HYDERABAD:As Narendra Modi government will complete one year in power soon, social activist Teesta Setalvad who has, over the years, been questioning the former’s role in post-Godhra riots of 2002 in Gujarat through legal battles, stressed on the vendetta unleashed by the Centre on her but not forgetting to point out an overwhelming support from different sections she has received of late.
The Padmashri recipient was speaking at a ‘Meet the media’ programme here ahead of delivering Sundarayya Memorial Lecture at Sundarayya Vignana Kendram. She also informed relaunch of her magazine Communalism Combat in an e-magazine format in August.
Expressing reservations about the Centre, she said that two extreme ideological views opted and being practiced simultaneously by the government is frightening. “This is a government run hundred per cent by the anti-constitutional ideology of the RSS. It is also a government run by extreme right-wing economic policies. Look at the land acquisition. There is a literal war going on between the tribal welfare ministry and the environment ministry,” she pointed out. Having a divided opposition is country’s biggest challenge today, she stated.
Coming down heavily on the government, she questioned how could there be two contrary opinions on foreign funding for non-profit organisations and the Foreign Direct Investments made by multinational corporations.
Further, casting doubts on the plight of Dalits and minorities in the country, she pointed out that of the total 75 reserved constituencies across the country, BJP won 59 and Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party won 5 seats during the last general elections. “Is the Dalit movement looking at the issue and examining what this phenomenon means?,” she asked
She termed the controversial embezzlement case against her as an attempt to prevent her fighting post-Godhra riot cases. “This is an age-old tactic of the RSS to malign somebody so much that their reputation is affected. We are not running away. We will go to jail but it will be an unjust law that would send us to jail when we have been transparent and accountable to law,” she said adding that her organisation has been fighting both majority and minority communalism equally.