Sangh Parivar

Far more organised, the BJP and the cadre-based Sangh outfits were
quick to reach the blast victims soon after the blasts tore up East
Ahmedabad on Saturday, while the Congress was trying to get its act
together.

Be it shifting the injured from blasts sites to hospitals,
organising blood donors, logistical support or arranging funerals, the
BJP ensured its men were present with the affected families. From booth
workers to top leaders, all its 12 cells were pressed into action by
the party. Four BJP workers including an AMC ward president who rushed
to Civil Hospital to help the injured were also injured in the twin
blasts at the Civil Hospital’s Trauma Centre. More than 6,400
booths-in-charge had fanned out in the blast-affected areas to be with
the victims’ families. The Congress, on the other hand, seemingly had
only a couple of senior leaders with some grassroot-level workers in
tow to make its presence felt.

Minutes after the first couple of blasts were reported, the BJP
sent more than 6,000 SMSs. The SMS read: Reach your nearest hospital.
Donate blood for serial blasts victims. “We have a control room at
state headquarters at Khanpur. With a computer and couple of cell
phones, the BJP is equipped to send thousands of SMSs in no time,” said
Jagdish Patel, the BJP Ahmedabad president. As SMSs were taking time in
getting delivered due to network congestion, the blood donation camp
organised by the BJP youth wing a day before the blast, proved helpful.
“We could immediately donate 231 bottles collected at the camp
organised at Naranpura to various hospitals,” Patel added.

The Congress volunteers too rushed to hospitals to donate blood
when informed by party leaders, but few Congressmen were seen at blast
sites and affected neighbourhoods. “The Congress volunteers donated
blood at both Civil and L G Hospital,” said Congress spokesperson
Jayantilal Parmar.

Pradeepsinh Jadeja, BJP MLA from Asarva, under which the
Naroda blast site falls, stayed at Civil Hospital with volunteers
during the crucial hours after the blasts. Jadeja was present at the
Civil Hospital even when the twin blasts occurred. Four BJP volunteers
accompanying Jadeja, including Pradeep Parmar (President, Asarva ward),
Raman Mali, Gulab Chauhan and councilor Raman Patni received injuries
in the twin blasts at the government hospital. When the Congress
announced Rs 1-lakh relief each for the dead on Sunday, the BJP sent
volunteers to physically help affected families in conducting last
rites.

http://www.indianexpress.com/printerFriendly/341675.html