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Regarding the SEBI protests: Open Letter to Chairman, SEBI (17 January 2022)

ANIL GHANWAT – PRESIDENT, SWATANTRA BHARAT PARTY

(Copyright of the above artwork vests with Times of India/ relevant artist )

TWITTER: @anil_ghanwat  (Official photo) – Other photos –  2 | 3 | 4

Anil Ghanwat (B.Sc. Agriculture), 63 years old, is a farmer from SriGonda in Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra.

Since 1985 he has been involved with the Shetkari Sanghatana farmers movement started by the great farmers leader (and later, member of Rajya Sabha) Sharad Joshi in the early 1980s. He was also closely associated with the development of Swatantra Bharat Paksha, founded in 1994 by Sharad Joshi with the blessings of Minoo Masani of the former Swatantra Party. Following in the footsteps of Sharad Joshi, Anil Ghanwat is a keen supporter of the (classical) liberal ideology – the ideology that underpins the Ambedkar Fundamental Rights of India’s Constitution – rights that have been eradicated by Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Janata Party and now the BJP. Ambedkar was upset at this and Rajaji even started a party (Swatantra Party) to oppose this slide into state dictatorship.

After the passing away of Sharad Joshi in December 2015, Anil Ghanwat was made President of Shetkari Sanghatana, a role which he discharged from 12 December 2016 to 5 September 2021. While in that role, Anil Ghanwat was appointed on 12 January 2021 by the Supreme Court of India to a Committee to report on the three 2020 farm laws enacted by the Modi government. He continues in that role in the absence of any further notification in that regard – even though the farm laws have since been repealed.

In early September 2021, Anil Ghanwat took over as  President of Swatantra Bharat Paksha. He continues a senior role in the Sanghatana, which is now led by Lalit Bahale. On 28 March 2022, Anil Ghanwat took over as President of the merged Swatantra Bharat Party (details below)

Some of Anil Ghanwat’s thoughts.

BACKGROUND OF THE MERGER OF TWO LIBERAL PARTIES

Swatantra Bharat Paksha was started in 1994 by the great farmers’ leader Sharad Joshi. Swarna Bharat Party was established in 2013 by the efforts of Sanjeev Sabhlok and Anil Sharma. Both parties were registered with the Election Commission of India and contested in local, State and National elections.

Discussions took place between the two parties for the past few years for a potential merger. Swarna Bharat Party invited Anil Ghanwat in its 20-21 November 2021 annual general meeting to be the President of the merged party. An MOU was signed by the two parties on 3 March 2022 and the Swatantra Bharat Paksha resolved on 12 March 2022 to accept the terms of the MOU for the merger.

On 28 March 2022 the National Executive of the Swarna Bharat Party accepted the merger resolutions and appointed Anil Ghanwat as President of the merged Party. The merged party continues under the Registration number of Swarna Bharat Party which has now changed its name to Swatantra Bharat Party. The ECI will be notified accordingly.  This domain (SWATANTRA.ORG.IN) will host the combined party but much of the content will remain on swarnabharat.in till the migration of content is complete.