One man’s meat is another man’s poison, so goes the saying. And ruling BJP leaders of Gujarat gave a new connotation to it by going on fast ~ a much used, blunted tool ~ to reap political mileage, while depriving several hundred hawkers of their daily bread.

The one-day fast by the ruling BJP leaders here has triggered controversy for their misuse of power and state machinery.

Following in the footsteps of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who led the party in the poor politics of symbolism by going on fast in Delhi in protest against the Congress stalling Parliament proceedings, the Gujarat BJP leaders too held fast sit-ins at public places in many district headquarters.

But, this show of political upmanship by the Gujarat BJP leaders forced about 500 hawkers to forego the day’s livelihood. They were evicted from their premises to make room for a stage and tent for the event.

The police and Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) jointly organised the drive to clear out the hawkers from their selling zone. The hapless hawkers were moved out and a paid parking lot was emptied for the BJP leaders to spend the day there with public display of fast.

But, how did the fast go on ? The BJP had cried foul when some Congress leaders in Delhi were shown in the social media having snacks in the morning shortly before they began their fast early this week to protest against the Modi-government.

The Gujarat BJP leaders had plenty of ice cool lemon water and soft drinks at the back stage where only the ‘fasting’ BJP leaders were allowed to go every now and then.

Unfortunately for the ruling BJP, the backstage area was accessible with zoom lenses of the photographers who chose to climb up to the terrace of an adjoining building at the busy Lal Darwaza area of the city.

While lemon water and soft drinks sustained the BJP people on fast, the party misused its power in AMC as the civic body provided six big air coolers at the venue of the fast.

At Bhavnagar too, reports have trickled in that the BJP had stolen electricity from a nearby complex to run the gadgets at their fast venue.

The lights, fans, air coolers and the mikes at the fast venue were all run with an illegal electric wire drawing power from a nearby commercial complex.

Objections from the building’s security staff were over-ruled as participants at the fast included the city’s Mayor and local legislators.