AHMEDABAD: Ahead of the Gujarat assembly elections slated for December this year, the BJP government in the state faces the opposition heat on a slew of issues.
The protest against the Par -Tapi Narmada river-linking project proposed by the Centre in South Gujarat seems to be gaining momentum day by day. On Friday, more than 10,000 tribals in 50 buses and small and big vehicles reached Gandhinagar Satyagraha Chavni (camp) to stage a protest.
According to the tribal community, the hospitals and schools in tribal areas across Gujarat are in a dilapidated condition. Even as the land of the tribal community is usurped for various projects, basic facilities were denied to them.
Congress legislature and tribal leader Anant Patel said, “our community has been fighting for its existence for centuries. At present, the condition of the tribals is very bad. Justice is denied to us. Water supply is not available for the tribals even though the river passes through the tribal area. There is no electricity. The government writes off the debts of industrialists, but does not provide jobs to the youth of our community We will fight even if we have to fight like Birsa Munda.”
Congress attempted to gherao the State Assembly building over the Par-Tapi Narmada- river-linking project, but the protesters were detained by police.
Meanwhile, farmers from around the district drove in tractors to Pethapur village to stage a protest. But the police detained them halfway through. Bhartiya Kisan Sangh (Indian Farmers Union) warned that if the power crisis of agriculture is not resolved within 72 hours, there will be a statewide agitation.
Reacting to the farmers and congress protest Gujarat government spokesperson and Cabinet Minister Jitu Waghani said “The state government is with the farmers. Necessary arrangements are being made to ensure adequate power supply to them. Congress has no choice but to provoke the farmers. The state BJP government has implemented various schemes for farmers. Only 51,551 agricultural electricity connections were provided from 1960 to 1995 while 14,63,739 agricultural electricity connections were provided from 1995 to 2022.”