‘Why are they using our name?’: Medha Patkar counters PM Modi, BJP leaders over Bharat Jodo Yatra participation

On Sunday, while addressing an election rally in the Dhoraji town of the Rajkot district prime minister had lashed out at the Congress party over Patkar joining Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in Maharashtra. He had said this was an indication of how much damage the party intends to cause to Gujarat in the coming days.

Patkar said, “We are not in politics, and not in electoral politics. A false narrative is being created for the vote bank. Some media is also involved in this. There is now a conspiracy to fool not only voters but the entire country.” “This is a fight between them and they are dragging us into it for the only reason that in the name of the Narmada, promises that were made to the people of Gujarat and they have not been fulfilled. They are scared the public will not vote for them. Now, they are asking for votes in my name.”

“We are those people who will have agitations even between two elections. Meanwhile, our work continues. For 38 years, the Narmada Bachao Andolan, Enron in Maharashtra, in Odisha, for farmers, for Adivasis, for Dalits, for women, we have been standing up for them. We take our positions after studying and understanding the issue,” Patkar said.

However, Congress’s Gujarat unit countered Modi’s criticism of the party and Rahul Gandhi for being seen with activist Medha Patkar and claimed the prime minister’s comments were part of the BJP’s “diversionary tactic”. The Opposition party’s leaders said Modi’s comments would have “no impact” on the outcome of the election.

The Gujarat Assembly elections will be held on December 1 and December 5. Votes will be counted on December 8.