Gujarat Minister Harassment: Woman Sarpanch Writes Heartfelt Letter to PM Modi

Surat : In a startling development, Gitaben Kantibhai Patel, the woman sarpanch of Nadhoi Village panchayat in Olpad taluka, Gujarat, has penned a poignant “Vedna Patra” (letter of grief) addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, detailing her alleged ordeal at the hands of Gujarat’s Minister of State for Forest and Environment, Mukesh Z Patel, who is also the elected BJP MLA representing the 155 Olpad assembly constituency.

In her heartfelt letter to PM Modi, Gitaben Kantibhai Patel has accused Minister Mukesh Patel of orchestrating a campaign against her, allegedly motivated by her victory in the Nadhoi Village panchayat election as sarpanch in December 2022. Her triumph came in the face of opposition from the candidate supported by Minister Patel.

According to Gita Patel, her tenure as sarpanch has been marked by her unwavering commitment to exposing corrupt practices carried out by the previous sarpanch and other office-bearers. She claims to have been deterred from carrying out essential developmental work in the village. Additionally, longstanding contractors, alleged to be involved in corrupt practices, were removed from their positions.

In a further twist to the saga, Gita Patel alleges that Minister Mukesh Patel and his associates in the village have united in a concerted effort to unseat her from her position as village sarpanch. They have reportedly initiated a vote of no confidence against her, adding to the mounting tensions in the area.

In her letter addressed to Prime Minister Modi, Gita Patel cites a past statement by the Prime Minister encouraging women to write to him, assuring them of his support. She invokes this pledge, referring to PM Modi as her “big brother” and appealing for his intervention in her time of dire need.

Remarkably, Gita Patel also mentions that she sent a rakhi (a traditional symbol of siblinghood) to Prime Minister Modi as a plea for assistance in facing the challenges and harassment she claims to be experiencing in her village.