Kejriwal and Mann to Rally for Farmers in Gujarat?

Ahmedabad, July 18 (NationPress) AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal, along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, will be visiting Gujarat on July 23, as announced by party leader Isudan Gadhvi on Friday. The two prominent figures will participate in the ‘Khedut Pashupalak Mahapanchayat’ in Modasa, where they intend to express their support for farmers and cattle rearers, Gadhvi added.

This event is anticipated to attract considerable involvement from the agricultural community.

Following this, on July 24, Kejriwal and Mann will proceed to Dediapada for a public assembly in support of Chaitar Vasava, where they plan to protest against what the party describes as “false charges” leveled against him.

The leadership of AAP is expected to address a sizeable crowd, advocating for justice on behalf of tribal leaders and farmers.

The unrest in Gujarat, stemming from dissatisfaction with the yearly adjustment of milk rates according to fat content, escalated into violence on July 17.

As per police accounts, protesters—reportedly organized via social media—convened near the dairy premises around 10 A.M., breached barricades, and clashed with security forces.

Witnesses noted that demonstrators, some armed with sticks, iron rods, and stones, raised slogans calling for increased transparency in the dairy’s pricing and profit-sharing methods.

The situation intensified when the assembly hurled stones, vandalized public property, and obstructed the National Highway using tree branches and debris.

To manage the situation, police deployed nearly 70 tear gas shells. In an alarming incident, Head Constable Jignesh Kumar Sureshbhai was dragged into the crowd and assaulted. An FIR has been lodged at Himmatnagar A-Division Police Station, naming Patel and Idar-based leader Dharmendrasinh Jetawat as primary instigators, accusing them of inciting chaos through social media.

This unrest occurred despite Sabar Dairy having recently issued retention payments to farmers on July 11—an action criticized by skeptics like Patel as insufficient and unclear.

The protest inflicted considerable damage to infrastructure, including the main entrance gate, fencing, and several government vehicles at the site.

Authorities have invoked serious criminal charges under the IPC and are currently identifying further culprits using surveillance footage and local intelligence.

Founded in 1964, Sabar Dairy—officially the Sabarkantha District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union—is among Gujarat’s largest cooperative milk unions.

It processes approximately 750,000 liters of milk daily from over 1,700 villages and is part of the Amul/GCMMF network.

In the 2023–24 fiscal year, the union reported a turnover of Rs 8,939 crore, solidifying its status as a billion-dollar cooperative.