Gopal Italia

Gopal Italia (born 21 July 1989) is an Indian politician and a social activist.

He was ex-police official and a leader of the Patidar reservation agitation.

Gopal was born on 21 July 1989 in Botad in Gujarat, India.

He completed his primary studies at Timbi village in Umrala Taluka of Bhavnagar district and his secondary studies at Dhola village.

He graduated from Gujarat University, Ahmedabad with a degree in Political Science.

From January 2013, Italia worked as a constable in Madhupura Police Station in Ahmedabad Police, then in 2014 as a Revenue Clerk posted at the office of Dhandhuka taluka Sub-Divisional Magistrate under Ahmedabad Collectorate.

He campaigns for the rights of unemployed youth as well as the rights of citizens.

Italia was a social activist and took part in the Patidar reservation agitation as member of the Botad Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti and organization of the village of Lathidad in his early days.

He credits these organizations for grooming him to be a consistent leader.

Later he was associated with Gujarat and District Patidar Andolan Samiti.

He was close to Hardik Patel during the Patidar reservation agitation 2015.

He visited many villages to solve the legal problems of the citizens and made them aware of the Indian constitution and the law.

He phoned Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel over the enforcement of the laws banning on alcohol, an audio clip of which went viral on social media.

The one minute long clip caused a massive embarrassment in the state government, because he claimed to be a constable and alleged that senior officers were preventing lower cadre officers from enforcing prohibition laws.

He was charged under Section 120 of the Indian Penal Code in the incident.

List of sources

Italia became known in January 2017, when serving as a government employee, he called up Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and complained to him about the open violation of the alcohol prohibition policy in Gujarat and alleged collusion of public servants.

The video of the conversation became viral on social media.

In March 2017, Italia was in the news for hurling a shoe at Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja and shouting 'down with corruption'.

In 2017, he threw a shoe at State Home Minister Pradipsinh Jadeja and shouted 'down with corruption', in the midst of a difficult time in government duty and an outcry against government policies.

List of sources

Italia became publicly active after the incident.

He became a vocal critic of the ruling BJP.

Between 2018 and 2020 Italia was associated with the social organization Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS).

In 2018, he organized public meetings named Kayda Katha to raise awareness about Constitution law and in June 2020, Italia joined AAP as the State Vice President of Aam Aadmi Party, Gujarat.

In November 2018, in a live video on Facebook, Italia fired shots into the air demonstrating a plastic gun for use by farmers to scare away animals who damage crops.

The video of the incident became viral.

88,000 aspirants had appeared in the written examination, for recruitment of 186 head clerks, held on 12 December 2021.

After paper leak the exam was cancelled.

Italia along with 500 AAP members protested outside the BJP office for removal of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Asit Vora from the post of chairman of Gujarat Subordinate Service Selection Board (GSSSB) that conducted the examination.

Italia and others spent 10 days in prison before getting bail in the case filed by BJP leader for the protest.

Under Italia's tenure as president, AAP Gujarat debuted in the February 2021 Gujarat local body elections.

AAP won 27 seats in the Surat Municipal Corporation and one in the Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation.

In 2022 he was re-appointed as the president of AAP Gujarat, to prepare the party for the 2022 Gujarat Legislative Assembly election.

In this election party grabbed 12.92% vote with 5 seat.

Between 2018 and 2020 Italia was associated with the social organization Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS).

In 2018, he organized public meetings named Kayda Katha to raise awareness about Constitution law.

Speeches of experts on subjects like Indian Constitution, police, court, education, law related to election, Motor Vehicle Act, agriculture, land etc were part of the meeting.

From December 2020 to January 2023, he was the Convener (State president) of Aam Aadmi Party in Gujarat.

He was appointed the State President of the party on 12 December 2020.