The ongoing protests by Kshatriyas or 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 protestors 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.
Also read: Rajputs firm in their demand for Rupala’s removal as BJP candidate
“This protest will not stop till the demand is met and the candidate is replaced,” Karansjnh Chavda, a Rajput community leader, told media 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”.
In Ahmedabad, Karni Sena’s national chief, Mahipal Singh Makrana was briefly detained when he tried to meet a few of the protesting women of the Kshatriya community.
“I have come here to express my support to our sisters and daughters who are protesting,” he told media persons as policemen tried to take him away. He was later released. Several women protesters were also released after a few hours.
A meeting of all various caste groups of the community had been planned at Dholka in Ahmedabad district on Sunday. “There are 90 groups of various castes of Rajput or Kshatriya community. Representatives of all the groups will attend the meeting to chalk out the strategy to intensify the protests,” a Rajput community leader said.
