New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staunchly defended the move to rename the Sardar Patel cricket stadium at Motera in Ahmedabad after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as a political row broke out Wednesday.
Calling the controversy unnecessary, the BJP said only a part of the complex is named after PM Modi.
Moreover, it accused the Congress of doublespeak, saying the party, which named over a dozen stadiums and 28 sports trophies after members of the Nehru-Gandhi family, has no right to question the move.
In a statement, the government, however, pegged the number of stadiums named after the Nehru-Gandhi family at 23.
The defence came as the Congress attacked the Modi government, calling the decision an insult to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and a display of PM Modi’s narcissism.
On Wednesday, ahead of the India-England Test match, President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the world’s largest, 1.32-lakh-seater stadium in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju.
At the event, it was announced that the refurbished stadium had been renamed as the Narendra Modi Stadium, in honour of the sitting PM.
According to Kovind’s address, the PM had conceptualised the project during his tenure as the state chief minister and the Gujarat Cricket Association president.
“We have decided to name it after the country’s Prime Minister. It was Modi ji’s dream project,” Shah said after the inauguration.
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‘Modi’s dream project, Congress spreading lies’
Speaking to ThePrint, BJP’s Gujarat unit general secretary Vinod Bhai Chavda pointed out that only a part of the Sardar Patel complex in Ahmedabad has been renamed.
“What is the harm in it? Congress has named 19 stadiums in the name of Rajiv Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru. Narendra bhai was instrumental behind its (stadium) creation. He is the most loved prime minister. They are spreading lies. It’s a habit of Congress party,” said Chavda.
BJP national secretary Satya Kumar released a list of stadiums that have been named after members of the Nehru-Gandhi family.
•28 sports tournaments, awards & trophies named after members of Nehru-Gandhi family.
•19 stadium named after the members of the Nehru-Gandhi family.
Same party people are rattled when merely '1' stadium has been named after @narendramodi Ji which was his vision & brainchild. pic.twitter.com/JNoGU5hDha
— Y. Satya Kumar (@satyakumar_y) February 24, 2021
“It is Congress’ hypocrisy. Only one stadium is named after the prime minister (Modi), but there are a dozen stadiums named after Rajiv Gandhi. But they are questioning BJP,” Kumar told ThePrint.
These statements came even as Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Shashi Tharoor and Rajeev Satav, among others, tweeted against the move.
"इस मिट्टी में कुछ अनूठा है, जो कई बाधाओं के बावजूद हमेशा महान आत्माओं का निवास रहा है।"
~ सरदार पटेल
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) February 24, 2021
Maybe they just realised the stadium was named for a Home Minister who had banned their parent organisation! Or maybe this is advance booking to ensure the next visiting Head of State is hosted here, like Trump? Or is this the beginning of a legacy-creation-thru-labelling spree? https://t.co/yMppcTbSw5
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) February 24, 2021
Renaming Motera cricket stadium from Sardar Patel to Narendra Modi is an absolute disgrace. This shows how narcissistic our PM has become. This is outrageous and a clear sign of autocratic dictatorship.https://t.co/sDi4tKKhZW
— Rajeev Satav (@SATAVRAJEEV) February 24, 2021
अब लोहपुरुष सरदार पटेल को भी वणक्कम !
पहले महात्मा गाँधी को खादी कैलेंडर से ग़ायब किया और अब मोटेरा स्टेडीयम से सरदार पटेल को।
एक “आत्ममुग्ध” प्रधानमंत्री और चाटुकारों की सरकार से इसी शर्मनाक व्यवहार की उम्मीद थी।
जान लें, ‘बापू’ और ‘सरदार’ का नाम भाजपाई कभी नही मिटा सकते। pic.twitter.com/g1NJbNappR
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) February 24, 2021
World’s largest stadium
The Narendra Modi stadium has been built over 63 acres at an estimated cost of Rs 800 crore. Its total area is equivalent to 32 Olympic size soirée fields, said a government press statement.
With its seating capacity, it surpassed the Melbourne Cricket Stadium in Australia, which can accommodate 90,000.
Over the years, the Motera stadium has seen many milestones, including former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar’s 10,000-run landmark in Test cricket and Kapil Dev’s feat to become the highest wicket-taker in the world in 1994 surpassing Sir Richard Hadlee.
Australian cricket firm Populous, which has the Melbourne cricket stadium to its credit, is the architect of the new stadium.
Speaking to ThePrint, a BJP minister in the Gujarat government said, “After two days of the controversy, nobody will remember the Congress objection. People will only remember Narendra Modi’s vision to construct the biggest stadium.”
