New Delhi/Ahmedabad:
It's a tablet war but of a different kind. Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi are engaged in a bitter battle over Aakash, the low-cost tablet developed by Mr Sibal's ministry.
A few weeks ago, Mr Modi had ridiculed Mr Sibal and had questioned if the low-cost tablet Aakash is all in aakash -up in the air! Keen to respond, Mr Sibal promised that he would send the latest version of the tablet to Mr Modi when he visits IIM Ahmedabad in September.
Mr Sibal and Mr Modi were to face-off at a high profile meet at the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad on September 22. However, that much promised meeting didn't take place as both didn't have time for the meet.
So, true to his promise, on Saturday, Mr Sibal sent an official to Mr Modi's office to hand deliver an Aakash tablet. However, after signing in the visitor's register on the Chief Minister's office, the HRD official was sent back. The HRD official's effort to deliver the tablet at the CM's residence too proved futile.
A day later, Mr Modi posted on Twitter that Mr Sibal should "first make an honest effort to ensure delivery of good quality Computing & Access device to our youth."
"Instead of cheap gimmicks, the minister should first inform the nation on his promise to provide Aakash tablet to 10 lakh youth in 2011!" his tweet read.
"This shows the mindset of the Gujarat Chief Minister. It shows his narrow-mindedness and pettiness," Kapil Sibal told NDTV. Reacting to Mr Modi's tweet, he added that "Aakash is a means of development and education. If he (Narendra Modi) doesn't want to educate his people, then it is his call. But this is definitely good for enhancing education. When he wakes up from his sleep, he will realise the significance of the tablet."
Sources in the Gujarat government, however, say that the Chief Minister was not in the state as he had come to attend the BJP's National Executive in Surajkund on the outskirts of Delhi. And that perhaps explains why the HRD official was not allowed into the Chief Minister's office.
Now, even as the HRD ministry plans to send the tablet by courier; Mr Sibal is headed to Ahmedabad this week for a press conference. Clearly, the last word on the subject has not spoken yet.