AHMEDABAD: The BJP in Gujarat is facing an unprecedented situation. State party president CR Patil has attempted to quell tension within the Kshatriya community and absolve BJP candidate Purushottam Rupala for his remarks on the community.
However, former party president and ex-MP Rajendra Singh Rana signaled a persistence of protest, asserting, “Rupala’s remarks have offended the sentiments of the Kshatriyas, and their protest will continue,” said Rana.
Patil urged the Rajput community to forgive the Union minister and the BJP’s Rajkot candidate Parshottam Rupala. “Even though Rupala has apologised thrice for his remarks, the Rajputs are still angry. To find a solution, a meeting in the presence of our CM and the party’s Rajput leaders was held today. Our feeling is that since Rupala has already apologised, the community should show generosity and forgive him,” said Patil.
Patil convened a meeting with the party’s Rajput leaders in the presence of CM Bhupendra Patel aimed at pacifying the members of the Kshatriya community, who are expressing discontent against Rupala over his remarks.
While Patil sought to ease the Rajput community’s opposition to Rupala, on the very same day, during the Kshatriya convention at the Navapara Rajput Hostel in Bhavnagar city, former BJP state president and ex-MP Rajendra Singh Rana declared his support for the Kshatriya community.
Speaking at the convention, Rajendra Singh Rana said: “The comment made by him (Rupala), praising one community over another has deeply wounded the sentiments of our community, sparking anger. Now, we are protesting.”
He said for generations, the Rajput community has safeguarded the nation’s cultural heritage, and it will continue to do so in the future.
“The community is on the brink of agitation today... All of us will embrace the decisions made by our coordinating committee,” said Rana.
Despite many efforts by the ruling party, protests against Purushottam Rupala persisted on Wednesday. Bhupendra Sinh Chudasma, a senior BJP leader and former minister, told the media following the Kshatriya Community Coordination Committee meeting on Wednesday that the community was adamant about accepting no resolution rather than withdrawing Rupala’s candidacy.”
On Tuesday, Kshatriya community members, led by women, gathered at the Vadodara District Collectors’ office to hand over a memorandum against the statements made by the Union Minister during his campaign in Rajkot. Carrying banners, the protesters chanted slogans and demanded that Rupala be pulled out of the Lok Sabha race.
In Bharuch, too, the protesters who chanted slogans against the BJP and demanded that Rupala’s candidature be withdrawn, also clashed with the police after the cops foiled their attempt to burn an effigy.