Gujarat: Gopal Italia takes katha route to enlighten people about Constitution law

Italia first came to limelight in January 2017 when being a government employee he called up Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and complained about open violation of prohibition policy in the state and alleged collusion of public servants. The conversation had gone viral on social media. Later, Italia caught the attention of the media after he hurled a shoe at Minister of State for Home Pradeepsinh Jadeja outside the Assembly.

Giving an outline of his proposed Kayda Katha, which is likely to be held within next 15 days in Surat, Italia said that it will have speeches of experts on various subjects like Indian Constitution, police, court, education, law related to election, Motor Vehicle Act, agriculture, land among others.

Italia added that he has based the concept of his Kayda Katha on the theme of week-long religious discourses being conducted by various personalities and through it he is planning to spread basic information of law among common people on issues which are directly connected with them.

According to Italia, through these kathas by experts on concerned subjects, people will be given basic knowledge of issues like rule of arrest, rule of custody, (difference between) complaint and FIR, summons, investigation. People will also be given knowledge on Indian Constitution to make it popular among public. Similarly, knowledge will be given on how laws are being framed and how does the government function. A Samvidhan Yatra will also be carried out in Surat before the Kayda Katha in an attempt to popularise the same. At the end of the expert’s speech on each topic, there will be a question-answer session for the public.

Italia, who held a meeting on Sunday to chalk out the preparations for the Kayda Katha in Surat, said that a committee which is planning the event will take a decision on the duration (number of days) of the katha.

“Basically, we do not want to make people lawyers but to make them aware of the laws concerning them. It is an experiment. So far, we are getting a very good response from the public. Let’s see how it works out,” Italia said.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Italia said, “Currently, superstitions have increased a lot among people. And politically motivated religious feelings are being strengthened. So, instead of becoming ideologically broad-minded, a person becomes religious, narrow-minded. And political parties take advantage by creating disputes through conspiracies. So, to stop this and to spread basic information of law among people, we are going to organise Kayda Katha in Surat.

Italia is openly opposing the practice of religious kathas in India while alleging that it does not help those who attend it and instead creates parallel power centers like self-styled godmen Asaram or Gurmeet Ram Rahim.

Recently, a recorded conversation between a man who represented himself as an aide of a Kathakar and Italia had gone viral on social media. In the said viral audio message, Italia is heard indulging in a verbal duel with the caller over the former’s views on religious Kathakars.