The show goes on, and on, for BJP, Gujarat govt

The stadium with 1.3 lakh capacity, owned by the Gujarat Cricket Association, has ever been celebrated by the BJP authorities successful the authorities and astatine the Centre arsenic “the biggest successful the world”.

Two days aft Coldplay wrapped up its Ahmedabad shows, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aft whom the stadium is named, cited their occurrence arsenic an illustration of the imaginable of a “concert economy”, which could assistance “boost tourism and make jobs”. Modi was speaking astatine the inauguration of the Utkarsh Odisha Business Conclave.

Gujarat Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi shared that the stadium was filled to the gills implicit the 2 days of the Coldplay shows, connected January 25 and 26. Of the full 2.5 lakh who attended, helium noted, 1.70 lakh were from extracurricular the state.

To others successful the Gujarat authorities and BJP, the Coldplay occurrence has boosted Ahmedabad’s bid to big the Olympics circa 2036. The Gujarat BJP posted arsenic overmuch connected societal media, promoting the amusement with the tagline ‘Ahmedabad Gearing up for Olympics 2036’.

Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw supplemented these voices, posting connected X that the concerts “showcased India’s capableness to big world-class events”.

Gujarat Metro Rail Corporation enactment retired a connection saying that galore much radical took the Metro for the concerts than had done for cricket matches. For example, it said, its erstwhile ridership precocious was 1.65 lakh radical connected the time it ran 439 trips for the IPL lucifer successful May past year. While it ran less trips, 406, for the concert, the corp said, arsenic galore arsenic 2.13 lakh radical rode the Metro.

Western Railway posted connected X that “17,000 fans” had travelled connected the 13 peculiar trains tally from Delhi and Mumbai to Ahmedabad for the concerts.

Commandos of the National Security Guard were portion of the 4,000-strong unit deployed for security.

Before it was christened the Narendra Modi Stadium, the Motera venue had held its archetypal large lawsuit erstwhile Modi hosted US President Donald Trump during his sojourn to India successful February 2020. An estimated 1.25 lakh radical had attended that event, including apical US and Indian officials.

The Coldplay shows followed successful the aftermath of 2 different large concerts held successful Ahmedabad precocious – by Diljit Dosanjh connected November 17 past twelvemonth and Arijit Singh connected January 12 connected the GIFT City grounds successful Gandhinagar. They showcased Gujarat’s infrastructural prowess arsenic overmuch arsenic the operation cranes astatine enactment which formed their backdrop.

A apical authorities authoritative said: “Today, if radical Google ‘Ahmedabad’, the hunt volition propulsion up each these events and the praise that (Coldplay pb singer) Chris Martin showered (on the show)… They volition get to cognize (about Gujarat) for themselves.”

The authoritative added that dissimilar different large cities, Ahmedabad was “safe”, and that young girls and boys dressed successful their champion could beryllium assured astir “freely walking the streets without the fearfulness of being harassed”. Apprehensions astir information are 1 of the premier considerations for performance organisers.

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Narhari Amin, who is besides a erstwhile president of the Gujarat Cricket Association, said that the creaseless behaviour of an lawsuit of this standard is “a precise large thing”, and pointed to the facilities astatine the stadium – specified arsenic aggregate introduction and exit points – making it an apt venue.

Amin, who was erstwhile successful the Congress, added that the Modi authorities began readying for “an lawsuit of the standard of the Olympics” a portion back. “He had introduced Khel Mahakumbh erstwhile helium was the Gujarat Chief Minister. Even Amitbhai (Union Home Minister Amit Shah) encouraged gathering of sports infrastructure successful Naranpura and respective places successful his constituency.”

An authoritative from a sports assemblage said: “Infrastructure wise, we are acold ahead. We person 12 years to spell (for the Olympics), and hosting it volition not beryllium a occupation astatine all.”

Meanwhile, different events are already coming Gujarat’s way. On Wednesday, Chief curate Bhupendra Patel met the President of the Commonwealth Games Federation, Chris Jenkins, to sermon preparations for hosting planetary events similar Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships successful 2025, the Under-20 Athletics Championships successful 2028, and the World Police and Fire Games successful 2029.

Gujarat Congress spokesperson Manish Doshi called the BJP’s “hype” regarding the Coldplay performance a “diversionary tactic” from “the existent issues of unemployment, terms rise, education, wellness and truthful on”.

“While we invited encouragement of civilization and sports, the BJP has scrapped the posts of euphony teachers successful schools and posts of carnal acquisition instructors successful schools stay vacant. Building 1 playground per taluka would payment the citizens overmuch much than gathering and celebrating specified ample stadiums. These lone springiness governmental mileage to the BJP,” Doshi said.

He besides asked however the promotion of Coldplay, “a overseas band”, sits good with the BJP’s slogan ‘Vocal for Local’. “Why not beforehand section dayro (folk euphony from Gujarat)?”