Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Sunday 22 September 2013

Silence the Critics / Disarm Them !



Why does any mention of Gujarat Model of development , immediately invites a lot of critics ?

Why does it create an allergic reaction , even amongst other BJP-ruled states ? And certainly amongst BJP leaders from other states ?

Such allergy and criticism from Congress and its allies is quite understandable , but nothing to worry about

What Narendra Modi – and his staunch supporters , must ask themselves is :


“ By making too much noise about Gujarat Model , are we rubbing it in too hard ?

Are we projecting ourselves as “ holier – than – thou “ ?

By endless repetition of Gujarat story are we alienating , even our ardent admirers ? “


An emphatic answer is , “ YES “ !


And this attitude spells bad – very bad – omen for NaMo and his campaign , over the weeks and months to come

It is high time NaMo and his team start declaring publicly :


“  Gujarat Model is NOT perfect 

Like any other state , we , in Gujarat too, have corruption / scams / murders / dowry-deaths / suicides of farmers and the jobless / land mafias / illegal mining / malnourished children / school drop-outs / communal tensions , etc

All that we are saying is that , we have less of these now than what we had 10 years ago – and , in many cases , less than in other states

We even know that we may never succeed in eliminating these problems completely

All that we are saying is that , we are acutely conscious of our limitations / shortcomings .

We are ashamed of what we do have , and are working very hard to reduce these problems still further

We are open to any constructive criticism , while admitting that we are bound to have slipped-up , here and there

We welcome – from friends and foes – sharply-worded specific suggestions as to what we need to do going forward

We are eager to learn from experiences of other states in tackling the problems of governance – even from currently UPA-ruled states !      “


I believe , only such candidness on part of NaMo team can win friends and silence the critics

You need to win over millions of fence-sitters who are suspicious of your tall claims – even fed up of your trumpeting it endlessly !

Only way you can do so is by giving up your “ High Moral Ground “ ! 

By placing NaMo on a very tall pedestal , you will make it almost impossible for him to live up to the expectations that you are raising !

What is so terrible to admit that even Gods have feet of clay ?

A generous dash of humility will earn you , people’s respect – and their votes


·      *    hemen  parekh  ( 22 Sept. 2013 )






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