At the swearing-in ceremony of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) workers in Ahmedabad, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal declared that Gujarat is all set for political change, and said that three decades of BJP rule built on fear and corruption is about to end. The AAP chief said the embattled BJP also tried to stall the AAP gathering but failed in the face of workers’ resolve, predicted a change of power in 2027, and warned that repression and jailings would intensify as the elections approached, but would strengthen the public momentum for an AAP government promising to end exploitative practices, create jobs for the youth and ensure relief for farmers.
Addressing the huge crowd of workers, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said, “This is not a rally. This is a meeting of booth level, district level and taluka level in-charges, co-in-charges, workers and office-bearers of the Aam Aadmi Party. Yet this meeting does not seem small. As far as the eye can see, people are standing everywhere, even at high places. There is a saying in Hindi, ‘Vinaashkale Viparit Buddhi’ (When there is destruction) first of all.” The wisdom of a person is being destroyed. The same is happening with the BJP in Gujarat, the time of their destruction has come and God has started snatching away their wisdom.
The AAP supremo said that BJP made every possible effort to stop the meeting. “As Gopal Rai pointed out, the meeting to be held at Nicol last night was vandalized. Throughout the night they broke our stage, threw our chairs and canceled our permission. They thought this meeting would not take place. Despite all their efforts, this meeting and gathering has taken place today, and you have come here in such large numbers. I salute all of you and salute every office-bearer of the Aam Aadmi Party.”
Referring to the incident of shoe being thrown at AAP leader Gopal Italia, Kejriwal said, “Two days ago, a shoe was thrown at Gopal Italia. His luck is bad. The person who threw the shoe himself released a video saying that a BJP leader had given him Rs 50,000 and liquor to do so. Their truth has come to light. They throw shoes at our leaders, cancel our meetings and put our workers and leaders in jail.” Praveen, Raju Karpada and many other leaders are in jail for the last three months. They raised their voice against the injustice done to the farmers, they did not bow down, hence they were put behind the bars.
He said that before this Chaitra Vasava was also kept in jail for months. “Why? Because he raised his voice for the poor tribals. You leaders do not break down and sell yourself. I salute their families. I met their family members. Even today they stand firmly with them. What the BJP thought would be their weakness has turned out to be their strength.”
The AAP chief said that Gujarat has been ruined under BJP rule. “There was a time when Gujarat was the richest and most prosperous state in the country, when farmers were prosperous. In 30 years they have hollowed out Gujarat. Today the farmer is in trouble. They have looted Gujarat. They grabbed the farmer’s seeds, fertilizers and water. They looted the farmer’s crop income. They ruined government schools and destroyed government hospitals. Today the businessman in Gujarat is in trouble.”
He told how traders themselves are now openly expressing their anger. “Recently, there was a meeting of big businessmen in Ahmedabad. One of our leaders had gone there. When the businessmen came to know that he was from the Aam Aadmi Party, they surrounded him and said, ‘You are doing very good work, throw out these people (BJP).’
On youth and social degradation, the AAP chief said, “When youth ask for jobs, they are given drugs and poisonous liquor. These people sell drugs and ruin families. If in 30 years they had developed Gujarat and made it prosperous, not a single person would have come to your meeting today. You have come because you are distressed. But today I see hope in your eyes. A dream has come.”
Outlining the AAP’s vision, he said, “We will create a Gujarat where farmers will prosper, where the Karda system will end, where farmers will get timely seeds, irrigation water and fertilizers. We will create a Gujarat where liquor and poisonous liquor will end. We will create a Gujarat where youth will get employment and drug addiction will end. We will create a prosperous Gujarat where traders will be able to work honestly.”
He said that BJP has ruled only through fear and corruption. “Look at the panchayats, there is corruption everywhere. Look at the municipalities, there is corruption everywhere. Look at the state government, there is corruption everywhere. Their ministers are thieves, their contractors are thieves. There is corruption everywhere. If someone raises his voice, writes something on Facebook or Instagram, he is arrested and sent to jail. Murders happen, fake liquor is sold, but no action is taken. Yet if a youth writes something on social media, he is put in jail. Is.”
Calling for courage, Arvind Kejriwal said, “Now is the time to remove fear. They canceled our permission yesterday. I thank Harji Bhai. This land where we are sitting is his. He was not afraid and gave his land. I asked him if he was afraid of harassment. He said he was not afraid. You have to remove fear. If we keep being afraid, they will destroy your children with drugs and leave them unemployed.”