He added, “Narendra bhai is very fond of creating huge, larger-than-life infrastructure, whether it’s the Gandhi Museum (Gandhinagar) or Sardar Patel statue project (Narmada). Now he has taken new parliament building construction. It will be a new age building. History remembers those who create infrastructure, not those who criticise.”
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BJP seems to be slipping into same groove as congress. Irrespective of several hundreds of projects, institutions and facilities named after Nehru and pseudo Gandhis, BJP which claims to be a party with difference is also indulging in personality cult. Almost every minister of Modi government has to pay obeseince to Modi every time he speaks in the public. I am not saying that Modi demands this, but certainly the Ministers think that this is the route for their political growth. This personality cult in BJP cannot do any more good to the society than the personality cult in Congress.
I agree with You. There is no need for Bjp sycophants to praise PM in every speech. The whole country already knows & appreciate the PM. And the people show their love in elections. BJP ministers should focus on the schemes of the government, on last mile delivery. No need to mention PM name a zillion times. I am sure even the PM doesn’t want it. All these people whether Modi, Amit Shah, Yogi, Dilip Ghosh, Shivraj etc are grassroot workers & leaders. They should continue to follow antodya philosophy.
Bjp doesn’t seem to have unity among themselves, most of the leaders accept modi believe in false news before even asking if modi actually did it resulting in what could have been solved with a simple sentence “the stadium is a private complex became a big thing”.
So finally BJP opted to follow Congress beginning with renaming of SVP Stadium as Namo. But Congress named Nehru Gandhi after they are expired but BJP is naming those who are alive. Probably, Modi wants to see that his is indeed used unlike Nehru Gandhi
Also as an added attraction, the seating gallery and field match with party flag minus Lotus
Congress trapped in its own game. Still they won’t have the guts to speak against their God Nehru who named everything over him. Had he stayed alive a little longer, India would have been Nehrustan.
I believe the Prime Minister himself had remarked that he doesnt wish any scheme/ stadium / airport to be named after him. And to his credit not a single scheme he launched, program he executed is named after him. This is in such stark contrast to the dynasts who gave themselves Bharat Ratna! Every hospital, airport & road is named after them. BUT – I would like the Prime Minister to step in and stop this naming of the stadium after him, while he is in power. In future, after many years, when Modi is retired, if Yogi Adityanath/ Tejaswi Surya/ Kishen Reddy or any other BJP leader in power decides to dedicate such projects in his name, it can still be accepted to some extent. For now, The PM should step in, and stop it.
Heck, , be glad India does not undeservedly become Modi land in the near future. Narcist in every naming he has done the last 7 years. Govt money when contributed becomes Pradhan Mantri Yojana this or that. Sicko !!
Are u nuts sir? Pradhan Mantri yojana is NOT named after Modi. The PM of India is an institution. You are such a biased individual. Rather than appreciating the fact that Modi has stopped the practice of naming schemes after himself, you are throwing lies and muck at PM of India schemes? Shame on You Sir.
Not the stadium but the conclave is named after Sardar Patel. Motera Stadium is just one part of the Sardar Patel Conclave. The stadium is renamed as Narendra Modi; Sardar Patel Conclave remains unchanged.
Enclave not Conclave. Sorry for the error.
Eveything has been done earlier by the Congress . So they could maintain silence on this. BJPis only proving that they are in the same category as Congress and their leaders are no better.
Stupid move by BJP. Wrong move!!!
In the HOMETOWN OF MAHATMA GANDHI itself, more places named after Nehru-Indira- Rajiv rather than after Mahatma himself. If Nehru dynasty had continued next generation of Indian school children would have learned that Mahatma Gandhi was Jawaharlal Nehru’s follower.
But 72 years later India still calls Mahatma Gandhi father of the nation. But the BJP seems to be hiring people who praise Godse. then again can’t expect better from a party like BJP with RSS that did nothing for the independence of this country
The issue is Congress undermining Gandhi, not BJP.
Congress owes it’s power to Gandhi. Otherwise Nehru family & all sundries would be nothing. They have shown their contempt for people who worked for nation like Mahatma Gandhi & Narasimha Rao.
Congress has become progressively party of sycophants since Independence. There is proveb if a your dog barks at you shoot him. This is what Congress has been doing, in more sophisticated way in Nehru’s time, uncultured way in Indira’s time and fascist way in Sonia’s time, since he father was a fascist, who fought for Hitler against USSR.
So is the BJP saying they will rename another 18 stadiums. All after Modiji?