Mallika's Mahabharata

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20 TEHELKA, THE PEOPLE’S PAPER TEHELKA EXCLUSIVE SATURDAY FEBRUARY 28, 2004 MALLIKA’S MAHABHARATA A great family of nation-builders, scientists, artists. So why is Narendra Modi hounding Mallika Sarabhai? asks MIRA KAMDAR

t is impossible in considerable status not for Gujarat these days to personal gain but in defence avoid the smiling face of the core values that once of Chief Minister made Gujarat truly great— Narendra Modi. In the quest for truth, justice thisI pre-election season, his and a life of dignity for all— image is everywhere, domi- is inconceivable. She is a nating shining posters that living rebuke to a society now adorn even the small- gone cynically corrupt. est villages. Varsh ek. Siddi “People can’t understand unek (One year. Many why I’m not on the take, on achievements), extolls the the make,” Sarabhai mused legend below Modi’s tower- when we last met. “They ing figure. can’t understand why I Modi is nothing if not an don’t keep all my money as image-master. The Gujarat a dancer…” Government’s website is a The Modi government for- hymn of unbridled celebra- gets that Mallika embodies tion of “the leading state in the proud Gujarati tradition, the country”. Modi is por- the Gandhian tradition, cer- trayed as a modest, “mid- tainly, but also that of her in- dle-class” man, devoted to domitable ancestor, Ansuya the people of Gujarat; a Sarabhai. hard-working technocrat When Martin Luther King, whose “closest companion” Jr. visited India, he is said to is his laptop computer. have remarked: “I come to There is no mention of India as a visitor but I come the fact that under Modi’s to Ahmedabad as a pilgrim.” leadership communal vio- It is difficult to imagine the lence was allowed to rage great civil rights’ leader mak- for months after the Godhra Mallika Sarabhai as Draupadi in Peter Brookes’ Mahabharata; (Below) with father Vikram Sarabhai ing that same pilgrimage killings in February 2002, today without a divided that cases filed in the after- human rights lawyer Girish mortals of resisting? are the least in India...” Mercedes of Gujarat’s many heart: with reverence for math of the many horrors Patel, the demonstrators It seems the old adage A cowed labour force godmen and the new tem- Gandhiji, but with sadness committed against the could find no baser slander that “no good deed goes un- aside, like the state’s inter- ples popping up all over. also for the utter destruction Muslims, have been allowed than to chant: “Patel, you punished” is nowhere more linked rivers project, rupees Which helps to explain of almost everything the to languish or have resulted Muslim!” Modi is fond of true than here. A list of vic- seem to flow not only into why Mallika Sarabhai has Mahatma stood for. in blanket acquittals so glar- proclaiming: “Ahmedabad tims of Modi’s silencing tac- the state’s soil but into the become a special target of A ‘Non Resident Gujarati’, ingly implausible as to is no Juhapura”—the city’s tics includes Nafisa Ali and pockets of its Bajrangi the Modi government: Her Mira Kamdar is Senior prompt the Supreme Court Muslim ghetto. Dr Ahmed Shakhil, who ran politicians; out of the palms very existence as a person of Fellow, World Policy to demand the cases be re- But the jewel in this camps for refugees from the of the pious into the conscience who uses her Institute, New York. heard or moved out of crown of thorns is certainly violence when the govern- Gujarat. Nowhere does the the incessant, ridiculous ment did nothing. website mention the cam- and groundless harassment However, what really THIS IS MY KARMABHOOMI... paign of fear, the systematic of one of Gujarat’s most fa- matters to the Modi govern- silencing of dissent that has mous citizens: Mallika ment is money, and those been waged in Modi’s Sarabhai. who won’t simply let by- Mallika dance about the horrors of after my work with Peter Gujarat against any and “Fear is one of their fa- gones be bygones with re- Sarabhai’s caste violence than of bhakti Brook, who made The every critic. vorite weapons. People are gard to the messy business interview with and the love for Shiva? Mahabharata, seeing the ex- The corruption of the petrified of what Modi and of ethnic cleansing, are Batuk Vora I have been brought up in a