Today, the ‘Adivasi Nyay Mahasammelan’ was organised in Gandhinagar in support of Aam Aadmi Party MLA Chaitar Vasava. Thousands of people from the tribal community gathered at this grand conference and raised their voices in support of MLA Chaitar Vasava. The programme was attended by State In-charge Gopal Raiji, State Organisation General Secretary Manoj Sorathiya, MLAs Gopal Italia and Hemant Khawa, State Frontal Organisation President Praveen Ram, Youth Wing President Brijraj Solanki, Women’s Wing President Payal Sakariya, Shakuntalaben and Varshaben Vasava, wives of MLA Chaitar Vasava, State Vice Presidents Yuvrajsinh, Kainaat Ansari Atha and Raju Valvai, State Organisation Secretaries Niranjan Vasava, Babubhai Damor, Kamlesh Patel, Nikunj Savaliya, Mahesh Anghan, Vikram Dave and Raju Borkhatr i ya, Chhota Udepur District President Radhika Rathwa, Rakesh Bariya, Mukesh Dabhi, Narmada District Panchayat President Anjanaben Vasava, along with a large number of office-bearers and party workers.
Addressing the thousands of people present at the public gathering, Aam Aadmi Party Gujarat State In-charge Gopal Raiji stated that liquor and drugs are being traded throughout Gujarat today, but the government does not put those mafias in jail. Crimes are taking place everywhere, yet the criminals are not being jailed. However, Chaitar Vasava raised the people’s voice and spoke out against the MNREGA scam, and that is why he was put in jail. Chaitar Vasava raised his voice for factory workers in Jhagadia and for the entire tribal community of Gujarat, and that is precisely why the BJP government was afraid of him. Earlier, when Chaitar Vasava was jailed, the people gave him a massive victory in the Assembly and District Panchayat elections. This time too, now that Chaitar Vasava has been jailed, the people will respond in 2027 by uprooting the BJP government. The Aam Aadmi Party is becoming the voice of the people throughout Gujarat, the voice of the tribal community, and the voice of farmers in Saurashtra and livestock rearers in North Gujarat. If these people do not stop their oppression and dictatorship, you will defeat them so thoroughly in Gujarat that they will find no place anywhere in the state. Contesting and winning elections is now a small matter, but if you want to avenge the atrocities committed against MLA Chaitar Vasava and form an Aam Aadmi Party government, everyone must be determined and prepare themselves for the struggle. If you want to know what kind of courage and energy are needed to bring change to Gujarat, take a look at Chaitarbhai and his family. Chaitarbhai is in jail, his brother is in the hospital, and there are young children in his family. Yet, since the 24th, both his wives, these two brave women, have set out on the Nyay Yatra. They have embarked on this journey for the rights and justice of the tribal community. Change will come to Gujarat only when you work as determinedly as these two women. Everyone must work firmly to build the organisation in their respective areas. We need leadership in every Assembly constituency that neither fears nor bows down under any circumstances. Secondly, we need a strong organisation. The third and most important thing we need is to launch movements for every oppressed and marginalised section of Gujarat. After Diwali, we must strengthen the organisation at every booth, and at the beginning of the New Year, we must raise the voice of protest in every village and city in every Assembly constituency. These people may be able to put one Chaitar Vasava in jail, but if a Chaitar Vasava emerges from every village, even the BJP’s jails will not be enough, and the number of Chaitar Vasava’s supporters will not decrease. I salute both these women for the hard work they have done.
Thereafter, Aam Aadmi Party Visavadar MLA Gopal Italia stated that a Cabinet meeting was going to take place shortly, and we hope that God grants these people wisdom and that, after seeing the huge number of people gathered here, they decide to release MLA Chaitar Vasava. I want to tell them to sign the decision in today’s Cabinet meeting itself, otherwise, in 2027, all of you will be sent packing. As long as your signatures hold power, use that power wisely; otherwise, if the people press the broom button, neither your pen nor you will have any power left. In Gujarat, even cases involving ordinary verbal abuse, arguments or pushing and shoving do not progress for ten years. But Chaitarbhai’s case was heard and progressed within just one year, and he was even sentenced. This raises the question of why such haste was shown. If the courts worked this quickly in every case, then no one in Gujarat would remain distressed. Chaitarbhai never sits at home, even for a single day; he is always fighting for the people. The BJP could not tolerate this, and its leaders thought that if Chaitar Vasava was not stopped, the BJP government itself could fall in the future. Therefore, they tried repeatedly to defeat Chaitarbhai, but now the atmosphere is such that he cannot be defeated in any election because the people have given him a place in their hearts. That is why they decided to defeat Chaitar Vasava in court. Across Gujarat, those selling liquor roam around with a BJP licence hanging around their necks, and the police do not stop them. BJP leaders have destroyed rivers by digging them up and polluting them with chemical-laden water, but no one dares to catch these mafias and put them in jail because they wear the BJP’s licence around their necks. The people of our constituencies gave Chaitarbhai and me a licence to fight for the people, and we did not take the BJP’s licence. That is why Chaitarbhai was put in jail, and now these people are saying that Gopal is next. I will tell them only one thing: “Come on, then.” We are not afraid of jail. But if the people press the broom button in 2027 and our government comes to power, you should decide right now which mansion you will hide behind and cry.
Thereafter, Aam Aadmi Party State Organisation General Secretary Manoj Sorathiya addressed the thousands of people present at the gathering and stated that those in power today have worked to destroy democracy, which is why voices are being raised across the country to save democracy. MLA Chaitar Vasava is fighting against those in power, and those sitting in power have strangled democracy and sent MLA Chaitar Vasava to jail. Chaitar Vasava is an innocent young man against whom a false case has been filed to suppress him because he is raising the voice of ordinary people. This government wants no one to ask questions or raise their voice. It wants us to adopt its policies and live a life of slavery. However, Chaitar Vasava has proved that Gujarat’s youth will now fight the battle to save democracy. Whether or not the country is freed from the BJP’s slavery, we must work to free Gujarat from the BJP’s slavery in 2027. We must now unite and become aware to save democracy. Today, the Aam Aadmi Party is becoming a ray of hope in Gujarat, and the people of Gujarat must now work to strengthen the Aam Aadmi Party. We thank Arvind Kejriwalji because he provided a platform and made it possible for Chaitar Vasava to become an MLA. Today, Chaitar Vasava is fighting strongly for the tribal community. The people of Gujarat have also understood that if anyone can put an end to the dictators sitting in power in Gujarat, it is the Aam Aadmi Party. It is now the responsibility of all of us to become Chaitar Vasavas ourselves, take leadership of Gujarat, unite and work to drive the dictators out of Gujarat.
Thereafter, Aam Aadmi Party Jamjodhpur MLA Hemant Khawa addressed the thousands of people present at the gathering and stated that elections take place every five years, after which some people become MLAs, some become ministers and some become Chief Ministers. However, becoming a people’s leader is extremely difficult. Until now, we had read about people’s leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel in books, but if anyone is a people’s leader in today’s time, it is Chaitar Vasava. The government works very hard to gather crowds for other political programmes, but the large number of people present before us today demonstrates Chaitarbhai’s popularity among the people. This Adivasi Nyay Yatra has shaken the foundations of the government. The direct descendants of the British have forgotten that the tribal community did not bow down even before the British, and it will never bow down before their descendants either. The answer to all the atrocities committed against Chaitarbhai by the dictatorial BJP government must be given in 2027.
Shakuntalaben Vasava, wife of MLA Chaitar Vasava, addressed the thousands of people present at the gathering and stated that MLA Chaitar Vasava has been kept in jail by the Bharatiya Janata Party, causing deep sorrow and intense anger within the tribal community because the community has now awakened. The MLA has always fought for the rights and entitlements of STs, OBCs, minorities and every community. Whenever Chaitar Vasava raises his voice on education, teacher recruitment, student scholarships, Schedule V, the PESA Act and forest and land rights, this dictatorial BJP government repeatedly sends him to jail. But we must avenge this imprisonment by voting in the 2027 elections because Chaitar Vasava chose jail for the sake of society without ever worrying about his family, but he did not choose to join the BJP. Chaitar Vasava is the only MLA in Gujarat who has continued fighting for the rights and entitlements of the tribal community and raising numerous issues since being elected to the Assembly. We must also unite and awaken for the sake of our community.
Varshaben Vasava, wife of Chaitar Vasava, addressed the thousands of people present at the gathering and stated that it is painful that the leader who fights for our rights is not here on stage among us today. However, even while enduring wrongful imprisonment and the hardships of jail, Chaitarbhai has maintained his courage and morale. Since we set out from Umargam, the blessings, support and cooperation given by mothers and elders have strengthened our morale. We have experienced firsthand what a family and its children go through without the head of the household. However, the support of the tribal community and the Aam Aadmi Party has given us great strength. Our community, with a population of 12.5 million, must demonstrate unity to protect water, forests and land. People in village after village told us that no one except you had come to enquire about their well-being. Since Chaitarbhai was jailed, some young people have given up food. Seeing this immense love from the people, we have complete confidence that the community stands with us. On the upcoming 15th of November, we will all gather in Dediapada and celebrate the 121st birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda in a grand manner.
Thereafter, Aam Aadmi Party Youth Wing State President Brijraj Solanki addressed the thousands of people present at the gathering and stated that Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghavi had sent the police to intimidate us. He thought that the tribal community could be frightened and scattered. Yet, thousands of people from the tribal community gathered at this programme today, and I salute them all for this. MLA Chaitar Vasava chose the path of struggle without worrying about his family in order to raise the voice of all people across Gujarat, including SCs, STs, OBCs, farmers, labourers, students and youth, and all eighteen communities. Therefore, we must now unite to secure justice for Chaitarbhai. MLA Chaitar Vasava has repeatedly raised his voice on issues concerning Schedule V, the PESA Act, and water, forests and land, and the BJP government does not like this. Not just one, but 22 cases have been filed against Chaitar Vasava, and he has been jailed many times. Above all, these people even sent Shakuntalaben, a daughter of the tribal community, to jail. Does this not make the tribal community angry? We must answer this imprisonment through our votes.
Thereafter, Aam Aadmi Party Frontal Organisation State President and Kisan Morcha State President Praveen Ram addressed the thousands of people present at the gathering and stated that when the head of a family is repeatedly jailed without any reason and the family faces a major crisis, during such difficult times, both wives of MLA Chaitar Vasava, these two brave women, undertook the Adivasi Nyay Yatra from Umargam to Ambaji and successfully concluded it in Ambaji. We had many positive experiences during this yatra, and one thing I particularly noticed was that just as many men were joining the yatra to secure justice for Chaitarbhai, an equally large number of women were also participating, which was very significant. I can confidently say that we have received the blessings of Ambaji’s Ambe Mata, many other deities and the great figures of our community. Therefore, I can say with certainty that no one will now be able to harm MLA Chaitar Vasava, his family or the tribal community in any way. Chaitar Vasava has fought for the people of the tribal community and for water, forests and land. He has fought for farmers, youth and women. The Aam Aadmi Party has fought for the tribal community, while the BJP has responded by committing atrocities against Chaitar Vasava. Therefore, in 2027, we must now avenge this injustice.
