We won’t tolerate merger of Daman in Gujarat: Daman Congress

SURAT: The Daman and Diu Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president, Ketan Patel, has said that the people of the Union territory will not tolerate any move by the Centre to merge Daman and Diu into Gujarat through the appointment of former home minister of Gujarat, Praful Khodabhai Patel.

DPCC president, Ketan Patel said that the idea of merging of Daman with Gujarat has been opposed during the successive government of Congress and BJP since 1993. Last year, minister of state for home, Haribhai Chaudhary was opposed by the local people when he talked about the proposal readied by the Centre for the merger of Daman into Gujarat.

“This is first time a politician has been appointed as administrator of Daman and Diu. However, they (BJP government) could have made political appointment from Daman, Diu or DNH. But, they choose to import Praful Patel from Himmatnagar in Gujarat,” said DPCC president Ketan Patel.

Patel added, “The people of Daman are very critical of any such move on merging the territory with Gujarat. We won’t allow to merge our boundaries with the Gujarat at cost. The people of Daman and Diu will fight this out.”

Recalling the visit of former chief minister of Gujarat, Anandiben Patel at DNH, Patel said, “She (Patel) had met senior officials from the DNH administration. Why the CM of Gujarat held meetings with the DNH officials? Something is cooking in New Delhi and this is the reason why Praful Patel has been appointed as administrator of Daman and Diu.”