traordinary effect that my in- lower judiciary in Gujarat his goons will do,” lamented blocking the money parade. family where people have terpretation of Draupadi had has reached such a level Sarabhai when I met her in That cannot be tolerated at When did you start zeroing fought for what they thought on women across the world. that, for a mere 40,000 ru- Ahmedabad recently. all. in on social issues and use was justice and truth. My pees, bogus charges can be “People don’t realise this Last September, in a the arts to bring attention great aunt, Anasuya, fought What is your ideal, personal- filed against no lesser per- isn’t about me. I am a speech on the occasion of to them? for the rights of mill workers. ly, and for the country? sonnages than Abdul Kalam symbol for them.” the ‘Vibrant Gujarat Global How did it begin? Did it begin My aunt Lakshmi, my grand- There is a saying that is no or VN Khare—an event so Clearly, if Mallika Investors Summit,’ Modi when I was 12 and decided mother Ammu, my other longer valid. When dalits in a shocking it prompted the Sarabhai—internationally said, “If you plant a rupee in that I would follow my fa- aunt Mridula, my cousins village get their eyes gouged Supreme Court Chief renowned dancer, actress, the Gujarati soil, you might ther’s footstep in making my Subhashini and Srilata— out for daring to look at their Justice to ask: “What is hap- choreographer and champi- be able to get a dollar in re- own decisions about what is they all fought for others, for ‘betters’, which is the smoke pening in Gujarat?” on of human rights, the turn!” The CM asked: right and wrong in life irre- what is right. I suppose I and which the fire? When What is happening is the daughter of no less a nation- “What is unique about spective of whether they have done it ever since I can young women get acid calculated creation of a cli- al hero than Vikram Gujarat?” and answered were acceptable to society or remember, though using the thrown at them because mate of fear and intimida- Sarabhai—if she can be si- that it is “its reasonable and not? Or when I realised that arts for activism started they refuse advances from tion enforced through abuse lenced, bankrupted, ha- peaceful labour culture” privilege meant using all you men, which is the smoke and of police and judicial power. rassed into oblivion or exile, where “the man-days lost in had to help others who did- which the fire? Alas, today, Those who won’t toe the of- then what hope have mere Gujarat due to labour strife n’t? When I decided to quit a where there are real fires we ficial line, who stand up for lucrative film career because no longer want to see the equal justice under the law, ‘See that these restrictions are I didn’t like the people in- smoke... are treated as “anti-social volved? When I stood up to My India is one where we can and anti-nationalist”. Or removed as she is not authority or refused to be live as Indians, in truth, called what has become the cowed down by “better under the Constitution, un- worst insult of all in Modi’s a criminal’ sense” in the face of injus- afraid, in equality and digni- Gujarat: a Muslim. When tice? Or when, as a dancer, it ty. All of us. I am putting to Sangh forces staged a Supreme Court made more sense to me to test how far I will go to help demonstration against

CHRONOLOGY OF A KAFKAESQUE JOURNEY

March 14, lice arrived. They were given side Mallika’s Darpana frauded students of lakhs Gujarati dailies in the Press Inquiries came to an end by 2002. Mallika a one page write-up on the Academy shouted abuses, and that she was a traitor Council for their ‘derogatory July as no clarifications were deposed be- peace meeting. At lunch, threatening to burn down the against Gujarat. Manushi and unethical’ publication of sought. CC’s report was infor- fore the Medha Patkar arrived. No institution. They were patron- Shah’s name was not men- reports against her. mally shown to Darpana’s fi- Minorities formal invitation had been ised by a leader who is now tioned, but the receipts of July 2003. Inquiries started nance in-charge and given a Commission. sent to her. In an hour, mem- the home minister of other students were repro- under additional police com- clean chit. He was told March 20. bers of BJP,Bajrang Dal, Shiv Gujarat. duced. The same story was missioner