2401:4900:5041:13CE:2:1:BAF0:5B12 at 15:49, 21 May 2021

2021-05-21T15:49:33Z

New page

{{Short description|Indian politician and social activist (born 1989)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| office = President - Aam Aadmi Party, Gujarat
| name = Gopal Italia
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1989|07|21}}
| birth_place = [[Botad, Gujarat]], India
| alma_mater = [[Gujarat University]]
| occupation = Social activist, politician
| term_start = 2020
| term_end =
| party = [[Aam Aadmi Party]]
| religion =
| known_for = Kayda Katha<ref>{{cite web |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/patidars-to-hold-kayda-katha-on-law-rights-in-surat-from-december-27-5505756/ |title=Patidars to hold Kayda Katha on law & rights in Surat from December 27
|author= |date=December 23, 2018 |publisher=Indian Express |accessdate= |archiveurl = |archivedate = }}</ref><br /> [[Patidar reservation agitation]]
| citizenship = India
}}
'''Gopal Italia''' (born 21 July 1989) is an Indian politician and a social activist. Since December 2020, he is the state president of [[Aam Aadmi Party]] in [[Gujarat]].

== Early life ==
Gopal was born on 21 July 1989 at [[Botad]]. He did 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/gopal-italia-who-hurled-shoe-at-minister-is-aap-gujarat-vice-president-6490953/ |title=Gopal Italia, who hurled shoe at minister, is AAP Gujarat vice-president|author=Parimal A Dabhi |date=July 5, 2020 |publisher=Indian Express |accessdate= |archiveurl = |archivedate = }}</ref>

==Career==

From January 2013, Italia worked as a constable in Madhupura Police Station in [[Gujarat Police|Ahmedabad Police]], then in 2014 as a Revenue Clerk in [[Ahmedabad]] Collectorate. After being fired from government jobs,<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/shoe-thrower-suspended-from-dhandhuka-govt-job/articleshow/57471071.cms|title=Shoe-thrower suspended from Dhandhuka government job {{!}} Ahmedabad News - Times of India|last1=Mar 5|first1=TNN {{!}} Updated|last2=2017|website=The Times of India|language=en|accessdate=2020-07-02|last3=Ist|first3=08:16}}</ref> Italia campaigned for the rights of unemployed youth as well as the rights of citizens.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.asianage.com/india/all-india/050317/clerk-who-hurled-shoes-at-gujarat-minister-loses-job.html |title=Clerk who hurled shoes at Gujarat minister loses job
|author= |date= |publisher=The Asian Age |accessdate= |archiveurl = |archivedate = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://asmitanews.com/gopal-italaiya-sake-che-aap-ma/|title=યુવાનોમાં લોકપ્રિય આદોંલનકારી એવા ગોપાલ ઈટાલીયા નો આમ આદમી પાર્ટીમાં જોડાવાનો તખ્તો તૈયાર|date=June 23, 2020|publisher=ABP Asmita|archiveurl=|archivedate=|accessdate=|author=}}</ref>

=== Social activism ===

Italia was an activist close to [[Hardik Patel]] during the [[Patidar reservation agitation]] 2015.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/national/politics/hardik-patels-supporters-show-faith-in-congress-say-will-not-vote-for-bjps-shallow-agenda20190409183905/ |title=Hardik Patel's supporters show faith in Congress, say will not vote for BJP's shallow agenda |author=ANI |date=9 April 2019 |publisher=ANI news |accessdate= |archiveurl = |archivedate = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gujaratsamachar.com/news/anand/paas-leaders-gopal-italiya-arrest-in-arms-act-in-anand-gujarat |title=આણંદ: પાટીદાર આંદોલનના નેતા ગોપાલ ઈટાલીયાની ધરપકડ |author= |date=24 January 2019 |publisher=Gujarat Samachar|accessdate= |archiveurl = |archivedate = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=|date=November 30, 2018|title=Gujarat: PAAS leaders meet OBC panel chief, seek survey of Patidars|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/gujarat-paas-leaders-meet-obc-panel-chief-seek-survey-of-patidars-5471658/|archiveurl=|archivedate=|accessdate=|publisher=Indian Express}}</ref>

He visited many villages to solve the legal problems of the citizens and made them aware of the Indian constitution and the law.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/gujarat-patidar-quota-leader-gopal-italia-constitution-law-5477083/ |title=Gujarat: Gopal Italia takes katha route to enlighten people about Constitution law |author=PARIMAL DABHI |date=December 4, 2018 |publisher=Indian Express |accessdate= |archiveurl = |archivedate = }}</ref>

He phoned [[Deputy Chief Minister]] [[Nitin Patel]] over the strict ban 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. Later he was charged under Section 120 of the [[Indian Penal Code]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04YVmj5_ZbY |title=Police constable Gopal Patel exclusive talk with VTV News |author=VTV News |date= |publisher=Youtube |accessdate= |archiveurl = |archivedate = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/pti-feed/story/man-held-for-posing-as-cop-in-phone-talk-with-gujarat-dy-cm-860717-2017-01-20 |title=Man held for posing as cop in phone talk with Gujarat Dy CM |author= |date=January 20, 2017 |publisher=India Today |accessdate= |archiveurl = |archivedate = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/man-held-for-posing-as-cop-in-phone-talk-with-gujarat-dy-cm-117012001509_1.html |title=Man held for posing as cop in phone talk with Gujarat Dy CM |author=Press Trust of India |date= January 20, 2017 |publisher=Business Standard |accessdate= |archiveurl = |archivedate = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/man-who-called-up-gujarat-deputy-chief-minister-about-cop-nexus-arrested-1651311 |title=Man Who Called Up Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister About Cop Nexus Arrested |author= |date=January 20, 2017 |publisher=NDTV |accessdate= |archiveurl = |archivedate = }}</ref>

