Ask Mallika
Posted in About Mallika
Frequently Asked Questions
ON THE DECISION TO CONTEST LOK SABHA ELECTIONS
Q. What is your motive for contesting the Lok Sabha elections?
A. For very long now, politics has become a space for politicians and not for you and me. I have been waiting for long for things to change, for good people to come into politics and change the system. I realized that people with integrity do not want to enter politics because it has become such a dirty word. I decided to change that. I know I have a lot to offer, and I have a clear agenda and vision for Gandhinagar-Ahmedabad, which is my home. I am therefore, now standing to represent the voice of the people around me, to be a strong voice for them in the Indian Parliament.
Having worked in Gujarat, I know this region very well. We need people who understand the needs of our constituency and who are capable of bringing the change which is required.
Q. Why are you not contesting with a party, but as an Independent?
A. All the major political parties in India have become quite similar to each other. There is corruption and criminalization everywhere in them. They are forever indulging in horse-trading and it has only become a game of numbers. The citizen is forgotten in this “game”. In the Lok Sabha of 2004-2009, there were 128 MPs facing criminal charges out of the total 534. Is that not shameful? We need to change this. If more independent voices that are qualified and that can focus on the job at hand come forward, we can defeat these destructive elements and take care of our country’s health.
Q. What kind of ‘change’ can you bring to Gujarat as an Independent MP?
A. I seek to represent a constituency that has had a glorious tradition of independent autonomous voices. In the past, we have had independent thinkers in Gujarat, like Indulal Yagnik, who fought against injustice and oppression, not only in India but elsewhere, and led the Mahagujarat Andolan, which finally resulted in creation of Gujarat as a political state. Shri Purshottam Mavlankar, who emerged as one of the most fearless and selfless voices during the Emergency in the ‘70s, also represented this constituency as an independent.
My mission is to give a voice to the silences that Gujarat has come to accept. I want to make Gandhinagar-Ahmedabad a place which, once again, takes a lead in politics of the ethical.
Q. Are you contesting so you can get back at Modi and the BJP?
A. No. I am contesting because I want to bring a change. I want to work towards making this country’s democracy centred around citizens. If we want to change the system, we have to work from within. I hope to do exactly that.
Having said that, I am definitely also contesting against forces of communalism, divisiveness and hatred, which seek to divide us from each other. I think we all want a society of peace and harmony and no political party whose basic ideology is to divide and incite hatred should be allowed to go on unchecked. We all have a responsibility towards stopping this and making our society habitable for every one that is a citizen here.
THE “CONTROVERSIES”
Q. Why do you oppose the Narmada Project?
A. I have accepted and maintained that the dam is a fact. I have never opposed the construction of the dam, or the raising of its height to make it a viable project. But every big development project has a cost—human and environmental. It has been my constant effort that we don’t forget that cost which many people had to pay. My effort has been to help those who were rendered homeless and without livelihood, and to make sure they were given dignified rehabilitation packages, which they have a right to receive.
What we should be asking the government today, are questions as to why the entire project, as envisaged and promised is nowhere near completion. Has the water reached the people?
Q. Why do you support “anti-Gujarat” elements such as Medha Pathkar? You invited her to the Gandhi Ashram. Why?
A. The meeting at Sabarmati Ashram was a public meeting called to discuss citizen’s initiatives in restoring peace and normalcy to Gujarat. I have stated this clearly in the past, including before the Commission of Inquiry which is looking into the incident, that Ms. Medha Pathkar was not an invitee to the meeting. She came to the meeting as a concerned citizen of this country to contribute her bit to this effort at peace, and therefore we welcomed her, as we would have welcomed anyone.
The tragedy of our times is that anyone who questions the BJP-led government in Gujarat, and exercises her constitutional right to freedom of speech and expression, a citizen who expresses concern over wrong-doings of the government, a citizen who exercises her citizenship by highlighting issues that affect many people, are immediately branded “anti-Gujarat”. This is the way in which these forces are making sure we don’t have a democracy, but an autocracy.