who demanded that the report can’t be Deposed before NHRC. Sena and Congress, with VK Mallika started getting given to UNI, PTI, but only that all members of the given due to “pressure from a A peace meeting was Saxena of the National death threats. She and her Indian Express, Mumbai, re- group should file affidavits minister”. called in April by Mallika. Council for Civil Liberties, at- two children went under- produced it. Threatening about the student tour. Five ·19 August 2003. Press Venue was originally Gujarat tacked Medha and tried to at- ground. She had to leave the calls continued. The story gave affidavits that no fraud Council ruled in favour of Vidyapeeth, Ahmedabad, but tack Mallika. She escaped. country for two months. mentioned that Saxena has was committed. Mallika re- Mallika and asked both they backed out due to Medha was protected by Darpana staff get threat- sent letters to the CM, the ceived a letter with 23 newspapers to publish prop- threats. Meeting was shifted Prakash Shah, leader of the ening calls. home minister and the police queries; she gave er apologies for all the lies to Gandhi Ashram. About Movement for Secular April 16, 2003. Under the to start inquiries in the answers. written. Sandesh published a 300 participants from all Democracy and the police. authorship of VK Saxena, the ‘racket’. A charity commissioner’s tiny apology but Gujarat over India, including senior Some journalists were beat- Sandesh carried a story April 23. She filed a com- inquiry started. They spent a Samachar published nothing. Muslims, gathered. The po- en up. Later, hooligans out- about Mallika having de- plaint against two local week looking at the ‘books’. October 18. Mallika was

FREE. FAIR. FEARLESS. SATURDAY FEBRUARY 28, 2004 TEHELKA EXCLUSIVE TEHELKA, THE PEOPLE’S PAPER 21

her from doing so. In April, seven months THE SARABHAIS before the case was filed, on the basis of a letter by one ‘VK Saxena’, and with the Institutions built by the Sarabhai family blessings of Gujarat Home Calico Mills—Ambalal Sarabhai Minister Amit Shah, the Jubilee Mills— Ambalal Sarabhai state government constitut- Jyoti Sangh—Mridulaben Sarabhai ed a police and charity com- Vikas Gruh—Mridulaben Sarabhai misioner’s inquiry based on Majoor Mahajan—Anasuyaben Sarabhai a newspaper report on the Kasturba Gandhi Rhastriya Smarak Trust, Koba- cancellation of the tour. Sarladevi Sarabhai Mallika and the Darpana Shreyas Foundation & School—Leenaben Sarabhai Academy were reported to B.M. Institute of Mental Health—Gautam Sarabhai have cooperated with the National Institute of Design (NID)—Gautam Sarabhai & authorities and there was Giraben no malafide intention. The Darpana Academy of Performing Arts-Mrinalini & inquiry came to a halt. Vikram Sarabhai Later, that the Daler Calico Museum—Giraben Sarabhai Mehndi episode provided Ambalal Sarabhai Enterprises, Baroda—Gautam an opportunity for them to Sarabhai file a case. VK Saxena, lead- Centre for Environment Education—Keya Sarabhai ing a dubious pro-Narmada Viksat—Kartikeya Sarabhai NGO, ‘National Council for Chetna—Kartikeya Sarabhai Civil Liberties’, is said to have played a leading role in The Self Employed Women’s Assoication. SEWA was this case. born in 1972 as a trade union of self-employed women. There are reports that It grew out of the Textile Labour Association , TLA, India’s Modi’s right-hand man, oldest and largest union of textile workers founded in Amit Shah, and law minis- 1920 by Anasuya Sarabhai. The Witch-Hunt ter Ashok Bhatt, are person- Institutions built by Dr Vikram Sarabhai, pioneering sci- ally taking interest in the entist and visionary Batuk Vora respite. Framed under ab- she is being prosecuted for case. I was a witness when Ahmedabad Textile Industry’s Research Association AHMEDABAD surd charges by an ex-stu- approaching the court.” during the prime minister’s (ATIRA) dent, she was declared Even now, Mallika may visit on April 4, 2002 to Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad f the witch-hunt during guilty and hung by the face arrest. She is on antici- Ahmedabad, Mallika (and Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabd American McCarthyism Gujarati media, had her patory bail. Every few days this writer) came across Community Science Centre (CSC), Ahmedabad Iis still kicking in any passport