Uganda incident could have occurred anywhere: Jitubhai

Palanpur, Apr 16 (UNI) The violent incident in Uganda in which a Gujarati youth Devang Rawal lost his life and several roadside shops of Asians were looted on April 12 in the capital Kampala should not be viewed as overall anti-Indian attitude of the locals, said builder Jitubhai, who arrived here yesterday from Kampala.

Jitubhai is a partner in 'Tirupati Development Uganda' launched recently in Kampala.

''Such things can happen anywhere even in our own country,'' he said. Indians, particularly Gujaratis, having 70 to 80 per cent of their business establishment in Uganda need not worry. ''Some political leaders in Kampala have assured me that full security to Indians would be provided'', Jitubhai said.

This event need not be viewed as a repetition of history of Idi Amin's reign of terror in which Gujaratis were worst sufferers, he said.

''From my experience during the three eventful days in Kampala on last Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, I would like to advise every Indian establishment in Uganda to be alert and invest 50 to 60 per cent of their capital in the country of their origin. This will secure their future at the time of the disturbances in a country where they have been staying,'' Jitubhai said.

Narrating his own experience during the rally, he said ''I was at the Swaminarayan Temple's branch of Bank of Baroda. The local environmentalists and the opposition party had taken out a rally against reported allotment of about six to seven hectares of forest land to Jay Mehta, partner of Nanji Kalidas Group and husband of well known Hindi film actress Juhi Chawala, for setting up a sugar factory at Mabira, well known in the African region for its tall trees measuring about 200 to 250 feet in height.

''I strongly believe deforestation of any kind anywhere should be checked if the matter relating to allotment of land of Mabira forest had any truth in it. No businessman should accept such a proposal.

For a moment I also decided to participate in the protest rally but my friends stopped me saying it was Uganda and not India,'' Jitubhai said.

Jitubhai is well-known for his love for nature and he is also a recipient of Priyadarshini Indira Gandhi Vruksha Mitra environmental award. He has developed a nature park near Visnagar, planting over two lakh of trees.

UNI