Q. Is it true that you were caught being involved in human trafficking?
A. No. A former part-time student of mine brought up charges in 2003, of my having “cheated” her. We were to tour the USA and Brazil for a dance tour and had applied for visas for this. As you know, everyone who applies for any visa has to pay visa application fees. The embassy does not refund these fees if the applications are rejected. This is what happened, some applications were rejected and we did not get any refund. Eventually, the tour was cancelled. This person who accused me of “cheating” said that I took her money and then didn’t even take her to the USA. And the state police even pursued this absurd charge, and the government accused the Darpana Academy of misconduct and started investigations on “suspected human-trafficking” on the basis of this “cheating” charge. It is well-known that this was a way in which the state government harassed me for having filed the public interest litigation after post-Godhra riots of 2002 in Gujarat.
This matter went up to the Supreme Court where the charges against me were quashed for lack of evidence in 2004.
I have never been involved in any criminal activity. In my affidavit before the Election Commission I have also stated that no criminal cases are pending against me, nor have I ever been convicted of any criminal offence.
Q. Why did you support Muslims during the Gujarat riots? Why do you support Muslims more than Hindus?
A. During the riots that took place in Gujarat in 2002, I took neither a pro-Muslim nor an anti-Hindu stand. Godhra and what happened after, was about the breaking of law and order, and the failure of the Gujarat government to provide security to its citizens and maintain peace within the State.
I have always condemned the use of violence, both, in the public and domestic spaces. Those who resort to violence and vandalizing public property must be tried in accordance to the judicial system, and convicted and punished if found guilty. The only way to settle social conflict has to be through constitutional means and through the judicial system. We cannot take law into our own hands and punish each other at our will. We have a justice system to take care of that. Sure it isn’t very efficient, but we should make it efficient and not become a law-less society. If we don’t follow a legitimate constitutional process, our country will become an anarchy in the hands of a few self-appointed individuals. Anger against a few individuals who commit a crime cannot be taken out on the entire community that they belong to.
I have always spoken against injustice and violence, against the oppression of women, and against the unequal treatment to anyone because of their identity at birth. Unless all the unheard voices are given a voice, and a hearing, we would move increasingly towards a violent society and therefore it is the responsibility of all of us to express the concerns of those who are either unable or are not allowed to speak for themselves. In the case of the Godhra aftermath, it happened to be the Muslim community that did not have a voice. Unless we secure justice to all victims of violence, irrespective of their religion, we will not be able to heal the wounds that we have inflicted upon ourselves. The only way forward towards lasting peace and prosperity lies through truth, justice, compassion and reconciliation.
Q. Do you support terrorism?
A. I abhor all kinds of violence, including terrorism of every kind. Terrorism affects innocent people. It must be dealt with in the strictest way. But, we also need to think about long-term solutions to stop it. We have to deal with the causes of terrorism today—poverty, injustice, and growing communal divide in our societies. We have to go to the root of the problem and find solutions.
Q. Do you support the Nano project?
A. Gujarat is well-known for industry and entrepreneurship. I myself belong to a family that has, for four generations, been leaders of industry, shaping the development of this state.
These days, “development” is understood as economic progress only. It only boils down to money. This is not true development. Development includes long-term livelihoods, sustainable growth, and access to health, education and justice.
The Gujarat Government, in its desire to bag Tata’s Nano project in competition with other states and to reinforce the impression of Gujarat being investor friendly, has promised many sops, some of which seem unrealistic and detrimental to the long-term growth of this state. I don’t oppose the coming of the Nano to Gujarat, but I am opposed to any inflated concessions that may have been made by the state government to a single corporate house. We have to calculate whether the expense is justified, and if it translates into actual jobs and returns for the state. We also should think that if such concessions are available, why are they not being invested in medium-scale and small-scale industry of the state?
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