Ahmedabad: As many as 22 members of the Aam Aadmi Party today sat on a relay hunger strike in Gandhinagar in protest against the Gujarat Government’s “anti-farmer policies during its 22-year rule.”
A statement issued by the AAP said that the rotational hunger strike will continue with 22 different members participating in it every day until their demands are met.
“In the 22 years of the BJP rule, the state government has ignored farmers. Chief Minister gave us appointment but refused to meet us when we went to his office to present him with our demands on Monday. Instead, we were detained by the police from the CMO.
“To protest this and also to press for our demands ahead of our state-wide protest beginning May 1, everyday 22 different members of the party will sit on hunger strike until our demands are met,” it said.
On Monday, Head of the AAP’s farmer wing Rajesh Patel and seven others were detained by the police when they were waiting to meet chief minister Vijay Rupani, with a memorandum of demands of farmers from state.
“We will continue the fast until the government brings a resolution to solve the problems being faced by farmers,” it stated.
AAP will launch a statewide farmers’ agitation from May 1.
AAP minister in Delhi government and the party’s Gujarat election in-charge Gopal Rai had recently held a three-day meeting with farmers of Sanand taluka.
The protest by farmers demanding water for irrigation had turned violent.
After the incident, the AAP sought apology for the police action and the withdrawal of “false cases” slapped against farmers. It also demanded financial assistance to farmers injured in the clash with police.
AAP had also demanded bringing a resolution on water problems in Sanand, and also sought completion of the construction of Narmada canal network.
—PTI