BeyondHeadlines News Desk
Eminent Rights Activist Shabnam Hashmi has written an Open Letter to Bollywood Actor Ajay Devgan, condemning his gesture of hosting a show in honour of Narendra Modi.
Here is the full text:
Mr. Ajay Devgan,
I don’t know if you will ever read this but I must write in the hope that some of your PR managers might read this. I saw your photograph shaking hands with Modi. You will be hosting a show in Modi’s honour on August 31 in Ahmedabad.
1. With life expectancy of citizens in Gujarat at 63 years, Gujarat is ranked 8th in the country, 7th in high mortality rate of infants and ranked at 8th in mother mortality rate.
2. 55.30% women of the State suffering from anemia. Gujarat ranked at 13th in country in the matter for institutional delivery.
3. 23.50% children suffer from malnutrition and 45% children with lesser weight.
4. With Rs.270 per capita expenditure on health services, Gujarat is the 31st ranked State in entire country.
5. Modi Government which is generous to grant 33000 crores to Tata and 9,100 crores to Essar, has no money even to spend Rs.500-1000 on heath of people.
Life Expectancy at birth Sr. (2002-2006)
| Name of State | Male | Female | Total |
| Kerala | 71.4 | 76.3 | 74.0 |
| Punjab | 68.4 | 70.4 | 69.4 |
| Tamil Nadu | 65.0 | 67.4 | 66.2 |
| Haryana | 65.9 | 66.3 | 66.2 |
| Karnataka | 63.6 | 67.1 | 65.3 |
| West Bengal | 64.1 | 65.8 | 64.9 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 62.9 | 65.5 | 64.4 |
| Gujarat | 62.9 | 65.2 | 64.1 |
Source: Office of the Registrar General of India; Ministry of Home Affairs; Economic Survey, 2010-2011
Infant Mortality Rate (per Sr. 1000 live births, 2009)
| Name of State | Male | Female | Total |
| Kerala | 10 | 13 | 12 |
| Tamil Nadu | 30 | 33 | 31 |
| Maharashtra | 33 | 33 | 33 |
| West Bengal | 34 | 37 | 35 |
| Punjab | 39 | 43 | 41 |
| Karnataka | 44 | 46 | 45 |
| Gujarat | 49 | 51 | 50 |
Source: Office of the Registrar General of India; Ministry of Home Affairs; Economic Survey, 2010-2011
Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) SRS Bulletin- April 2009
| Name of State | |
| Kerala | 4.9 |
| Tamil Nadu | 6.6 |
| Maharashtra | 9.3 |
| West Bengal | 10.0 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 10.9 |
| Punjab | 13.7 |
| Karnataka | 14.0 |
| Gujarat | 14.8 |
Source: Registrar General of India, Special Bulletin of Maternal Mortality in India 2004-06 SRS
Birth rate (per 1000) 2008
| Name of State | |
| Kerala | 14.6 |
| Tamil Nadu | 16.0 |
| Punjab | 17.3 |
| West Bengal | 17.5 |
| Maharashtra | 17.9 |
| Andhra Pradesh | 18.4 |
| Karnataka | 19.8 |
| Orissa | 21.4 |
| Gujarat | 22.6 |
Source: Office of the Registrar General of India; Ministry of Home Affairs; Economic Survey, 2010-2011
Sex Ratio (0-6 Years)
| Name of State | Census 2001 | Census 2011 | |
| Punjab | 798 | 846 | 48 |
| Chandigarh | 845 | 867 | 22 |
| Haryana | 819 | 830 | 11 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 896 | 906 | 10 |
| A&N Islands | 957 | 966 | 9 |
| Mizoram | 964 | 971 | 7 |
| Tamilnadu | 942 | 946 | 4 |
| Gujarat | 883 | 886 | 3 |
Source: (1) Census 2001; (2) Census 2011 Provisional results; and (3) 11th Five Year Plan
I btw documented the gang rape survivors in 2002. Across Gujarat the pattern was the same. Mobs came, attacked, dragged out women, stripped them naked, gang raped them, cut off their breasts, inserted iron rods and wooden rods in their bodies, poured petrol and burnt them.
Please tell your mother, your wife and if you have a daughter tell her too that you are supporting a man who has managed to dodge the system so well that he is still out while Maya Kodnanis and Babu Bajrangis whom he tried to save will no longer be free like him and being a kalakar you must support another kalakar who is a magician also. Best wishes to you and your support to the evil forces that stand against every modern, democratic and secular thought in this country.
Shabnam Hashmi
