Several mobile phones in Gujarat now speak Narendra Modi’s language. An extract from a speech delivered by the Chief Minister is fast becoming popular as a ringtone here. Apart from BJP MLAs and party workers, industrialists, executives and even students have saved 17 seconds of the Modi speech, either as their ringtone or caller tune. ‘‘My friends and relatives have flooded me with requests to forward the Modi ringtone,’’ says Mumbai-based industrialist Bhavesh Koradia. Owner of Hemal Pharmaceuticals, Koradia says he liked Modi’s ‘‘voice and the way he conveys his messages.the ringtone says it all.’’ Downloaded from the CM’s official website, the speech transcript was converted into a ringtone by an IT professor of the Bhavnagar University about a month ago. ‘‘I was experimenting with my new handset and trying to download some soundtracks when I stumbled upon the idea of using Modi’s speech as a ringtone,’’ says the professor, who did not wish to be named. He forwarded it to his friends and family members and the idea caught on. Hitesh Pandya, PRO to the CM, uses the speech as his caller tune: ‘‘The 17-second tone is an extract from Narendra Modi’s reply to a question put before him by the then Opposition leader Amarsinh Chaudhary in the Vidhan Sabha during the 2003 session.’’ The extract says: ‘‘Gujarat na bhayishva no vichar, rajkiya aata-paata thi upar uthine karvo joiye, aavtikaalna Gujarat ni Chinta karvi joiye, kurshiyon par nazar rakhine Gujarat nu bhalu karvani pervi na thaiye shakke. (Gujarat’s future should be considered above political calculations. Concern should be for tomorrow’s Gujarat. Betterment of Gujarat cannot be achieved by keeping an eye on the chair).’’ Says Hyderabad-based textile merchant, Vimal Sanghvi, who bought a GPRS handset recently to download his favourite Bollywood tunes: ‘‘The Modi ringtone is a bonus. I use it as my ringtone and my friends in Hyderabad like it, too.’’ A senior Hutch official, who has downloaded the ringtone, says he is impressed by Modi’s personality and the way he conducts himself. ‘‘I do not see him as a politician, but as a personality, he makes a difference,’’ he says. Hutch has no figures to show how many people have downloaded the ringtone on their GPRS handsets, but officials say, ‘‘several susbscribers have asked us to provide Modi’s speech as ringtone, but no decision has been taken yet.’’ Hitesh Nagariya, a tailor in Gondal town, says: ‘‘A friend from Hyderabad forwarded this ringtone to me. Now, everyone who hears it asks me to forward it to them.’’
