The Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Gujarat unit president Gopal Italia on Monday said that the party would launch a movement from June 15 to raise the electricity issue in the state. Italia was addressing the media in the presence of National Joint General Secretary Isudan Gadhvi and National Joint Secretary Indranil Rajyaguru at the AAP’s Gujarat office.
Briefing the media, he said, “Aam Aadmi Party is about to start an electricity movement in Gujarat which will commence from June 15. On June 15, the party will hold a press conference in every district. Afterwards, the leaders and workers will go to the Collector’s office along with the supporters in large numbers and make a representation to the Collector demanding that the people of Gujarat should also get free electricity.”
He said, “From June 16 to 24, a public relations programme will be held on the issue of electricity covering the entire state. Programmes like rallies, padyatras, mashal yatra will be organised in all the districts and towns, under the leadership of AAP’s state and district office bearers, and through these programmes, awareness regarding the high prices of electricity will be raised among the people. The AAP will seek the opinion of each and every citizen of Gujarat and get a demand form filled by the public. We would try to find out from the public as to what they know and want about expensive electricity.”
“I would like to appeal to the people of Gujarat to join our movement and liberate the people of Gujarat from expensive electricity which is because of the connivance of the BJP government and power companies. We want to give the public the right to free electricity and will strive to do so,” he added.
He stated, “Today, the whole country knows that Kejriwal’s Delhi Government has been giving 200 units of free electricity to the people of Delhi immediately after coming to power and the plan to provide up to 300 units of free electricity in Punjab will be implemented in a short time. Arvind Kejriwal has set an example that if the government is honest and committed to work in the interest of the people then all the goals and objectives are within its reach.”
Taking a dig at the state government, he questioned, “If Arvind Kejriwal’s Government in Delhi and Punjab can give free electricity to the people then why can’t the corrupt BJP Government in Gujarat do the same? Why are the people in Gujarat robbed in the name of ever-increasing electricity prices which is a matter of concern for the citizens going through a troubled time?”
The AAP state president said, “Yesterday the AAP gave a formal touch to a party’s newly formed structure to effectively outreach with the people and contest in the upcoming elections. I congratulate those who have got a place in the organisation and hope that the AAP will form the government in Gujarat. All the office bearers included in the first list have a crucial role to play and this task is not possible without their efforts and cooperation.”
He said, “Soon we will also release the second list of the organisation’s office-bearers. Our focus now is to assign work to all the people according to their abilities, and on the basis of this, they will be given a designation in the coming days.”
He continued, “AAP’s activism in Gujarat has given new hope to the people. Arvind Kejriwal’s Government has done a great job in all important areas like electricity, water, education, and health in Delhi. Today, the Delhi government has succeeded in attracting the attention of the people from all over the country who are highly impressed with the results they have achieved in such a short duration.”
“In the past few days, we strongly raised the issue of education in Gujarat highlighting the worrying condition of government schools in the state. We took the issue of education to every corner of Gujarat and thousands of people joined us in this education movement. This increased the pressure on the BJP Government in Gujarat and only then they woke up from their deep sleep to start working on improving the government schools. They also organised a national conference on education in Gujarat only when their tenure is about to end,” Italia added.
