Aam Aadmi Party fever catches up with NRI supporter of Modi, imitates AAP for his "corporate" campaign

By A Representative
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) virus appears to have taken over, among others, non-resident Indian lobbyists for Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi in the US. California-based Mahesh Patel, who introduced himself as chairman of the Indo-American Farmers’ Coalition (IAFC), who met Modi a few days back at a farmers’ event in Gujarat, wore a cap similar to the one put up by AAP all over India while addressing Gujarat mediapersons at Hotel Harriet in Ahmedabad, even as expressing the hope that his efforts to reestablish linkages with Gujarat farmers would begin after meeting Modi in the next couple of days.
Patel not just wore an AAP-type cap. Interestingly, the non-resident Indian took the clue of his new project from AAP – he called it “Aam Aadmi Roti Abhiyan.” On display were samples to be distributed for the campaign. The press invite sent to journalists, too, said the NRI’s main effort in India is to answer questions to the “Aam Aadmi’s roti.” Hoping to be heard by Modi, even as adorning AAP-type cap, he said, “I will start my effort towards providing food security from Gujarat, where a huge Rs 11,400 crore worth of foodgrains are wasted during distribution.” A handout given to mediapersons quoted sources to say that Gujarat is No 2 state in India in “wasting vegetables.”
Patel said, he proposes to “involve” private firms in the US to set up “one food processing unit in each of the 729 districts of the country, even as forming a nationwide chain of “farm to consumer shop” through a special purpose vehicle (SPV) at an investment of about US $2.5 billion and the SPV will enter into “crop development contract” with the local “farmers’ crop development cooperatives”. “The contract will provide for procurement of agriculture produce from the farmers at a pre-determined affordable rate and offering the producers share in profit earned through value addition made in the produces”, he said.

Answering a flurry of questions, Patel said, he would “seek” government support for public-private partnership (PPP) of the project, though at the same said declared, “We will not live on government subsidy.” He insisted, “We are an NGO. We will facilitate PPP, but directly invest. Wanting the Government of India to “amend” the new food security Act, Patel said, instead of providing foodgrains under food security, the poor should be provided with “prepared food” – which his chair of foodshops will facilitate. His proposal includes providing Aam Aadmi roti at Rs 2 for five chapatis!
“Working as a corporate body, the SPV will also develop infrastructure and sales-marketing network for distribution and marketing of the farm produce, while the cooperative bodies will look after the backward integration aimed at supply of farm produces”, he said, claiming, “Apart from NRIs from the US, we hope to rope in UNO, International Finance Corporation (IFC) and NABARD are supposed to be partner in the project execution. Implementation of such project in India can also help a lot in successful implementation of food security bill.”
“We have already made a representation in this regard to some policymakers including the Chairman of Economic Advisory Council of Prime Minister D. C Rangarajan and will take the issue with the Gujarat chief minister in due course. We hope that our initiative will go a long way in improving the conditions of the farmers and the poor in India,” he said. He claimed, he “did not belong to any political party” amidst murmurs that he has “actively participated” in Overseas Friends of BJP meeting in the past.

Comments

Stronger India–Russia partnership highlights a missed energy breakthrough

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India was widely publicized across several countries and has attracted significant global attention. The warmth with which Mr. Putin was received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was particularly noted, prompting policy planners worldwide to examine the implications of this cordial relationship for the global economy and political climate. India–Russia relations have stood on a strong foundation for decades and have consistently withstood geopolitical shifts. This is in marked contrast to India’s ties with the United States, which have experienced fluctuations under different U.S. administrations.

Grueling summer ahead: Cuttack’s alarming health trends and what they mean for Odisha

By Sudhansu R Das The preparation to face the summer should begin early in Odisha. People in the state endure long, grueling summer months starting from mid-February and extending until the end of October. This prolonged heat adversely affects productivity, causes deaths and diseases, and impacts agriculture, tourism and the unorganized sector. The social, economic and cultural life of the state remains severely disrupted during the peak heat months.

From natural farming to fair prices: Young entrepreneurs show a new path

By Bharat Dogra There have been frequent debates on agro-business companies not showing adequate concern for the livelihoods of small farmers. Farmers’ unions have often protested—generally with good reason—that while they do not receive fair returns despite high risks and hard work, corporate interests that merely process the crops produced by farmers earn disproportionately high profits. Hence, there is a growing demand for alternative models of agro-business development that demonstrate genuine commitment to protecting farmer livelihoods.

The Vande Mataram debate and the politics of manufactured controversy

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The recent Vande Mataram debate in Parliament was never meant to foster genuine dialogue. Each political party spoke past the other, addressing its own constituency, ensuring that clips went viral rather than contributing to meaningful deliberation. The objective was clear: to construct a Hindutva narrative ahead of the Bengal elections. Predictably, the Lok Sabha will likely expunge the opposition’s “controversial” remarks while retaining blatant inaccuracies voiced by ministers and ruling-party members. The BJP has mastered the art of inserting distortions into parliamentary records to provide them with a veneer of historical legitimacy.

A comrade in culture and controversy: Yao Wenyuan’s revolutionary legacy

By Harsh Thakor* This year marks two important anniversaries in Chinese revolutionary history—the 20th death anniversary of Yao Wenyuan, and the 50th anniversary of his seminal essay "On the Social Basis of the Lin Biao Anti-Party Clique". These milestones invite reflection on the man whose pen ignited the first sparks of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and whose sharp ideological interventions left an indelible imprint on the political and cultural landscape of socialist China.

The cost of being Indian: How inequality and market logic redefine rights

By Vikas Gupta We, the people of India, are engaged in a daily tryst—read: struggle—for basic human rights. For the seemingly well-to-do, the wish list includes constant water supply, clean air, safe roads, punctual public transportation, and crime-free neighbourhoods. For those further down the ladder, the struggle is starker: food that fills the stomach, water that doesn’t sicken, medicines that don’t kill, houses that don’t flood, habitats at safe distances from polluted streams or garbage piles, and exploitation-free environments in the public institutions they are compelled to navigate.

Why India must urgently strengthen its policies for an ageing population

By Bharat Dogra A quiet but far-reaching demographic transformation is reshaping much of the world. As life expectancy rises and birth rates fall, societies are witnessing a rapid increase in the proportion of older people. This shift has profound implications for public policy, and the need to strengthen frameworks for healthy and secure ageing has never been more urgent. India is among the countries where these pressures will intensify most sharply in the coming decades.

Thota Sitaramaiah: An internal pillar of an underground organisation

By Harsh Thakor* Thota Sitaramaiah was regarded within his circles as an example of the many individuals whose work in various underground movements remained largely unknown to the wider public. While some leaders become visible through organisational roles or media attention, many others contribute quietly, without public recognition. Sitaramaiah was considered one such figure. He passed away on December 8, 2025, at the age of 65.

Proposals for Babri Masjid, Ram Temple spark fears of polarisation before West Bengal polls

By A Representative A political debate has emerged in West Bengal following recent announcements about plans for new religious structures in Murshidabad district, including a proposed mosque to be named Babri Masjid and a separate announcement by a BJP leader regarding the construction of a Ram temple in another location within Behrampur.

Search This Blog