Gujarat Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) president Isudan Gadhvi launched an indefinite protest in Khambhalia, Devbhumi Dwarka, on Saturday, 29 August, demanding that the state government formally declare drought across parts of Saurashtra, Kutch, and North Gujarat following four consecutive weeks of deficient rainfall. The agitation began after a government deadline set by AAP elapsed without any official response.

Key Demands

The AAP's protest centres on four specific demands: a formal drought declaration in affected districts; adequate fodder assistance to gaushalas; release of water from dams under the SAUNI scheme for irrigation; and waiver of electricity bills for farmers in drought-hit areas. Gadhvi said the government had so far failed to act on any of these fronts despite the worsening agrarian situation.

Ground Situation in Affected Districts

Gadhvi told reporters that Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar, and Porbandar, along with parts of Kutch and Saurashtra, had received very little rainfall during this period. He said only around 25 percent of seeds sown by farmers had germinated, with the remaining crop having failed entirely. Even the surviving crop, he noted, urgently requires irrigation water, while many farmers are unable to pay their electricity bills.

The situation has reportedly become so dire that farmers are struggling to obtain groceries on credit, as local traders are aware of the rainfall shortfall and its impact on agricultural income. Gadhvi noted that the approaching Janmashtami festival had added to farmers' financial stress. AAP MLA Hemant Khava and party leaders Manoj Sorathia and Pravin Ram, along with farmer representatives, were among those who organised the protest.

Why AAP Chose Khambhalia

'I had given an ultimatum that the declaration should be made by the 29th, failing which we would launch a Satyagraha,' Gadhvi said. AAP had publicly announced the agitation in advance, warning that farmers would gather in Khambhalia town if the government did not act before the deadline. Gadhvi said a large number of farmers joined the protest voluntarily. 'Our team discussed that instead of merely raising the voice of farmers through television, now that farmers are facing difficulties, I too have to become a participant in those difficulties,' he said.

IMD Data: North Gujarat and Saurashtra-Kutch Remain Dry

Weather data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) as of Saturday presents a mixed picture. Rainfall was recorded at a few places in South Gujarat during the 24 hours ending 8:30 am, but North Gujarat and the Saurashtra-Kutch region — including Devbhumi Dwarka, Jamnagar, and Porbandar — remained dry during that period. This is consistent with the pattern of deficient rainfall that AAP has cited as the basis for its demands. With the protest now underway and no government response on record, the pressure on the ruling administration is set to intensify in the days ahead.