Gujarat minister weighed with blood on 77th birthday

Gujarat Food and civil supplies Minister Narottam Patel turned 77 amidst a novel celebration, where he was weighed with blood on a weighing scale decorated with flowers.

The celebration was organised apparently to impress the Patel community, a major vote bank in election-bound Gujarat.

Bharatiya Janata Party's workers and his supporters had earlier organised a blood donation camp across the city.

They reportedly collected 70 litres of blood to counter balance the minister's 70 kg body weight on the massive weighing scale, for the bizarre celebration.

On one side of the scale sat the smiling minister. On the other side, an ice box filled with blood bags was placed, party sources said.

A senior minister in the Narendra Modi-led government, Patel turned 77 on Wednesday and was weighed with blood on Wednesday night, sources said.

Buoyed by the act, the minister said he felt honoured.

Trying to draw mileage from the celebration, the minister drew parallels with freedom fighter Subash Chandra Bose and stated that he (Bose) had once said "Tum Mujhe khoon Do, mein tumhe azaadi doonga (you give me blood, I will give you freedom)".

"I will fight for them (the people), considering that they have given me their blood," Patel said.

The blood bags collected by his supporters were then handed over to various blood banks in the city.

In a similar show of strength, BJP leader R C Faldu was weighed with blood by his supporters about two years ago, sources said.