Revelation! Centre got Modi to do his Sadbhavana fasts

In his press release today,Zadaphia attached a copy of the letter from the office of the Governor’s additional secretary,Arvind Joshi,dated March 22. “With reference to your representations… seeking details of expenses on the… Sadbhavana fast and an explanation on the appropriateness of such fasts,a report was sought from the government. The government’s home department wrote on 2-3-2012,as part of the interim reply,that the Sadbhavana fasts were organised in accordance with directives from various ministries of the central government to the state government,with an aim to preserve communal harmony in different communities in the state and to strengthen national integration and increase communal goodwill,” said the letter.

Modi launched the Sadbhavana Mission with a three-day fast on his birthday on September 17 last year. The 33 fasts concluded on February 12.

From September to December last year,Zadaphia — who was minister of state for home during Modi’s first stint as CM in 2002 but later launched the MJP — sent four letters to Beniwal on the Sadbhavana fasts,after the state government failed to reply to his first one.

While the government did not reveal the total expenditure incurred,it disclosed that Rs 1.57 crore was spent on the three-day fast,for which various government departments contributed.

Alleging that the home department’s explanation was a lie,Zadaphia sought to know “which circular of the Centre directed him to fast for sadbhavana”.

Additional chief secretary (home and general administration) Varesh Sinha was not available for comment.