The Crossbill Team
The Rajput community in Gujarat is revolting against the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) and demand for the removal of candidature of senior BJP leader Parshottam Rupala for the Rajkot Lok Sabha seat over his alleged 'anti-Rajput' remarks.
The agitating Rajput community on Sunday (April 14) held its biggest rally in Rajkot demanding removal Rupala as BJP's candidate, who is also a sitting Union Minister. The leaders gave an ultimatum to the BJP to remove Rupala by April 19, the last date of filing nomination, or else they will intensify the agitation.
The community’s anger towards the Union Minister sparked off following Rupala’s remark that the erstwhile ‘maharajas’ (Rajput Kings) succumbed to the persecution by foreign rulers and Britishers and even married off their daughters to them on March 22.
Pupala’s comment ignited a series of demonstrations and protest by the Kshatriya (Rajput) community in many parts of the state. On 6 April, some women from the Kshatriya community, in state capital Ahmedabad, threatened to perform 'jauhar' (self-immolation) outside the BJP headquarters in Gandhinagar, demanding the withdrawal Rupala's candidature from Lok Sabha polls.
Despite the Union Minister's apology on two occasions, the community is not ready to budge from their stand. The BJP, however, has stood by him, stating that he had already apologized twice for his remarks.
In Rajkot on Friday many protesting members of Rajput community were detained by the police, while they were agitation at different BJP election events in Jamnagar and Rajkot.
The BJP has traditionally dominated the state, winning all seats in both the 2014 and 2019 elections. Observers believe that Rajput community's discontent could pose a challenge for the party in these Lok Sabha elections. The escalating situation has put the BJP in a difficult position. Withdrawing Rupala could anger the influential Patidar community, who are also the vote banks of the party in the state.
The escalating situation is a cause of worry for the BJP. It has to find a way to satisfy both the communities namely, the Rajput and the Patidar, both being their traditional vote base in the state.
The agitating Rajput community on Sunday (April 14) held its biggest rally in Rajkot demanding removal Rupala as BJP's candidate, who is also a sitting Union Minister. The leaders gave an ultimatum to the BJP to remove Rupala by April 19, the last date of filing nomination, or else they will intensify the agitation.
The community’s anger towards the Union Minister sparked off following Rupala’s remark that the erstwhile ‘maharajas’ (Rajput Kings) succumbed to the persecution by foreign rulers and Britishers and even married off their daughters to them on March 22.
Pupala’s comment ignited a series of demonstrations and protest by the Kshatriya (Rajput) community in many parts of the state. On 6 April, some women from the Kshatriya community, in state capital Ahmedabad, threatened to perform 'jauhar' (self-immolation) outside the BJP headquarters in Gandhinagar, demanding the withdrawal Rupala's candidature from Lok Sabha polls.
Despite the Union Minister's apology on two occasions, the community is not ready to budge from their stand. The BJP, however, has stood by him, stating that he had already apologized twice for his remarks.
In Rajkot on Friday many protesting members of Rajput community were detained by the police, while they were agitation at different BJP election events in Jamnagar and Rajkot.
The BJP has traditionally dominated the state, winning all seats in both the 2014 and 2019 elections. Observers believe that Rajput community's discontent could pose a challenge for the party in these Lok Sabha elections. The escalating situation has put the BJP in a difficult position. Withdrawing Rupala could anger the influential Patidar community, who are also the vote banks of the party in the state.
The escalating situation is a cause of worry for the BJP. It has to find a way to satisfy both the communities namely, the Rajput and the Patidar, both being their traditional vote base in the state.
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