Thaindian News

Gandhinagar, April 11, (IANS) Danseuse and activist Mallika Sarabhai, who was one of the vocal supporters of Anna Hazare’s anti-corruption crusade, Monday asked the social reformer to retract his praise of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for development work.

Sarabhai, who spearheaded the support for Hazare in the state, said she will distance herself from the movement if Hazare does not take back his endorsement of Modi.

In her e-mail to the veteran Gandhian, she said “We are deeply shocked by your endorsement of Narendra Modi’s rural development. There has been little or no rural development in this state. In fact, village grazing lands and irrigated farmlands have been stealthily taken by the government and sold off at ridiculous prices to a small club of industrialists.

At a press meet in New Delhi Sunday, Hazare praised the good development work done by Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and asked all the chief ministers in the country to emulate them.

Sarabhai said: “There has been no Lokayukta (ombudsman) in Gujarat for nearly seven years so hundreds of complaints against corruption are lying unheard.

“Your endorsement is apalling and we will be forced to distance ourselves from the Lokpal movement unless it is irrevocably retracted,” she added.

“I believe he (Hazare) is not aware of the corruption levels in Gujarat,” she added.

She also voiced her reservations at the absence of any woman on the committee that will draft a stringent anti-corruption bill.

Mallika’s point of view was echoed by state convenor of India against Corruption, Vinod Pandya, who feels that the Gandhian should not be voicing support without acquainting himself with the facts.