Wake up Gujarat, sweep with 'Jhaadu' and form your own govt: Arvind Kejriwal's appeal to People of Gujarat

New Delhi: Calling on the people of Gujarat to rise against decades of corruption, repression and neglect, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal urged citizens to “wake up” and form their own government by wielding the AAP’s ‘jhaadu’ (party's electoral symbol). During the second day of his Gujarat visit, Arvind Kejriwal said the BJP has, over the past 30 years, devoured Gujarat’s business, jobs, schools, hospitals, roads and even funds meant for the poor under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).

What did Arvind Kejriwal say?

Questioning how long people would remain silent over corruption, repeated paper leaks, broken roads, collapsing bridges and deaths of children in hospitals, the AAP Supremo said the political message delivered by voters in Visavadar showed that even the most powerful political thrones can be shaken, and the same must now happen across Gujarat. He added that while leaders of the BJP and the Congress fold their hands to seek votes but shut their doors on people afterward, an AAP government would bring welfare guarantees similar to Punjab, including free electricity, healthcare, education and ₹1,000 per month for every woman. He also administered a pledge to AAP karyakartas to strengthen the voice of Gujarat’s people. 

Addressing a regional booth conference of AAP in Surat, AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal stated, “For the past 10–12 days our leaders Pravin Ram, Manoj Sorathiya, Isudan Gadhvi have been travelling from village to village. During this ‘yatra’ they have met thousands of farmers who are extremely angry this time. Wherever our leaders went, people said only one thing. This time we have to take revenge for Botad. Some farmers had gathered in Botad who were holding a peaceful protest against the ‘Karda Pratha’. They did not throw stones and they did not hit anyone. Protest is our right. The police lathi charged them and brutally beat the farmers. They dragged them out of their homes and jailed 85 farmers for several months.”

Pointing to the anger among farmers, he continued, “Today there is tremendous rebellion and tremendous anger among farmers across Gujarat. Farmers want revenge from the BJP. This time they will take revenge in the elections. Farmers across Gujarat will teach them a lesson. For the past 30 years Gujarat has had a BJP government. In these 30 years the BJP has completely sucked Gujarat dry. They ate the farmers’ seeds, they ate the farmers’ fertiliser, they drank the farmers’ water, they ate the farmers’ money, they ate the traders’ business, they ate the unemployed people’s jobs. They ate schools, they ate hospitals, they ate roads, they ate bridges, they ate the workers’ MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) funds. These people even swallowed construction materials, they ate the iron, they ate the soil. They have eaten everything.”

Speaking about action against those who raise their voice, Arvind Kejriwal said, “For 30 years they have sucked Gujarat dry and whoever raises their voice against them faces atrocities. Whoever raises their voice against corruption is framed in false cases and sent to jail. Chaitar Vasava raised his voice against corruption in the MGNREGA. In that scheme they fill fake records. They show that work has been done even when it has not been done. Their ministers eat the money and their leaders eat the money. Chaitar Vasava asked them to show all the records and they picked him up and sent him to jail. Chaitar Vasava was fighting for the ‘aam aadmi’ (common person). Pravin Ram raised his voice for the farmers and they picked him up and put him in jail. Both were subjected to four months in jail. Whoever raises their voice against them is arrested and sent to jail.”

Highlighting unemployment and drug abuse, the AAP Chief added that today our youth are roaming unemployed. When they go to these people asking for jobs, they hand them bottles of spurious liquor. Spurious liquor is being sold across Gujarat. How many children have died because of spurious liquor? Our youth ask for jobs and they are handed bottles of fake liquor. They are handed small packets of cocaine, packets of heroin and packets of marijuana. They are destroying our children and destroying our families. Entire families have been ruined. These days I have been visiting Gujarat frequently. I know several families whose children died after drinking spurious liquor. I know several families whose children consumed drugs and their entire families were destroyed.

“The fault is also ours. Our children died and our children were ruined, yet we still go and press the lotus button. Why? When will we wake up? How many more families must be destroyed before we wake up,” he asserted.

What did Arvind Kejriwal say about infrastructure failures?

Citing infrastructure failures, Arvind Kejriwal said that the Morbi bridge collapsed and 140 people died. A bridge collapsed in Vadodara and 22 people died. In the last five years 12 bridges have collapsed. How many more deaths are we waiting for? When will we wake up? How many more bridges must collapse before we wake up? A poor farmer sells his land and even sells his wife’s jewellery to send his child for education. Their children go to Ahmedabad, Surat or Rajkot to study. They study day and night and work hard. When they go to give the exam the paper gets leaked. Every exam paper here gets leaked. Every exam is being leaked. Lakhs of children’s futures have been destroyed. How many more children’s futures must be ruined before we wake up?

The AAP Supremo further asserted, “Papers will keep leaking and we will remain silent. Corruption will keep happening and we will remain silent. Roads will keep breaking and we will remain silent. Our children will keep dying in government hospitals and we will remain silent. These private schools will keep doing corruption and keep looting us and we will remain silent. Last year during the monsoon the images of Surat were shown on television across the entire country. Whenever it rains once in Surat, water enters every home and floods the city. Even televisions in homes were submerged in water. The entire city of Surat was flooded. This is the result of 30 years of BJP rule. Your homes get flooded. Harsh Sanghavi and C R Patil live in Surat as well but water does not enter their house. Water enters your houses. In their eyes common people are not even considered insects.”

