Arvind Kejriwal says the Gujarat government blocked his visit to jailed farmers in Rajkot, calling it authoritarian and raising issues of farmer arrests and paper leaks.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal, currently on a three-day visit to Gujarat, was denied permission by the BJP administration to meet the farmers incarcerated in Rajkot jail on Tuesday.Describing it as a dictatorship, Arvind Kejriwal stated, “I had submitted an application, but the oppressive and authoritarian government denied me the opportunity to meet.” In Gujarat, farmers are dissatisfied with the repression by the BJP government, while at the same time, students with educational loans remain unemployed due to a paper breach. Similar to Ravana and Kansa, the BJP government seeks to suppress all dissenting voices raised against it. However, the citizens of Gujarat are now assembling, and the moment has arrived to bring an end to the BJP’s three-decade period of misgovernance. After two years, the Aam Aadmi Party government will be established in Gujarat, and all cases filed against farmers will be dismissed.

During a press conference held at the party office in Rajkot, Gujarat, on Tuesday, Kejriwal stated that today, everyone witnessed a tangible illustration of the authoritarian rule exercised by the BJP government in Gujarat. At 11 a.m. today, I was scheduled to meet the farmer leaders detained in Rajkot prison, but I was not permitted to do so. What could possibly surpass this? Am I considered a terrorist or a criminal? The individuals incarcerated are cultivators and citizens of our nation. They are not offenders.

Also read; Kejriwal in Rajkot: AAP Will Form Next Govt in Gujarat, Says BJP’s 30-Year Rule Ending

I had submitted an application to meet the farmers and leaders incarcerated on Monday. On Tuesday morning, a message was conveyed indicating that I am prohibited from meeting the farmers in detention. I was considering that when the British authorities apprehended Sardar Bhagat Singh during the independence movement, his associates were also permitted to visit him in the British prison. The British never prevented his colleagues from meeting Bhagat Singh. Did our freedom fighters struggle for independence merely to witness the emergence of a government that would be more oppressive and tyrannical than the British?

Arvind Kejriwal stated that two months prior, an incident occurred involving farmers who were peacefully advocating for their rights on the outskirts of Gujarat. Gujarat is a renowned territory. Fifty percent of Gujarat’s population depends on agriculture for their livelihood. In Gujarat, approximately 5.4 million farming households rely on agriculture for their livelihood. However, today the cultivators in Gujarat are experiencing significant hardship and are feeling quite distressed. Farmers are not receiving seedlings, and lengthy queues are forming for manure. Farmers do not receive the complete market price for their produce. Some individuals commit acts of injustice against producers. The crop’s price is set at a maximum of 1500 rupees; however, producers receive only 1200 rupees.

Arvind Kejriwal stated that two months prior, when farmers assembled swiftly to protest the Karda system, the oppressive BJP government responded with baton charges and discharged tear gas grenades. The police entered the residence of innocent farmers and peacefully apprehended 88 farmers along with their unarmed family members. False charges were filed against the farmers, who have been incarcerated for two months. To date, 42 farmers have been granted parole, while the remaining individuals remain in custody. On the day the bond is scheduled for hearing in court, the police do not arrive at the court. It is evident that the BJP and its police intentionally seek to undermine the morale of the incarcerated farmers.

On Monday, I met with the families of the farmers who are either incarcerated or released on bond. He will listen to accounts of torture endured in incarceration. The children of the farmers who came out of the jail said that after the arrest, they were not given drinking water for 24 hours nor were they given anything to eat. The police beat him up. Does the BJP intend to undermine their morale? The BJP is advised to fear God. Ravana and Kansa also possessed considerable pride. The same level of arrogance is evident in the BJP today. The BJP put a lot of pressure on the farmers not to allow me to meet me. Even subsequently, the farmers came to see me. The BJP should understand that the people of Gujarat are now standing against it.
Papers are being leaked, children are roaming unemployed – Arvind

Arvind Kejriwal said that on the one hand, farmers are unhappy and on the other hand, the children of farmers are in jail. The farmer teaches his children by taking a loan of lakhs of rupees on interest. When these children go to take the competitive exam for the job, the paper is leaked. Children who have been preparing for many years by taking thousands of rupees every month from their parents have been seen crying after the paper leak. These kids are disappointed when the next paper will be. Those who have leaked the papers are also from the BJP. Papers are leaking, children are roaming unemployed.

Arvind Kejriwal said that the BJP government is not providing employment to the youth. Unemployed children should not raise their voice, so drugs are being sold all over Gujarat. Drugs are available in every street of Gujarat. Young people are being drugged. Every family in Gujarat is being completely destroyed by the BJP government. Now the BJP government is going on the last day in Gujarat. People are now gathering inside Gujarat against the BJP. The people of the village of the farmers whose children were arrested and put in jail in the fray by the BJP government, their fields were ploughed and harvested.

Also read :  Arvind Kejriwal Accuses Gujarat Govt of ‘Crushing Farmers’ With Police Action

Today, drugs and potholes are sold openly on the road in Gujarat. In the 30-year government, the BJP has made Gujarat bad and now the time has come to overthrow the BJP from Gujarat. So far, the people of Gujarat have no choice. Both the Congress and the BJP are united. The Congress does not want the BJP to go to power from Gujarat. But now the people of Gujarat have the best alternative to the Aam Aadmi Party. Today, there is talk of the Aam Aadmi Party in every house. The people of Gujarat are looking forward to all the leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party including Gopal Italia, Isudan Gadhvi, Raju Karpara, Praveen Ram, Chaitar Vasava, Manoj Sorthia.

Arvind Kejriwal said that the BJP has not a single leader in Gujarat who gives hope to the people of Gujarat. When Aam Aadmi Party leaders speak, people listen to them, but there is not a single leader of the BJP and the Congress in Gujarat, towards whom people look hopeful that they will fix Gujarat. The people of Gujarat have no hope from the Congress and the BJP. Today only the Aam Aadmi Party is expected. I appeal to the people of Gujarat that they have to save their Gujarat together. We are very small. The responsibility of saving Gujarat is on the people of Gujarat. People have to come forward to come out of the fear of BJP. There is no need to fear if the BJP is playing the game of FIR-FIR and wants to intimidate people. I have come to jail myself. It is possible that people who raise their voice against the BJP may be put in jail, so their fight will be fought by the Aam Aadmi Party. After two years, the election is held and as soon as the Aam Aadmi Party government is formed, all the false FIRs will be withdrawn within 24 hours and the ministers who harass the people of Gujarat will be sent to jail.