In an unexpected turn of events, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel was absent from a significant gathering in Gandhinagar where Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched the nationwide initiative ‘Aapki Punji, Aapka Adhikar’. This program, held at the Gandhinagar Town Hall, aims to enhance public awareness about unclaimed financial assets held by various banks and financial regulators across the nation. Finance Minister Sitharaman reiterated the government’s dedication to helping citizens reclaim their rightful funds and navigate the process of accessing them. Gujarat Finance Minister Kanu Desai represented the state government at the launch, officially initiating the campaign alongside Sitharaman. During his remarks, Desai indicated that Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel was anticipated to arrive soon.
Nevertheless, the Chief Minister did not appear at the event. Subsequent reports revealed that Patel was engaged in a significant political event—the formal ceremony for Jagdish Vishwakarma’s appointment as the new president of the Gujarat unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This swearing-in event took place at the party’s state headquarters, approximately 10 kilometers from the Gandhinagar Town Hall. While the Chief Minister’s absence was attributed to a scheduling conflict, it drew attention from attendees and observers due to the presence of a senior Union minister at the state-level launch. The occasion was deemed an essential move towards enhancing transparency and accountability in the financial sector, consistent with the central government’s overarching objective of promoting financial inclusion and awareness.
Despite Patel’s absence, the program proceeded effectively, with Sitharaman encouraging individuals to check for unclaimed assets and retrieve their dues via official channels. The Finance Minister pointed out that a considerable sum of money remains unclaimed, and this new initiative aims to empower citizens to access what is rightfully theirs.