taken away, and she stands before a sub-in- Bhatt in the lobby of the cir- Nehru Foundation for Development (NFD), Ahmedabad ‘democracy’, it is in India, was barred from leaving the spector of Naranpura in cuit house annexe, where he Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA) specifically in Gujarat. In state without the court’s Ahmedabad to prove that verbally attacked her Sarabhai Chemicals, Baroda post-war US, those hound- permission. On Monday she is back from her an out- threatening that he would Sarabhai Glass, Baroda ed included Arthur Miller, last, the Supreme Court of-town trip. Despite having see “how she could dare ‘in- Suhrid Geigy Limited, Baroda Charlie Chaplin. In Gujarat, asked the government to submitted over 100 pages of stigate’ some NGOs in the Synbiotics Limited, Baroda it’s the liberals. And, of “see that these restrictions back accounts, receipts that name of defending human Sarabhai Merck Limited, Baroda course, Mallika Sarabhai. are removed as she is not a explain every rupee spent or rights!” He had warned of Sarabhai Engineering Group, Baroda In Modi’s ‘lab’, Mallika criminal…” “…Sometime received by her Darpana dire consequences. Operations Research Group (ORG), Baroda has been hounded without one gets an impression that Academy of Performing One of the prime objec- Sarabhai Research Centre (SRC), Baroda Arts, neither has a tives of the Hindutva Systronics, Ahmedabad chargesheet been framed, brigade is to force Mallika Swastik Oil Mills Limited, Bombay MY KURUKSHETRA… nor the case dropped. to withdraw her PIL in the Standard Pharmaceuticals Limited, Calcutta Here’s how the prosecu- Supreme Court after the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), tion was launched: Mallika Gujarat killings. Trivandrum make that a reality in my clan or religion is to not face was accused by Manushi The prime minister visit- Space Science and Technology Centre (SSTC), own small way. The times I the world as myself, a Shah, a part time student ed Ahmedabad on April 4, Trivandrum am passing through are my unique individual able to and member of the can- 2002. The state govern- Shriharikota Rocket Range (SHAR), Sriharikota experiments with truth. This take on the joys of being. It celled student tour to Brazil ment tried to stop Mallika Experimental Satellite Communication Earth Station is my karmabhoomi, my is to live in a trap, like the and the US, in the FIR filed and other non governmen- (ESCES), Ahmedabad Kurukshetra. Only time will bird in the cage, we mistake with the Naranpura police tal organisations (NGOs), Satellite Communication System Division (SCSD), tell how deep was my com- imprisonment for safety. station stating: Dr Mallika including veteran Gandhian Ahmedabad mitment, how far I was will- How far does your desire to Sarabhai along with others, Chunibhai Vaidya, from Electronics System Division (ESD), Ahmedabad ing to go. be admired lead you to collected Rs 330,000 (US $ meeting him. Through the Microwave Antenna Systems Engineering Group We live in a time when cyni- defy social norms and polit- 7,100 approx) from the good offices of a senior bur- (MASEG), Ahmedabad cism rules our lives. We ical cynicism? complainant on the pretext reaucrat in the PMO, they Audio Visual Instructional Division (AVID), Ahmedabad have seen so many icons I like to be respected, ad- of sending to America and succeeded in meeting the Remote Sensing and Meteorological Division (RSMD), blighted, corrupted, sold out mired, thought as beautiful committed offence of cheat- prime minister. The PM Ahmedabad for greed and selfishness, and talented. But I like even ing and breach of trust by was surrounded by Indian Scientific Satellite Project (ISSP), Bangalore that as a society we have more to be able to wake up not sending her and others Narendra Modi, Arun Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE), become incapable of believ- every morning with a burn- and retaining a portion of Jaitley and some ministers. Ahmedabad ing that some people do ing wish to right some the money. These charges I was a witness to what Indian National Satellite (INSAT) what they do because they wrongs, to use that adula- are offences under IPC sec- Mallika Sarabhai told the Satellite Launching Vehicle (SLV) Trivandrum think it is right. Not right for tion to