Gujarat farmers' leader detained, as Modi launches his high profile roadshow in Surat; no reason offered

By A Representative
In a move which is not surprised farmers' leaders, prior to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s arrival in Surat for road show, the police detained President of Khedut Samaj South Gujarat chief Jayesh Patel (Delat). The detention took place despite the fact that the Khedut Samaj did not plan any protest programmes, nor did it seek any
permission for protest.
The detention came amidst the news that farmers' representatives wanted to raise with Modi the case of income-tax recovery notices slapped on South Gujarat sugar cooperatives. The income tax (IT) department has sent recovery notices to some of the largest sugar cooperative clusters of South Gujarat. The notices suggest that 14 cooperatives evaded Rs 1,399 crore in taxes between 2011-12 and 2013-14.
Notices were served amidst farmers' leaders saying that the IT department "overlooked" the fact that agricultural incomes are exempt from tax under the IT Act. The farmers in South Gujarat are mainly depend on sugarcane farming.
While the police have given no reason for the detention, this is not for the first time that the cops swooped upon activists, detaining them ahead of any VVIP visit, including Modi's.
The Khedut Samaj said in a statement, “The government, is so afraid of social activists that it earlier detained Khedut Samaj leaders Sagar Rabari and Lakhan Musafir, Patidar pro-quota leader Hardik Patel, Dalit rights leader Jignesh Mevani, among others, ahead of Modi’s programmes.”
Khedut Samaj stated, “This shows as to how intense the fear is of the people within the government. One need not say on whose orders are the ‘obedient’ police force acting.”
Rabari, commenting on the detention, said, “The farmers of Gujarat severely condemn this undemocratic and despotic step of the Gujarat government. This direct attack on democracy in Gujarat will be answered to by the people of Gujarat in the forthcoming elections.”
He added, “The government is resorting to the short-cut of suppressing the voice of the farmers instead of listening to them. We will undertake massive programmes of people’s education against the anti-democratic and autocratic steps by the ruling establishment.”
Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Romel Sutariya of the Adivasi Kisan Sangharsh Manch (AKSM), which represents the new class of tribal farmers of South Gujarat, said that Modi would be inaugurating the Surat District Co-Operative Milk Producer's Union or SUMUL’s Tapi plant in South Gujarat despite the fact that it has been constructed illegally on agricultural land.
Quoting sources, Sutariya said, the plant, situated off national highway near Valod taluka’s Bajipur village on a plot of land belonging to Titava village, which is an agricultural land, and has not been cleared for non-agricultural purpose.
“The plant was built despite the fact that the local panchayat opposed handing over the plot of land for non-agricultural purpose”, claimed Sutariya, adding, “Tapi district officials are learnt to have even decided to propose a fine of Rs 4 lakh for illegal construction.”
Sutariya demanded, during his visit, Modi should send out the signal to the state government so that it begins acting against chit fund scamsters, who are looting poor tribals. “If Modi speaks against chit fund scam in West Bengal, what stops him to speak about it in Gujarat”, it asked.

Comments

Romel Sutariya said…

Thanks sir

May 04, 2017

Wave of disappearances sparks human rights fears for activists in Delhi

By Harsh Thakor* A philosophy student from Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University, and an activist associated with Nazariya magazine, Rudra, has been reported missing since the morning of July 19, 2025. This disappearance adds to a growing concern among human rights advocates regarding the escalating number of detentions and disappearances of activists in Delhi.

How community leaders overcome obstacles to protect forests and pastures in remote villages

By Bharat Dogra Dheera Ram Kapaya grew up in such poverty that, unable to attend school himself, he would carry another boy’s heavy school bag for five kilometers just to get a scoop of daliya (porridge). When he was finally able to attend school, he had to leave after class five to join other adolescent workers. However, as soon as opportunities arose, he involved himself in community efforts—promoting forest protection, adult literacy, and other constructive initiatives. His hidden talent for writing emerged during this time, and he became known for the songs and street play scripts he created to promote forest conservation, discourage child marriages, and support other social reforms.

‘Act of war on agriculture’: Aruna Rodrigues slams GM crop expansion and regulatory apathy

By Rosamma Thomas* Expressing appreciation to the Union Agriculture Minister for inviting suggestions from farmers and concerned citizens on the sharp decline in cotton crop productivity, Aruna Rodrigues—lead petitioner in the Supreme Court case ongoing since 2005 that seeks a moratorium on genetically modified (GM) crops—wrote to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on July 14, 2025, stating that conflicts of interest have infiltrated India’s regulatory system like a spreading cancer, including within the Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR).

The GMO illusion: Three decades of hype, harm, and false hope

By Sridhar Radhakrishnan Three decades of hype, billions of dollars spent, and still no miracle crop. It's time to abandon the GMO biotech fairy tale and return to the soil, the seed, and the farmer. “Trust us,” they said. “GMOs will feed the world.” Picture a world where there is plenty of food, no hunger, fields grow without chemical pesticides, children are saved from malnutrition, and people live healthily.

'Bengali Muslim migrant workers face crackdown in Gurgaon': Academic raises alarm

By A Representative Political analyst and retired Delhi University professor Shamsul Islam has raised serious concerns over the ongoing targeting and detention of Muslim migrant workers from West Bengal in Gurgaon, Haryana. In a public statement, Islam described the situation as "brutal repression" and accused law enforcement agencies of detaining migrants arbitrarily under the pretext of verifying their citizenship.

Deaths in Chhattisgarh are not just numbers – they mark a deeper democratic crisis

By Sunil Kumar For a while, I had withdrawn into a quieter life, seeking solace in nature. But the rising tide of state-sponsored violence and recurring conflict across India has compelled deeper reflection. The recent incidents of killings in central India—particularly in Chhattisgarh—are not isolated acts. They point to a larger and ongoing crisis that concerns the health of democracy and the treatment of marginalised communities.

Sandra Gonzalez Sanabria: An inspiring life from Colombia’s Amazonian valley

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* In the village of Héctor Ramírez, known as Agua Bonita, in La Montañita, Caquetá, Colombia, a vision of peace and renewal is unfolding. In the pre-2016 period, this would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to visit, as it was the epicenter of violent resistance against state oppression. However, after the Peace Accord was signed between the Colombian government and former revolutionaries—marking the end of a 70-year insurgency that claimed over 400,000 lives until 2025, including civilians, rebel fighters, and security personnel—things began to change. Visiting Agua Bonita during the Global Land Forum in Bogotá revealed a village of hope and resilience. Former FARC revolutionaries have settled here and transformed the village into a center of peace and aspiration.

Indigenous Karen activist calls for global solidarity amid continued struggles in Burma

By A Representative At the International Festival for People’s Rights and Struggles (IFPRS), Naw Paw Pree, an Indigenous Karen activist from the Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG), shared her experiences of oppression, resilience, and hope. Organized with the support of the International Indigenous Peoples Movement for Self-Determination and Liberation (IPMSDL), the event brought together Indigenous and marginalized communities from across the globe, offering a rare safe space for shared learning, solidarity, and expression.

India’s zero-emission, eco-friendly energy strategies have a long way to go, despite impressive progress

By N.S. Venkataraman* The recent report released by OPEC’s World Oil Outlook 2025 has predicted that by the year 2050, crude oil would replace coal as India’s key energy source. Clearly, OPEC expects that India’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy will continue to remain high in one form or another.

Search This Blog