On going to jail, he said, “They threaten jail. They cannot hang us. Praveen and Ram are in jail for three months, they will come out. Raju Karpada is in jail for three months, he will come out. There is no need to be afraid of jail. Will you put the whole of Gujarat in jail? There will be a change of power in 2027 and all these BJP people will go to jail.”
Referring to his own imprisonment, Arvind Kejriwal said, “They put me in jail. I spent six months in jail. There is no need to worry. They put Sanjay Singh in jail, put Manish Sisodia in jail, put Satyendra Jain in jail. Everyone came out. Manish Sisodia spent two years in jail, Satyendra Jain spent two and a half years in jail, I spent six months. What was our crime? If I Had it really been theft, I would have joined BJP. Because I did not steal, I have the courage to come to Gujarat and speak against it.” We did not join BJP because we did not steal.
He stressed that sending AAP leaders to jail will not break the party. “They thought that putting top leaders in jail would break AAP. It will not happen. AAP will bring change in Gujarat and oust BJP. This land of Sardar Patel and Mahatma Gandhi will eliminate Gundaraj.”
Warning that repression would increase as elections approach, he said, “As elections approach, their Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and police will intensify repression. They will repeatedly send us to jail and beat us with sticks. If we are ready to go to jail, no one can stop the change in Gujarat.”
Comparing Delhi and Punjab, Arvind Kejriwal said, “People ask how it will happen when they control the administration. Same thing happened in Delhi and Punjab. In Delhi, BJP and Congress ruled for 70 years. In 2013, a year-old party defeated them and won 67 out of 70 seats. In Punjab, people uprooted BJP, Akali Dal and Congress and ousted AAP from 117. Gave 92 seats. I am seeing a similar situation in Gujarat too.” Heading towards big changes.”
The AAP supremo gave credit for every victory to the workers. “If Delhi and Punjab can do this, Gujarat will also uproot BJP and Congress. This has been done by the workers. We are an ordinary party. We do not have the power of money. We have the power of truth. This is a religious war. Like the Kurukshetra battle, the Pandavas had the truth and Krishna was with them. Today God is with you. Divine power and nature are with you. They have ED, CBI, Income Tax, Police and billions of rupees. We have There is nothing but the truth.”
Recalling the grassroots struggles, Arvind Kejriwal said, “When we first fought in Delhi, workers would bring tiffins from home and feed each other. In Punjab, workers would go from village to village on their own. Two years are left. You have to take command. Every booth worker has to reach 111 houses. This is a decisive battle. Now or never. We have to clear them.”
Finally, Arvind Kejriwal said, “They misbehave and oppress and insult the people of Gujarat. We are not fighting for power. We are fighting for the honour, justice of the people of Gujarat. God and nature are with us. Victory will be yours.”
During this, Gujarat in-charge Gopal Rai said that due to fear, BJP misused the police and got the permission of public meeting canceled in Nikol and also removed the stage and chairs under the cover of darkness. “Out of fear, the BJP misused the police to cancel the permission for our meeting in Nikol and even removed the stage and chairs in the dark of night,” he said.
The AAP Gujarat in-charge said that despite these efforts, AAP workers did not give up and demonstrated extraordinary resolve. Gopal Rai said, “Even after this, our workers did not lose courage. Within just two hours, they made new arrangements on a war footing in Sanand, 50 kilometers away, and showed their strength by gathering in thousands.”
Gopal Rai said that BJP had earlier also tried to break the party by putting senior leaders in jail in Delhi. He said, “BJP had thought that it would break the Aam Aadmi Party by sending leaders like Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh to jail, but our leaders are neither the ones to bow down nor the people to be bought.”
Calling upon the workers to be ready for the next phase of the movement, Gopal Rai said, “After Holi, all of you should be ready for the Gandhinagar march.” Issuing a clear ultimatum to the government, he said, “If the government does not listen to the voice of farmers during the budget session, the Aam Aadmi Party will launch a major agitation in Gandhinagar.”
He directed the party workers to strengthen the organization at the grassroots level. “Go door-to-door and create strong booth-level teams that are ready to take charge at just an hour’s notice,” Gopal Rai said.
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