In 2017, he threw a shoe at Home Minister [[Pradipsinh Jadeja]] in the midst of a difficult time in government duty and an outcry against government policies.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.divyabhaskar.co.in/news/UGUJ-MAT-latest-kadi-news-022003-2115025-NOR.html |title= વિધાનસભા પરિસરમાં જાડેજા પર જૂતું|author= |date=2 March 2017 |publisher=Divya Bhaskar |accessdate= |archiveurl = |archivedate = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://gujarati.abplive.com/videos/youth-throw-shoos-on-home-minister-pradip-singh-jadeja-watch-video-134218 |title=ગૃહરાજ્યમંત્રી પ્રદીપસિંહ જાડેજા પર વિધાનસભા બહાર ફેંકાયું જૂતું, જુઓ વીડિયો |author= |date= 3 March 2017 |publisher=ABP Asmita |accessdate= |archiveurl = |archivedate = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://ahmedabadmirror.indiatimes.com/news/india/shoes-hurled-at-gujarat-home-minister-pradipsinh-jadeja/articleshow/57433309.cms |title=Shoes hurled at Gujarat Home minister Pradipsinh Jadeja |author= |date=2 March 2017 |publisher=Ahmedabad Mirror |accessdate= |archiveurl = |archivedate = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.india.com/news/india/shoe-hurled-at-gujarat-home-minister-pradeep-singh-jadeja-1886195/|title=Shoe hurled at Gujarat Home Minister Pradeep Jadeja |author= |date=March 2, 2017 |publisher=India |accessdate= |archiveurl = |archivedate = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHIWl9k05gw |title=Viral Video: Why Gopal Patel throws shoe on Pradipsinh Jadeja - Vtv Gujarati |author= |date=March 2, 2017 |publisher=YouTube |accessdate= |archiveurl = |archivedate = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/shoe-thrown-at-gujarat-home-minister-on-assembly-campus/articleshow/57439878.cms |title=Shoe thrown at Gujarat home minister on assembly campus Read |author= |date=Mar 3, 2017 |publisher=Times Of India |accessdate= |archiveurl = |archivedate = }}</ref>

In 2019, Gopal was arrested under the [[Arms Act, 1959|Arms Act]] for shooting a plastic gun in farm.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gujaratsamachar.com/news/anand/paas-leaders-gopal-italiya-arrest-in-arms-act-in-anand-gujarat|title=આણંદ: પાટીદાર આંદોલનના નેતા ગોપાલ ઈટાલીયાની ધરપકડ|last=|first=|date=|website=www.gujaratsamachar.com|publisher=|accessdate=2020-07-02}}</ref>

=== Politics ===
In June 2020, Gopal started his political career as the State Vice President of Aam Aadmi Party, Gujarat.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://zeenews.india.com/gujarati/gujarat/gopal-italia-join-aam-aadmi-party-aap-ater-7-year-active-in-gujarat-99808 |title=ગોપાલ ઇટાલિયા આપમાં જોડાયા, ગુજરાતમાં યુવાઓના ભરોસે 7 વર્ષ બાદ ફરી AAP પાર્ટી થશે સક્રિય |author= |date=Jun 26, 2020 |publisher=Zee 24 Kalak|accessdate= |archiveurl = |archivedate = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/AAPGujarat/status/1276404821407395842 |title=Gopal Italiya Joins AAP |author=AAP Gujarat|date=26 June 2020 |publisher=Twitter |accessdate= |archiveurl = |archivedate = }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=|date=June 27, 2020|title=Gopal Italia continues journey from shoes to bushes|url=https://allgujaratnews.in/en/gopal-italia-continues-journey-from-shoes-to-bushes/|archiveurl=|archivedate=|accessdate=|publisher=allgujaratnews}}</ref> He was appointed the State President of the party on 12 December 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=AAP Picks Youth Leader Gopal Italia As Gujarat Convenor, Says Party "Emerging As Strong Alternative"|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/gopal-italia-who-threw-shoe-at-gujarat-minister-pradipsinh-jadeja-appointed-aam-aadmi-party-convener-2337837|access-date=2021-01-29|website=NDTV.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-14|title=Violation of Covid protocol: State AAP chief, 5 workers held while meeting Surat diamond traders|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/gujarat-aap-chief-violation-of-covid-protocol-7145258/|access-date=2021-01-29|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.facebook.com/gopalitaliaofficial/ Gopal Italia on Facebook]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Italia, Gopal}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Aam Aadmi Party politicians]]
[[Category:1989 births]]
[[Category:Indian social workers]]
[[Category:People from Botad]]
[[Category:Gujarat University alumni]]

Gopal Italia - Revision history

2401:4900:5041:13CE:2:1:BAF0:5B12 at 15:49, 21 May 2021