Gujarat AAP MLA Chaitar Vasava visits Narmada district, addresses tribal land and development issues

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Chaitar Vasava visited farmers cultivating forest land in Olgam village of Sagbara taluka in Narmada district, as well as people affected by the floating solar project at Ukai Dam.

Addressing the residents, Vasava highlighted that a 1,500 MW solar project has been approved in the area. He said that when local people opposed the project, FIRs were filed against them, resulting in 18 people being jailed.

“Now all of us must unite. Many projects such as the solar project, the Saputara–Statue of Unity corridor, high-speed corridors, housing societies, and sanctuaries are coming up. To ensure that land and forests are preserved for our future generations and to protect the constitutional rights granted to us, all of us must remain active. Whenever required, we must come together, and whenever there is a fight, we must fight united. Whether it concerns Ukai or Kevadia, we all must be present. Wherever there is an attempt to snatch tribal land, we will stand there as tribals and fight together. We are with you. If you face any such issues, inform us—my entire team stands with you,” he said.

Vasava further stated that during the Gujarat Assembly’s budget session in Gandhinagar, tribals from across Gujarat will be called to secure justice collectively. “Not only people from Surat and Tapi, but citizens from all over Gujarat will be invited.

During the budget session, we should organise a programme in Gandhinagar. We are not going there to fight with anyone, but to demonstrate our unity and present our demands,” he said.

Referring to previous actions, he noted, “During the previous Assembly session, I had gone with three to four thousand students to gherao the Assembly over the issue of post-matric scholarships. After that, the government made an announcement and spoke about restarting the scholarships. This shows that we must demonstrate unity in this manner. We must be prepared to fight for our rights. Instead of the tribal community fighting separately in different ways, we must unite under one banner and take our representation to Gandhinagar in a collective manner.”

Vasava also mentioned that tribal struggles are not limited to Gujarat. “Today, whether it is the region from Ambaji to Umargam, or states like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Mizoram, Meghalaya, or Manipur, tribal communities everywhere are struggling. In Manipur too, a battle over land is ongoing. Similarly, in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Assam, the struggle is over water, forests, and land. The Hasdev forest was destroyed overnight, and lakhs of hectares of land were handed over to Adani for mining. Last year, in a village called Bedapani, around 32 huts were demolished. The forest department burned the huts, beat the people, filed false FIRs, and forcibly evicted them. I had personally met those affected,” he said.

He described a recent incident in Padaliya: “On the 13th at 10:00 am, forest officials went with a full police contingent to carry out plantation work. The police went fully prepared with batons and helmets. Tribal leaders were peacefully stating that ‘this land has been allotted to us through official grants and people have lived here for generations.’ Despite this, the well from which people drank water was sealed. In the name of plantation, a woman’s house was demolished. When our leaders present there tried to speak, they were forcibly detained and taken away by the police. When villagers intervened, the police resorted to a lathi charge, fired 27 tear gas shells, and fired 50 rounds. This raises the question—who gives the forest department so much power? In reality, industrialists push leaders forward, leaders pressure officials, and land is cleared in this manner.”