foundations of change. This isn’t occurring in some other place within the nation. Underneath VSK, every youngster is being tracked and her studying ranges are monitored. Folks from all over the place are visiting it and seeing it for themselves. To deliver change is our duty. It has been completed and we’re doing it.
In my public addresses, I ask: increase your fingers, these of you who’ve studied above Class 8. A number of fingers are raised. Whose duty was it? I used to be not there then, I’ve come solely now. Why did the youngsters not research? Once I ask them if their kids are finding out in Courses 8, 9 or 10, almost 90% fingers are raised. I inform them, these whose fingers usually are not raised grew up within the occasions of Opposition rule, those that are finding out are underneath our authorities. Folks perceive this.
Anganwadi employees go to houses asking folks to get their kids enrolled in anganwadi centres, after which once more when the kid is to get enrolled in Class I, to make sure that they’ve. The place have been anganwadi centres earlier than? I’ve by no means gone to an anganwadi centre as a result of they weren’t there.
The state authorities has been accused of outsourcing jobs throughout departments and never filling vacant posts.
Vaghani: We’re solely following the federal government coverage for recruitment. To present companies to such an enormous inhabitants and guarantee they don’t face any problem, it’s for this that this association (outsourcing) exists. It was there earlier than too and adopted in each state. It isn’t that it’s occurring in solely Gujarat.
They [the Opposition] increase these points throughout elections. They provide and would possibly even give (these companies), however fail to maintain it. In lots of states, the Congress promised free electrical energy and later retracted. What’s Punjab’s situation right this moment? Individuals are not getting salaries. To announce and supply companies are two various things. With elections due in Gujarat, many states have declared a hike in salaries, however what’s the situation in these states?
Why are senior leaders commonly mentioning temples in marketing campaign speeches?
Vaghani: The Kalika Mata temple point out by (Union Dwelling Minister) Amit Shah… Kashi Vishwanath, Ujjain Mahakaal, Somnath, Kedarnath and Ayodhya… all these temples being talked about and talked about are symbols of our cultural heritage. Even once I identify these in my speeches, these listening to me get related, as these are our cultural heritage. I inform them that Narendrabhai (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) is the nimit (facilitator) that God and you’ve got chosen. It immediately touches everybody.
Everybody has visited one in all these or another temple in some unspecified time in the future of their lifetime. They see the way it was earlier and the way it’s now. It touches folks. We’re transferring as per our tradition, non secular and faith.
Yesterday I noticed that in one in all his interviews, Amitbhai (Amit Shah) talked about these (temples). It’s a incontrovertible fact that work has been completed. Additionally, it’s being completed in order that our cultural heritage continues for the approaching generations. That is our agenda.
What are the opposite issues in your agenda within the elections?
Vaghani: There might be many points, however after we discuss these (temples), we discover that the folks get touched. We are able to see it of their eyes, facial expressions, the best way they cheer with claps, chant slogans of Jai Sri Ram. These join immediately. There was no dhwaja for 600 years, after these a few years a dhwaja was put up at Kalika Mata Temple in Pavagadh. Temple was there for years. This isn’t a small factor. That is completely on the proper path. We are saying this respectfully that Narendrabhai is the nimit, however it’s all completed by God who has chosen this as our work.
Does this join range from one space to a different?
Vaghani: Gujarat ki taseer hello dharmikta hai (Religiosity is in Gujarat’s blood). When talked about, it touches immediately. Right here now we have Kalika Mata, Ambaji, Somnath, Dwarka. We’re allotting loads of funds underneath tourism to temples. It was determined within the core committee to allocate cash with out a second thought to all such temples.
Why does the federal government take offence to elevating of the difficulty of unemployment?
Vaghani: It is a matter created by the Opposition. We’ve dominated for almost 28 years the place now we have labored. Take a look at the information — 75 per cent employment is in Gujarat. Vibrant Gujarat Summits completed by Narendrabhai introduced employment, 24 hour electrical energy in villages introduced employment. Water is now out there for each industries and households. Most significantly, there is no such thing as a agitation and no unions. It’s authorities’s duty that workers and house owners work collectively peacefully. Earlier, mills have been getting closed as a result of unions. The change has been created. Once I was younger, I’d suppose that after commencement, I’ll work for Rs 3,000, give Rs 2,500 to my house and hold Rs 500 for petrol bills. Right this moment no graduate youth is working for even Rs 5,000. As a result of they’re getting alternatives.
Within the final couple of months, Gujarat has witnessed a sequence of protests by authorities workers, although they have been finally pacified.
Vaghani: All options I launched have been potential solely after revising and excluding situations within the GRs (Authorities Resolutions). Solely then might the confusions be eliminated. They (officers) write two traces, and it results in infinite confusion. The technique I adopted was to carry a gathering of mandals (authorities worker associations) and officers earlier than notifying the GR, to make sure that the GR incorporates no matter has been determined as the answer, in order that they’ll’t blame us afterwards. I known as the deputy secretaries and clerks too, or else these points wouldn’t have been resolved. I by no means really feel like I’m a minister and shouldn’t be calling clerks or part officers to conferences. Or else, how are you going to ship in a 12 months? Tantra toh tantra hai (System is a system in any case).
Why was all the capital metropolis of Gandhinagar changed into a fortress when completely different worker associations camped in protest exterior the Secretariat?
Vaghani: This occurs earlier than each election. That is nothing. 1000’s of workers from one division sit in protest each time. This time it was additionally as a result of return to the Previous Pension Scheme (OPS) announcement made by Punjab and Rajasthan. These states won’t be able to take the monetary burden, their governments will fail — this I may give you in writing. Taking this monetary burden is just not potential.
Among the points underneath the Rajya Sarkari Karamchari Sangh are as previous as 30-35 years. Officers who ought to have addressed these points didn’t.
Vaghani: Once more, the notion that these [issues] could have a bearing on the elections is unsuitable. They received’t have an effect on votes a lot. I informed them — don’t suppose ki ap logon ne mahaul kharab kiya hai (don’t imagine the rumours that you just folks have vittiated the ambiance). I informed them truthfully that individuals don’t like your agitations, demanding extra money and never working. On humanitarian grounds, we agreed to solely these of your calls for that have been justified. However it’s not that it’ll have an effect on us (within the elections).