AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal condemned violence against Adivasis in Banaskantha, Gujarat, and demanded a fair investigation with strict penalties for those responsible.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal condemned the alleged violence against the Adivasi community in Banaskantha, Gujarat, which is administered by the BJP. He called the incident a “disgrace” and called for a prompt, unbiased inquiry to guarantee the heaviest penalty for anyone responsible.

“Decades of injustice, exploitation, and repression under BJP rule have pushed Adivasi communities to the brink,” said the AAP chief. It claimed that what they want now is long-overdue justice rather than pity.

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“Over the last 30 years, the BJP has subjected Gujarat’s Adivasi society only to injustice, exploitation and repression, systematically snatching away their rights and silencing their voices,” said Arvind Kejriwal, retweeting images and videos posted on X by AAP MLA and tribal leader Chaitar Vasava that depicted a public meeting with Adivasi communities in Gujarat.

The leader went on to say, “The violence against Adivasis in Paldiya village of Banaskantha district was extremely disheartening and needs to be looked into fairly and promptly, with severe penalties for those involved.” For years, Adivasi siblings have been clamoring for their legitimate claims to land, water, and forests, but the BJP has consistently let them down in the name of assurances. The Adivasi community now expects justice, he claimed.

AAP MLA Chaitar Vasava, meantime, posted on X: “A violent incident involving local Adivasis, the Forest Department, and the police occurred during a land-related dispute in Paldiya hamlet near Ambaji in Banaskantha district. A delegation made up of AAP office-bearers, the party’s legal staff, and representatives from Adivasi community organizations went to Paldiya village to find out the truth about the incident.

पिछले 30 सालों में भाजपा ने गुजरात के आदिवासी समाज के साथ सिर्फ़ अन्याय, शोषण और दमन किया है। उनके हक छीने गए, आवाज़ दबाई गई।

बनासकांठा ज़िले के पालड़िया गांव में आदिवासियों पर हुई हिंसा बेहद शर्मनाक है। इसकी निष्पक्ष और समयबद्ध जांच होनी चाहिए और दोषियों को कड़ी सज़ा मिलनी… https://t.co/fpxMB1NdpY

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) December 17, 2025

“The BJP government, at the request of its Forest Minister, is using senior police officials and forest personnel to forcibly displace Adivasis from their land under the pretext of development and in the interest of capitalists, which the party strongly condemns,” he said.

“During the incident, police carried out a lathi charge on Adivasis as part of a deliberate conspiracy, fired tear gas shells and discharged around 50 rounds,” added Chaitar Vasava.

The AAP MLA called for a fair investigation into the incident and severe penalties for police officers and the Forest Department for breaking the Forest Rights Act and the Wildlife Protection Act.