'Vibrant Gujarat' a marketing gimmick, says Sachin Pilot

NEW DELHI: Taking a jibe at Narendra Modi and his 'marketing gimmicks', Union Minister Sachin Pilot says that the Gujarat leader is capable of taking credit for even the businesses set up by Gujaratis across the world over the past many decades.

The young minister also dubbed the state government's investor summit, 'Vibrant Gujarat', as a marketing blitz with "exaggerated numbers", and said that Modi should understand that "taking credit and delivering are different things".

Modi has been always vocal about the economic progress made by Gujarat and its people and the 'Vibrant Gujarat' summit often witnesses the companies from India and abroad announcing huge investment plans for the state.

"It (Vibrant Gujarat) is just a marketing gimmick," Corporate Affairs Minister Pilot told PTI in an interview.

When asked whether he would ask for an enquiry by the Ministry into how many of these announcements have actually materialised into actual investments, Pilot however said: "I am not here to do a witch-hunt on who has done what and not. But, if a complaint comes, I will look into it."

Pilot, however, flayed the hype created around Modi himself and about the state's economic prowess, saying that most of these things were orchestrated.

"The marketing, PR machinery and the media blitz, these are all orchestrated. Full credit goes to Modi for organising the media blitz," Pilot said.

Noting that Gujarat has been a progressive entrepreneurial state since 1950s, the young Congress leader said there are Gujaratis living who live in Africa and who have done wonders in the business community.

"There are also Gujaratis in Canada and US from the 1950s. Let Modi take credit for that also that all Gujaratis who have built hotels and factories in Africa and all over the world," Pilot said.