The Aryavarth Express
Agency(Rajkot): In Rajkot, a significant protest by the Kshatriya community took place on Sunday evening, 14 April, where over 150,000 individuals from Gujarat and neighboring states gathered to demand the withdrawal of Union Minister Parshottam Rupala as the BJP candidate for the Rajkot Lok Sabha seat. The rally marks a strong reaction to Rupala’s controversial remarks about the historical actions of princely families during British rule.
Rupala, who made comments in March suggesting that former maharajas “succumbed to persecution by foreign rulers and married off their daughters to them,” has faced intense backlash, leading him to issue two apologies and meet with community leaders to mitigate the damage.
Ramjubha Jadeja, a core committee member of the Kshatriya community, articulated the community’s outrage, stating, “Rupala insulted our daughters and sisters. Then he played a farce of seeking apology. But we have rejected his apology. We will continue with our protest against Rupala. BJP must withdraw him as the Lok Sabha candidate from Rajkot.”
The ‘Kshatriya Maha Semmelan’ in Rajkot is part of a broader series of protests, which have included previous gatherings in Dhandhuka, Patan, and Himmatnagar. This movement is planning a second phase starting on 19 April, coinciding with the last day for candidates to withdraw their nominations.
As Gujarat prepares for the polls on 7 May for its 26 Lok Sabha seats, tensions are high with community leaders threatening to escalate actions, including potentially blocking highways if necessary. However, the majority of speeches have called for maintaining peace and discipline during these protests.