break walls of lies tions 120-B, 114-34, 420 prime minister: “You tell us Satellite Communication Earth Station, Arvi themselves, or their chil- and silence that oppress and 469. She organises Vajpayeeji, where are we Fast Breeder Reactors (FBR), Kalpakkam dren or bank accounts, but groups, castes, clans or so- tours illegally to America now supposed to go from Nuclear Centre for Agriculture, New Delhi right for all human beings. cieties. Yes, I am uniquely and other countries by col- here? When such an open Variable Energy Cyclotron Project (VECP), Calcutta I think divisions of caste placed , being the inheritor lecting lakhs of rupees by nexus between the commu- Electronic Prototype Engineering Laboratory (EPEL), and creed, religion and gen- of the mantle of two fami- acting as a tour organiser.” nal extremists and the state Bombay Electronic Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), der, are ways in which we lies who have given their all The FIR says all monies government machinery has Hyderabad hide our fear of facing life to nation-building, to the due to Ms Shah were re- made life so unbearable Nos. 21,22,23,24,25,26 and 27 were merged under and therefore of living life pride in being Indian—but I turned, and the fraud lies in here in Gujarat, where do the Space Applications Centre after Dr Sarabhai’s death truly and fully. To hide be- do not think I am the only misleading her into think- people turn?” in 1971. No. 32 was renamed as Vikram Earth Station hind the mask of my gotra, one so placed. ing she could immigrate il- The writer is a senior after Dr Sarabhai’s death in 1971 legally and then preventing journalist

called by STAR News about Rs 1 lakh guarantee, submis- gal traffick- court decided to grant travel Mehta. Decision was differed in sessions court to alter the the ‘FIR’. She knew nothing sion of the passport and a ing of permission. Court informally to December 9. Mallika’s terms of anticipatory bail. about it. Over the next few ban on travel outside Gujarat human be- instructed her not to talk to lawyer Mihir Joshi demanded Next hearing of the sessions hours every TV news channel without court’s permission. ings, a the press as a serious view of the complainant's presence. court scheduled for Jan 27. interviewed her. November 1. Mallika went charge not this would be taken before Meanwhile, new income January 5. Sessions Court October 20. Mallika’s lawyer to the police station and filed by the granting her next travel plea tax inquiry on Nov 10, 2003. gave permission to travel out- called the APC who said handed over her passport. com- on Nov 23. Court asked for New inquiry by charity com- side Gujarat from 7.1.2004 there was no FIR. Police said November 11. The court plainant, and her alleged hearing on Nov 22. missioner on November 10, to 11.01.2004. there was and it has been gave an interim order to ‘non-co-operation’ to the po- November 22. Court grants 2003. New police inquiry on January 12. Sessions Court sent to the court. A copy was allow her to travel for the next lice. permission for travel to Delhi November 22. gave permission to travel out- not available at either place. two days only. It said that November 18. Prosecutor for TV work. December 17. Applied for side Gujarat from 15.1.2004 Mallika went into hiding to based on the prosecutor’s ve- objected again saying that November 18. Mallika filed permission in sessions court to 31.1.2004. avoid arrest. hement objections the court she was using her trips “to a quashing petition in the for a tour out of Gujarat. January 22 & 23. High October 21. FIR was ob- would consider further travel defame the Gujarat govern- high court. Hearing set for January 1, 2004. Got per- Court heard quashing after tained and anticipatory bail only on November 18 (for ment” and the decision was Nov 25. mission for January 3/4 for several postponements. application done. travel and performances on put off till the day of the show November 25. Quashing Delhi. For the rest schedule Judgment reserved. October 29. Anticipatory the 20 and 21). The prosecu- in Pune. matter heard in the high the hearing was on Jan 5. January 27. Session Court bail granted, with a surety, a tor brought the charge of ille- November 20. At 11 am the court by Justice Akshay ·January 2. Filed application heard new bail application.