Gandhinagar, Feb 22 US President Donald Trump's scheduled visit to Gandhi Ashram has been cancelled by people who don't like to speak the truth and opposed the truth, said former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela here on Saturday.
Gujarat was shamed by the money being wasted on the welcome, as Gandhi and Gujarat were known for austerity, he said. Vaghela was at the Gandhi Ashram in Sabarmati to pay tribute on Kasturba Gandhi's death anniversary.
"Trump's likely visit to the Ashram has been cancelled as Narendra Modi doesn't like the truth. Truth is what Gandhi stood for. But it's Godse mentality, which is wiping out the Gandhian ideology," Vaghela said.
He said Gujarat was known for Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and its austerity. "Gujarat is shamed by the huge unnecessary expenditure by the administration to welcome Trump. Why such wastage, when America has shown it doesn't like India. We will hold the Nagrik Abhivadan Samity, which has invited Trump, accountable for public money spent on this welcome," said Vaghela.
"The America that denied you (Modi) a diplomatic visa when you were Gujarat CM and insulted Gujarat thereby, why are you being a doormat for them and become his stooge? To propagandise him for his political gains? Trump has stated there won't be any business deal with India," he said.
"I pity our Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. The poor fellow doesn't know what is going on around him," said Vaghela, head of the National Congress Party's (NCP) Gujarat unit. He quit the Congress in 2017 before the December 2017 Assembly elections.
( With inputs from IANS )