Sagar Rabari, a candidate for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), claims he has finally realized, after decades of leading farmers' movements in Gujarat, that one cannot hand over governance to "people who are inherently anti-farmer."
How can a political activist become elected? The solution may be found in the writings of farmer's rights campaigner Sagar Rabari.
There's no avoiding the system when years of social movements produce promising but unsatisfying outcomes, as Rabari explained to the press.
Rabari, who is now the state vice president of the Aam Aadmi Party, made the switch in 2020 after the Arvind Kejriwal-led party showed interest in the state of Gujarat. The welfare of farmers has been Rabari's life's work, therefore he decided to enter politics with his buddy Isudan Gadhvi, who is now the public face of the AAP in the position of chief minister.
Rabari is well-known among the state's farmers. Since he first became politically active in 1985, he has spearheaded numerous farmer movements across the state, saved thousands of acres of farmland from corporate takeover, and assisted drought-stricken farmers in Saurashtra in developing creative solutions to the problem of seasonal labour migration.
A long time ago, I used to argue Isudan on his hit show Mahamanthan. Our shared interest in rural concerns united us. Both of us realised through years of negotiating with the government to preserve farmers' rights that individuals like us should be in a position to determine policies, and not pass over administration to people who are naturally anti-farmer," Rabari added.
When more than half the people of the state relies on agriculture for their livelihood, BJP has been openly pro-industrialization at the expense of it. However, Congress had done nothing to help on the ground. The AAP's pro-poor attitude gives us optimism," he said.
Rabari has decided to not only join the political fight, but also to change the electoral play.
Assuming no consideration for religious or ethnic background
He is running for office in the rural district of Bechraji, where agriculture provides income for more than 90% of the population. Bechraji is located about 60 kilometres north of Ahmedabad and is one of the most important pilgrimage centres in the state thanks to the Shree Bahuchar Mata shrine. The surrounding area is also the most important producer of castor and mustard seeds in Gujarat.
Rabari has staked everything on the farmers he believes to be his own, regardless of their caste or community.
Rabari selected Bechraji, where his Maldhari group has a very little representation, in a state where most parties carefully consider caste and community dynamics while choosing a candidate. Both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress Party (Congress) have put forth candidates who are members of the dominant Thakor and Patel communities. Despite being stereotyped as a BJP voting bloc, the Patels famously voted for the Congress in 2017 when the Patidar movement was at its height.
Isn't it counterproductive for Rabari to challenge from Bechraji?
I opted for it. It has the potential to bring me down but also the potential to launch my political career. What is the purpose of becoming a politician if my efforts to end caste and community equations in this agricultural region have been futile? And I'm buoyed by the enthusiastic support I've gotten for my candidacy. He said, "I ought to win."
When his name was released, Rabari said he witnessed a video of shopkeepers in the town of Bechraji exclaiming, "At last Bechraji got a worthy candidate."
A genuine public servant, in Rabari's view, does not need favouritism based on one's caste. I think he should try to win over everyone. I have completed door-to-door campaigning twice in all the 131 communities of the seat. In other areas, I have met individuals three or four times,” he continued, as he rose up through the sunroof of his vehicle to wave his hand to supporters in Santhal village.
Rabari was born into a very low-income household in the region of Aravalli. He walked over eight kilometres to get to school, he claims. But coming to Ahmedabad to enrol in college altered his outlook. In order to learn the ropes of social and political action, he took a typewriter position with the Gujarat Lok Samiti, a social work organisation. Influenced by the beliefs of anti-corruption crusader Jayaprakash Narayan, he extended his socialist views to many villages of the state.
"I decided I didn't want to work and not make money throughout my MA, which I didn't finish. Since then there is no turning back,” Rabari stated. He has used crowdfunding and role flipping by farmer friends throughout the state to mount a strong challenge to the two dominant parties.
He went on to say that "two of my farmer buddies from AAP Jignesh Patel and Jaydev Sinh Chavda" (both locals of Bechraji) had contributed the most money to his campaign.
Rabari has either led significant movements or played an indisputable part in a number of them, including an anti-liquor campaign, agitations to block the sale of grazing property to corporates, and several anti-displacement fights. The protests against the Mandal-Bechraji Special Investment Region (which included the leadership of Lalji Desai, who is now in the Congress) and the struggle against corruption in the crop insurance plan are two of the most notable movements he has led over the last decade.
The Mandal-Bechraji SIR was meant to force the relocation of 44 villages with no monetary recompense for their residents. Using the state's Urban Town Planning Act, which does require rehabilitation and compensation to displaced residents, the government of Gujarat planned to buy land. In 2014, we protested for 99 days till the state administration called it off, as Rabari puts it.
He also mentioned how the BJP-led government was compelled to revoke the permits of four private insurance firms accused of defrauding farmers under the crop insurance programme. We were all aware that the farmers' insurance programme was just a moneymaking gimmick for the insurance companies. But there was zero proof. Even though the corporations indicated just around 20% crop loss, I discovered two Tehsil certifications that claimed farmers had lost nearly 75%.
As a result of his lengthy history of involvement, he was often invited to speak on agricultural topics on television talk shows. These TV appearances allowed me to spread my message to a wider audience. Even in small towns, I am becoming a household name. For political purposes, that benefitted me as well.
The three marches he participated in over the years to bring attention to farmers' issues, including one he led on his own, are, however, what ultimately drew him into politics.
To paraphrase what I took up from my experiences on those Padyatras: People are always eager to assist if they feel you are fighting for a noble cause. After setting out alone on his first Yatra from Somnath to Sachivalaya, Rabari later said, "at every junction, I had at least 150 people walking with me."
The support of my fans gives me faith, regardless of the outcome. "I want to remain in this country," Rabari said.
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