Ahmedabad, Sep. 16 : Noted Indian classical dancer Mallika Sarabhai has criticized Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for planning to use public money to hold his three-day fast from Saturday.

Sarabhai told media here on Thursday that Modi had no right to hold a public fast for gaining publicity, while so many people of the state were being made to eat malnourished food.

She also stated that she and some of her associates would go around and feed such malnourished children and women around the state while Modi continues his fast.

“For those three days, when yours and my money would be burnt in a five star venue, where people would be brought in buses, then I with my own money and with the money of kind donors like you all, I would feed the most malnourished children and women of Gujarat. I will feed them nutritious food,” she said.

Modi is to hold his three-day long fast from September 17 to encourage communal harmony in the state, which had suffered one of the worst communal riots in 2002.

Sarabhai further criticized Modi for showcasing a private act like fasting to gain cheap political mileage.

“Hunger strike is a public act as it is the demand of the situation like what Gandhiji often did against the British rulers and what Annaji did against the government and all the political parties. But fasting is not a public thing. It is a private one. So when our Chief Minister officially uses the Rs. 6 billion of our taxpayer’s money to make a public circus out of a personal thing, then I asked that what should be actions for being a citizen?,” she added.

On September 12, the Supreme Court refused to pass any order on the petition alleging inaction on the part of Modi and his administration to contain the 2002 riots after the Godhra train carnage.

The apex court directed a Gujarat trial court to examine the alleged role of Modi and other officials during the riots.

Following the apex court''s order, Modi hit out at his critics and announced that he would begin a three-day fast from September 17 to ''promote social harmony''. (ANI)