BJP’s Rajkot candidate faces wrath of Kshatriyas over remarks
The Kshatriya community continued its protests against the BJP candidate from Rajkot, Parshottam Rupala, for his controversial remarks against its members.
On Friday, protests were held at around a dozen places in Saurashtra and north Gujarat, with members of different Kshatriya castes demanding that his candidature be withdrawn.
The Union Minister, during an election campaign speech on March 22, said that erstwhile ‘maharajas’ (Kshatriya kings) had succumbed to foreign rulers like the British and forged family bonds with them. Princely families broke bread with the British rulers and also married their daughters to them, he said. Mr. Rupala then praised a Dalit community saying it had not bowed down before the British regime.
In Gujarat, there were hundreds of small princely families before Independence.
His speech, which went viral on social media, offended the Kshatriya or Rajputs in Saurashtra and parts of north Gujarat with significant hold of different castes of the erstwhile ruling class. In Saurashtra alone, the BJP has half a dozen MLAs and MPs from the Kshatriya community.
Minister apologises
After the initial protests, the Union Minister apologised, but various caste groups and outfits like the Karni Sena have intensified their protests by holding group meetings and burning his effigy and posters.
“We will not call off the protests till he is removed from the candidate list,” the Karni Sena said.
P.T. Jadeja, the international president of the Rajput Yuva Sangh, told presspersons in Rajkot on Thursday that the BJP should withdraw Mr. Rupala as its candidate as a precondition for any talks for a compromise.
After the remarks triggered widespread outrage, the State BJP roped in former Gondal MLA Jayrajsinh Jadeja to talk to the community leaders and resolve the situation even as Mr. Rupala has remained silent over the issue after his apology.
Cheap statements: AAP
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Yuvrajsinh Jadeja urged the community not to compromise with Mr. Rupala who had lowered the image of the community by making “cheap remarks”.
State Congress president Shaktisinh Gohil also lambasted the Union Minister and said he “lacked any understanding or knowledge to speak about” the community.
At a rally on Thursday, a member of the Kshatriya community said: “Our forefathers had fought Mughals and other invaders and made sacrifices. Can he [Rupala] name one person from his family who died fighting invaders? Rupala should read history before displaying his utter ignorance.”
A senior BJP leader from Saurashtra said Mr. Rupala’s remarks had unnecessarily created a political issue in the runup to the election.
The Chief Electoral Officer of Gujarat, P. Bharathi, sought a report from the Rajkot District Collector on the Minister’s speech.