Narendra Modi to distribute Kashmir made bats during Vivekanada Yuva Vikas Yatra

NEW DELHI | AHMEDABAD: Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi launched his Vivekanada Yuva Vikas Yatra, from Mehsana, with a little known Kashmiri connection. To connect with rural youth, the Gujarat government will distribute sports kits to around 18,000 villages across the state during Modi’s yatra, covering 182 assembly constituencies. Cricket bats for the kits have been manufactured by a small sports goods unit in Sangam, in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The state governments order has come as godsend for Famous Store owner Seraj Ahmad, who told ETthat he was very happy to have the business. “We got the order from a factory in Meerut, but we know that the original order is from the Gujarat government,” said Ahmad. The bats have a Gujarati language slogan etched across: “Gujarat will play, Gujarat will win.”

Ahmad is hoping that further orders also might be forthcoming from the state government. “But I believe elections are going to be announced soon, and the model code of conduct will kick in,” he says.

For now, the state government will distribute cricket, volleyball, carom and chess kits to rural youth to promote sports culture through Vivekananda Yuva Kendras, which would be set up.

“The government plans to distribute cricket bats and other sports items to Vivekananda Yuva Kendras that are coming up,” said Jaynarayan Vyas, spokesperson for the state government. Each kit is likely to cost Rs 5,000 with a total expenditure of Rs 10 crore. Modi, has often stressed on Gujarati pride, with an election slogan, ‘Jeetega Gujarat’ and spoken about his 1992 visit to Jammu and Kashmir, during Murli Manohar Joshi’s Ekta Yatra to unfurl the Tricolour at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk.

And in the matter of sourcing cricket bats, he has displayed the Gujarati business-like attitude.