Gujarat AAP launches farmer wing, to oppose Vibrant Gujarat summit

Gujarat unit of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday launched its farmer wing and said it would protest against the upcoming 'Vibrant Gujarat Summit', a state government-sponsored event for seeking investment.

'Kisan Kranti Manch' will raise its voice against the "anti-farmer" approach of the state and central government and take up issues related to peasants, an AAP leader said.

"To highlight deteriorating condition of agriculture in Gujarat and raise his voice against the anti-farmer approach of the state and the union governments, a young farmer set himself ablaze.

"There was a need for Aam Aadmi Party to intervene and with this thought, we launched our farmer wing today," founder-member of Gujarat AAP Kishor Desai told reporters in Ahmedabad.

Arvind Nagani (21), a resident of Dharai village in Surendranagr district, had last month committed suicide by setting himself ablaze in Vinchiya market yard. Farmer rights activist and former BJP MLA Kanu Kalsariya said the wing will hold a programme at Nagani's village against the January 11-13 summit, which will see participation from top industrialists, CEOs and international leaders, including US Secretary of State John Kerry and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

"We will protest against the 'black laws' brought by the state and union government, which deprive the farmers of their land and irrigation facilities," he said. The programme has been christened 'Dhabaktu Gujarat' (pulsating Gujarat) as the state is 'vibrant' and pulsating with the heartbeats of our farmers, Kalsariya said as he took a potshot at the official name of the mega biennial event.

State Convener for AAP Sukhdev Patel said their party will adopt Dharai village and ensure its residents get the benefits of government schemes.