NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF PEOPLE’S MOVEMENTS

A Wing First Floor, Haji Habib Building, Naigaon Cross Road  

Dadar (E), Mumbai-400 014 Ph. No – 9969363065; Delhi Contact: 09818905316

For Immediate Release                                                                                              12^th April, 2011

Anna Hazare’s statement endorsing and appreciating the ‘Modi-Raj’ is unfortunate and unacceptable

It was shocking to find that Anna Hazareji after receiving support by all of us, with millions, publicly appreciated the rule as well rural development work by the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Mr. Narendra Modi. The entire world knows the role played by him and his administration in the Gujarat’s communal riots. His government has only indicated callousness and contempt for the farmers and other natural resource based communities in Gujarat, including those fighting against displacement from their land and livelihood or for rehabilitation.

On the issue of corruption, Modi’s response to the initiative to bring in a strong enactment or to wipe out corruption is, to say the least, only politically motivated. If only he was committed to an institution like the Jan Lokpal, how could the Lokpal’s post be vacant in Gujarat since 2005? His government has suppressed massive corruption in the land purchases while submitted exaggerated data on benefits to the drought areas of Kutch and Saurashtra and the rural population. 

In Narmada, we have seen how the adivasis in Gujarat, screaming against the legal violations and deprivation in the rehabilitation work do not receive any response and the Modi Government is ready to submerge the best of agricultural land and generations old villages and township in the dam reservoir in three states.

As a shrewd politician, Mr. Modi knows how to divide the secular force and seek advantage for himself and his party. We shouldn’t however fall prey to this. Anna too must hear and heed to the serious grievances and charges coming from the activists and people in Gujarat against Mr. Modi and his government. Gujarat is growing only for and with the industrialists at the cost of those contributing their land or human labour and now the local communities in Gujarat have also stood up to the challenge the injustices.

All of this clearly indicate a betrayal of rural needy population for his corporate vision. We surely would join many of Gujarat’s progressive activists who know the ground reality and the atrocities against the dalits, adivasis, minorities and other downtrodden population to tell Anna that he should stay away from supporting politicians until and unless they prove their mettle and commitment to people’s causes.  We agree with the letters written by activists Rohit Prajapati and Trupti Shah to Anna, seeking an explanation. The common people of India have supported the battle against corruption with faith in our campaign and credibility as people’s movements based on the core values of equity, justice, democracy, secularism and plurality. This should not be compromised at any cost.

Endorsed by: