Rajubhai Karpada’s only “crime” was demanding fair price for cotton on behalf of farmers: Arvind Kejriwal

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) tore into the BJP’s Gujarat government after police arrested farmer leader Rajubhai Karpada and several AAP leaders during a sit-in at the Botad marketing yard, where they were demanding fair prices for cotton. AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, senior leader Manish Sisodia, Gujarat Prabhari Gopal Rai, MP Sanjay Singh, Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj, and Delhi Assembly LoP Atishi, condemned the crackdown, calling it a direct assault on democratic rights. They said the arrest of Rajubhai Karpada was part of a deliberate conspiracy to silence the voice of Gujarat’s farmers.

AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, in a post on X, stated: “Under BJP rule, anyone who raises the voice of farmers is sent to jail. At 3 a.m., Aam Aadmi Party’s farmer leader Rajubhai Karpada was arrested by the police. His only fault was that he was fighting for farmers’ rights, demanding a fair price for cotton. In Gujarat, anyone who stands with farmers will have their voice crushed by the BJP. But remember, truth cannot be imprisoned. The farmers’ struggle will not stop now.”

Meanwhile, senior AAP leader and Punjab Prabhari Manish Sisodia stated on X: “At 3 a.m. last night, Gujarat Police arrested several Aam Aadmi Party leaders, including farmer leader Rajubhai Karpada, who was picked up from the protest site at Botad marketing yard. This conspiracy to crush the fight for farmers’ rights shows that democratic freedoms are being trampled in Gujarat. AAP will continue to fight for farmers’ rights with full strength, energy, and fearlessness.”

AAP’s senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh also hit out at the BJP over the arrests. He wrote on X: “At 3 a.m., Aam Aadmi Party’s farmer leader Rajubhai Karpada was arrested by Gujarat Police. His only crime was that he was sitting with thousands of farmers demanding a fair price for cotton. The BJP’s tyranny in Gujarat will end — and it will end soon.”

Senior AAP leader and Delhi Unit President Saurabh Bharadwaj took to ‘X’ and wrote: “Last night at 3 AM, Gujarat Police arrested the leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party. Open injustice is being done to farmers in Gujarat. They are not getting the right price for the crops they grow with hard work. For the fight for farmers’ rights, Aam Aadmi Party leader Rajubhai Karpada is sitting on a dharna with thousands of farmers. AAP will fight this battle from the streets to the assembly and will ensure farmers get their rights.”

Senior AAP leader and Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Atishi, took to ‘X’ and wrote: “Has raising the voice of farmers become a crime under BJP rule? In Gujarat, at 3 AM at night, the police arrested Aam Aadmi Party’s farmer leader Rajubhai Karpada, simply because he was demanding the right price for cotton along with thousands of farmers. Farmers are being exploited in Gujarat’s marketing yards, and anyone who stands with them is sent to jail. But remember, the end of BJP’s tyranny in Gujarat is now very close…”