Calling for change, he said, “And we keep following them. Do we want to change this or not? Do we want to do something or not? Should corruption stop or not? Should goondaism stop or not? Should the people be heard or not? Should government money be spent for the people or not? Then this time do what Visavadar did. The people of Visavadar showed that when the public stands up even the biggest thrones begin to shake.”

He continued, “AAP MLA Gopal Italia contested from Visavadar. He is a simple common man from an ordinary family. He is not the son of a leader or a rich billionaire. He is the son of a farmer. He had a small job in the police. The spirit within him awakened and he thought that he must do something for the country and for the people of Gujarat. He left his police job. Who leaves a police job? How much money could he have earned in a single day? Yet he kicked away that police job. For the past 15 years he has been wandering from place to place, facing struggles while doing social service and politics. In Visavadar many big leaders stood against him. Many wealthy people stood against him. Big parties like the BJP and the Congress also stood against him. But the people of Visavadar made up their mind. They defeated everyone and made a common man win. The public voted for themselves.”

Calling for a similar change across the state, the AAP Chief asserted that this time the whole of Gujarat must do what Visavadar did. Every five years we cast our votes. During every election these leaders come to us and stand before us with folded hands and knock on our doors. They hold your feet and pick up your child in their arms while taking photographs. They shower affection on your child. They show great love. They touch the feet of your grandmother. But as soon as the elections are over, when you go to their houses they release their dogs. They do not open the door. They do not meet you. They abuse you and we hear that the ‘sahib’ is busy. For five years they do not meet us.

He asked what these leaders do for next five years? They spend those five years earning money and more money. If a person becomes an MLA, long luxury cars start appearing around them. If he becomes a minister, several mansions are built. These leaders own huge malls. They have massive properties. Their children get the tickets. But, neither the BJP nor the Congress gives tickets to your children. Their children become MLAs and their children become ministers.”

How is the AAP different?

Highlighting the difference in the Aam Aadmi Party, the AAP Supremo shared, “This does not happen in the Aam Aadmi Party. All our leaders come from ordinary families. None of them is the child of a political leader. They are the sons of farmers, the sons of teachers, the sons of journalists. They are your sons. They come from your homes. The Aam Aadmi Party will give tickets to your children. Panchayat elections are coming and your child will become the Sarpanch. Your child will become a member or a ward member. Your children will get tickets. The children of political leaders will not get tickets. This time we have to bring a ‘system’ level change in the elections. This time do not vote for the Congress or the BJP. This time vote for yourselves. We have to form our own government. We have to form the government of the ‘janta’ (people).”

“When the ‘janta ki sarkar’ is formed, all the work will be done. When the people’s government is formed, whatever the people say will be done. When the people’s government is formed, the people will be respected. Corruption of leaders will be ended and the goondaism of leaders will be ended. When the people’s government is formed there will be good education. Poor people will receive a good education. Strong bridges will be built and good roads will be built. Everyone will receive treatment. In Punjab there is a people’s government. It is a government of ordinary people. Bhagwant Mann is the son of a farmer. Today in Punjab, all electricity for agriculture is free and all electricity for homes is free. Do you want free electricity in Gujarat,” he asked the people of Gujarat.

Arvind Kejriwal said, “Then form your own government. Do not form the government of the BJP. Stop forming the government of the Congress. Vote for yourselves. Stop forming the governments of parties. In Punjab electricity for agriculture comes for eight hours during the day. In Gujarat electricity comes at three in the night for farming. Why does that happen? Because there is a people’s government in Punjab. It is your government. It is the government of the ‘aam aadmi’ (ordinary people). Recently in Punjab every family has been given insurance of ₹10 lakh. In the biggest hospitals, in places like Max and Apollo where the rich get their treatment, even a poor labourer can go there and receive treatment free of cost.”

“God forbid but if a poor labourer of a farmer, or their family needs a serious surgery or treatment, they can get treatment in the biggest hospitals. Their CT scan, their MRI, all tests and all medicines will be free. Insurance has been provided for 60 lakh families. Should this happen in Gujarat or not? Form your own government. Form the government of the ‘Jhadu’ (broom). When the government of the ‘Jhadu’ is formed you will receive everything,” he added.

Referring to the poll promises delivered by the AAP government, the AAP Chief further added, “Yesterday the Punjab Budget was presented. Every woman will receive ₹1000 every month directly in her account. This is happening for the first time in the entire country. This can also happen in Gujarat if you form your own government. Some of you here may belong to the BJP and some of you may belong to the Congress. But leave the BJP and the Congress. We have received nothing from them. This time form your own government. Gujarat belongs to you, the people of Gujarat, not to the fathers of these leaders. All of us must come together to save Gujarat. We must save Gujarat for our children and for the coming generations.”

Recalling historical sacrifices, he continued, “Our ancestors made sacrifices. Sardar Patel made sacrifices. Mahatma Gandhi struggled. These people have only enjoyed the cream. Please save this Gujarat. All of us will have to awaken Gujarat. Everyone will have to take responsibility, every single person. I especially want to say this to the youth. Elections will take place in 2027. There are two years left. If you can take leave for two years then take that leave. Somehow give these two years to the AAP  and you will see that the destiny of Gujarat will change.”

Leading the audience in a pledge, Arvind Kejriwal said and asked people to repeat after him, “I take an oath that for the progress of Gujarat and for the progress of my family in any upcoming election I will not vote for the BJP or the Congress or any party. From now on I will press the ‘Jhaadu’ button and form my own government.”