'Even Maoists will not call me a Maoist,' Medha Patkar

Social activist and Aam Aadmi Party's Mumbai North East candidate Medha Patkar on Wednesday broke her silence and lashed out at BJP leader Subramanian Swamy for calling her a ‘Maoist Prima Donna' on a Facebook post recently. Patkar fought back saying Swamy was trying to defame her, so that the votes in Varanasi get polarised.

In an email, Medha Patkar said that Subramanian Swamy was toeing the fundamentalist line and distorting her position by making false statements

This is the first time Patkar has taken a dig at any of her political opponents since her entry into politics. Here is what Swamy said in the Facebook post: "Meet the Maoist Prima Donna Medha Patkar (AAP Mumbai NE candidate).

She demanded mercy for these terrorists on grounds of Human Rights. It doesn't matter to her that Afzal, the Kashmir separatist, attacked our parliament the biggest symbol of our democracy, our value system, our freedom."

Swamy also stated, "The list of Patkar's anti-Indian activities is long, but lets start with what one can take for one day." Continuing with the attack, he wrote, "Has any of her comrades died in a terrorist attack? No, never because there is a nexus, an understanding between all anti-Indian forces. They never cross each other. Their goal: to slowly break India into fragments."

Patkar claims that even Maoists won't call her a Maoist. In her rebuttal, she said, "It is shocking to find Subramanian Swamy toeing the line of the fundamentalist and distorting my position, making false statements.

It is also because he probably needed to become a blue-eyed boy of BJP, which he has not been, being a late entrant to the party. Let him prove that I am a Maoist even when the Maoists themselves would never claim the same. Non-violence for us is a value and not merely a strategy."

Patkar believes that Swamy is trying to malign her because Varanasi will soon be going to the polls where Modi is a contender. She sent out an email saying, "I know why Mr Swamy is indulging in such a fake criticism... just when Mr Modi is going to the polls in Varanasi. Mr Swamy has to defend the communal fervour in the BJP campaign."

The Facebook page that Patkar referred to is a verified page, but managed by a team called Shankanaad. Patkar has contested against Kirit Somaiya of BJP and Swamy had earlier in the 80's represented the same seat in the Lok Sabha.