Gujarat farmers body threatens agitation

Ahmedabad, Oct 18 (IANS) A farmers body in Gujarat has threatened to launch an agitation against the Narendra Modi government unless it fulfills its promise to provide three-phase power for 14 hours a day.

'We plan to launch a massive farmers agitation against non-availability of 14-hour three-phase power supply as promised by the state government during 2002 and 2007,' Mahagujarat Janta Party general secretary Sunil Oza said Friday.

He said 1,992 applications for power connection are pending.

'It is ironic that this government promises to give 24-hour power to Tatas for its car project while nearly 5.2 million farmers are languishing. Even after 17 years the government has not bothered to redress farmers' grievances,' Oza added.

MJP has been organising workers' meetings in Saurashtra during the past four days roping in farmers to its fold through village councils. 'Today was the last day of our campaign in Saurashtra,' he said.

Oza said the party would go to central, north and south Gujarat and cover at least 50 percent of the 18,000 villages of the state by Oct 24.

MJP, launched last month as a party of farmers and poor, is headed by former home minister Gordhan Zadafia. It claims to be a truly regional party committed to Pandit Deen Dayal's philosophy of Integral Humanism.

'President Gordhanbhai will be addressing a massive public rally on Gujarati New Year Oct 30 at Paliyad, near Botad (Bhavnagar district) which is the assembly constituency of Industries Minister Saurabh Patel. We expect 65,000 people to attend the rally,' Oza said.