Rajput community in Gujarat intensifies protest against Rupala
The ongoing protests by Rajputs in Gujarat against Union Minister Parshottam Rupala’s controversial remarks against them escalated on Saturday with a rally at Rajkot drawing many from the community and protesters in Khambhalia attempting to disrupt a BJP event.
The protesters in Rajkot demanded the withdrawal of the candidature of Mr. Rupala’s, BJP’s nominee for the seat. Thousands of protesters marched to the Collector’s office to submit a memorandum expressing this demand.
The rally included a large number of women, dressed in saffron sarees, and raising slogans against the BJP leader, who had been facing protests since March 22 when he first made the remarks.
“This protest will not stop till the demand is met and the candidate is replaced,” Karansjnh Chavda, a Rajput community leader, told presspersons after a meeting with representatives of various caste groups from the Kshatriya (Rajput) community.
According to sources, smaller protests or meetings were being held by the aggrieved community members in villages and smaller towns and the demand for the Union Minister’s removal as the party candidate was growing.
In Khambhalia, approximately 100 protesters made their way to a public meeting of State BJP president C.R. Paatil and showed black flags, raised slogans and upturned chairs.
Purported video clips of the event went viral on social media and on local channels in the State.
The State BJP had yet to make any statement about the incident in Khambhalia and the protests in Rajkot. Former Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said that “the community would show a large heart and forgive the Union Minister who has apologised twice”.