AAP leaders used a farmers’ gathering in Surendranagar to sharpen their criticism of the BJP, accusing it of mistreating protesting farmers in Gujarat and claiming the ruling party has acted more harshly than colonial authorities did during earlier agrarian movements. Arvind Kejriwal said police action against farmers, including lathi charges, arrests, and serious criminal charges, reflected an insensitive state response. He invoked Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, arguing that while Patel led farmer protests against British rule, farmers then did not face the kind of force they are facing now.
The event coincided with Patel’s 150th birth anniversary and was framed by AAP as both a symbolic tribute and a demonstration of farmer support. Kejriwal asserted that Gujarat’s agricultural community would remove the BJP from power in the upcoming elections. He also alleged that families of arrested farmers were prevented from taking part in the event, calling it an attempt to suppress dissent. He pledged that AAP would persist in seeking the release of detained farmers.
Kejriwal targeted both state and national leadership, contending the Gujarat government misused police protection and claiming the BJP leadership followed instructions from international actors rather than engaging fairly with domestic grievances. He also compared current BJP governance to Congress rule decades ago, suggesting both lost connection with public sentiment and predicting a similar political shift.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann echoed the criticism and urged farmers to oppose the BJP at the ballot box. The protests are tied to concerns over crop prices, with farmers reportedly dissatisfied with cotton rates. The AAP has also demanded structural changes, such as abolishing the Karda system and providing a legal Minimum Support Price guarantee.
