Ahmedabad: After Gujarat Chief Minister
Narendra Modi and senior Congress leader Shankersinh Vaghela,
former state minister Gordhan Zadafia on Monday launched his
51-hour Samvedana fast in Gandhinagar.
The fast was launched by Zadafia, who is president of the
Maha Gujarat Janta Party (MJP), on the sidelines of the mega
rally held by BJP to demand recall of Governor Kamla Beniwal
over appointment of Lokayukta.
Zadafia demanded that the state Lokayukta should look
into the Opposition claim of Modi government's involvement in
corruption charges to the tune of Rs one lakh crore.
The former Minister of State for Home in Modi government
had parted ways with the chief minister to float his own
outfit.
He began his Samvedana (sympathy) fast near Pathikashram
in presence of his party colleagues, supporters and some
religious leaders.
Addressing a gathering on the occasion, Zadafia said the
BJP has now become a "saffron Congress", while the Congress
has been "robbing" the country.
Terming Modi's fast as a "five-star" event, he said the
real issues concerning common people were neglected amid din
of the fast and counter-fast.
"It was a mockery of the sacred weapon of Mahatma Gandhi.
Modi's fast made a dent of Rs 55 crore to the state exchequer
while Congress fast ended up only in political mudslinging,"
he said.
Claiming that the BJP government has lost "sense of
sympathy", Zadafia said he embarked on fast to express his
sympathy for the families of Dipesh and Abhishek Vaghela, who
were found dead in mysterious circumstances near Asaram Bapu's
ashram in Ahmedabad in 2008.
The parents of both the boys are on fast-unto-death since
September 17 to press for their demand for justice.
The MJP leader also expressed his sympathy to the family
of former state minister Haren Pandya who was murdered in
Ahmedabad in 2003.
PTI
First Published: Monday, September 26, 2011, 00:37