Union Home Minister Amit Shah speaks during the 72nd convocation ceremony of Gujarat Vidhyapith, in Ahmedabad on Thursday. (ANI Photo)“Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhushan, Bharat Ratna — all these awards are not for the family, not for people known to you. It is for those who, without expecting praise dedicate their lives to the poor people of Bharat Mata”, said Union Home and Co-operation Minister Amit Shah in Gujarat‘s Amreli on Thursday.Shah also said that it was because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s “wish” that Surat-based diamond businessman Govind Dholakia was made a member of the Rajya Sabha (RS).Recalling the contribution of the Govind Dholakia-founded Shree Ramkrishna Group in curbing religious conversions in the districts of South Gujarat, Shah said Dholakia’s foundation (SRK Knowledge Foundation) built “Hanuman temples and schools”Shah was speaking at the inauguration of the Gujarat Gaurav Sarovar in Amreli, built by the Harekrishna Group and the Dholakia Foundation promoted by another leading diamantaire Savji Dholakia. Both Govind Dholakia and Savji Dholakia belong to Dudhala village of Amreli and are based in Surat.Also Reads | The Padma Awards aren’t just about prestige — they’re about deepening democracyReferring to the Padma Shri awarded to Savjibhai in 2022, Shah said, “Look at his modesty. Savjibhai said I have not even applied and yet I got a Padma Shri… Savjibhai after rejuvenating 208 lakes if you have to apply for these (awards) our government would be considered useless.Shah said, “I went to Surat, to Nizar, Uchhal, Dang, right up to Valsad… religious conversions were going on in full force. Govindbhai and some people got together at that time and began to build temples dedicated to Hanumanji, hold satsangs and build schools, I told him, “250 villages won’t do, you have to do this in all 1,100 villages. Every village should have a Hanuman temple.” And his foundation built beautiful Hanuman temples, where Sundarkaand paath is held every Saturday, and schools where students reform their lives by remainin loyal to the Sanatan dharma – it is a complete arrangement”.He recalled meeting meritorious students of the school and said, “The way those adivasi children were reciting Sanskrit shlokas… I felt peace. He (Govindbhai) has taken the campaign ahead”.Story continues below this adDon't Miss | Padma Shri Farokh Engineer, ex-India ‘keeper, waiting for his award for 53 yearsThe BJP has been alleging that there have been several instances of members of the tribal community being forced to convert to Christianity in the districts of South Gujarat.Shah said, “I called Govindkaka early one morning and said you have to go to the Rajya Sabha. He responded by saying, ‘What will I do there?’ I said, ‘Modi saheb has asked me, and it is his wish that Govindbhai comes to Rajya Sabha.”Govind Dholakia was elected to the RS in 2024 and is promoter of the SRK Group, a leading diamond manufacturer and exporter.The Gujarat Gaurav Sarovar, spanning 21 acres with a capacity of 400 million litres, will aid in the availability of water for agriculture and drinking, as well as in groundwater conservation.Amreli was among the drought-prone districts of Gujarat till the 1980s, which reportedly drove several residents to migrate to Surat and establish businesses, mainly diamond polishing.Story continues below this adShah credited Prime Minister Modi with ending droughts in Gujarat. He said that in 2001 Gujarat faced an adverse situation. “About 80 percent of the water was in the region up to Bharuch, while that area had only 16 percent of the population. Where 85 percent of the population lived, there was only 14 per cent of the water. Modi saheb tried to bridge this vast gap through manpower, public awareness and a mass movement,” said Shah, pointing out how Gujarat had “truly become drought-free”.