Mallika expressed her regret that the two communities have been divided by a line, which has been popularised as ‘border’. She said these borders and divisions had been created by politicians ruling the state for 60 years.

She neither spared the BJP nor the Congress, saying that even those claiming themselves to be secular made little effort to bridge the gap and remove the differences.

She claimed that her brand of politics believed in removing such barriers and ensuring that people of all communities interacted, intermingled and lived together side by side without any fear and awe of anybody.

Activist Ibrahim Sheikh said Mallika had exhibited a similar spirit during the 2002 riots.

When politicians from almost all quarters had remained silent then, it was Mallika in Ahmedabad who took on Narendra Modi directly for the riots: an act that made her pay heavily. She was booked in several cases, but was later acquitted by the court, Sheikh added.

Walking on foot for about three kilometres from Shrinandnagar to Maktampura bus stand on Juhapura-Sarkhej Road, Mallika met many people of different age groups.

She told them that different political parties would seek their votes by threatening them or by offering lollipops.

“But don’t get misled by these people who have not given you anything,” she told the people whom she met on the way.

Accompanied by noted actor Om Puri and Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM) representatives Mukul Sinha and Shamshad Pathan as well as a host of other activists, Mallika received a good response from the people who came out of their houses to have a glimpse of her.

At Maktampura bus stand, Om Puri asked the people to elect Mallika, as she is a local and very much accessible.

“How will you approach L K Advani or Congress leader Suresh Patel when the former lives in Delhi and the latter comes from outside the area?” Puri said, urging the people to support Mallika whose family has contributed immensely to the growth and development of the city.

Prakash Shah, the president of Movement for Secular Democracy, said the use of words like ‘border’ indicating the separation of localities of different communities needs to be discouraged to promote integrity and unity.