The electoral landscape in the Saurashtra region has been marred by unrest as BJP candidates campaigning for Lok Sabha seats find themselves at odds with the Kshatriya community. The uproar stems from the controversial remarks made by Union Minister Parshottam Rupala, sparking protests and demands for his withdrawal from the Rajkot Lok Sabha seat candidacy.
As the Lok Sabha election fervor intensifies in the Saurashtra and Kutch regions, BJP candidates find themselves navigating through turbulent waters amid mounting discontent within the Kshatriya community. The root of this discord lies in the remarks made by Union Minister Parshottam Rupala, igniting a wave of protests and demands for accountability.
Kshatriya community factor
During their election campaigns in villages and towns, BJP candidates have encountered the ire of Kshatriya community members, who express their grievances vocally by disrupting public meetings and raising slogans against Parshottam Rupala. The calls for his withdrawal from the candidacy for the Rajkot Lok Sabha seat reverberate through the political landscape, posing significant challenges for the BJP's electoral endeavors.
In a recent incident that underlines the intensity of the dissent, a group of over a dozen youths from the Kshatriya community staged a protest at a public meeting of a BJP candidate contesting the Rajkot Lok Sabha seat. Amidst the gathering, one protester, Ravirajsinh Jadeja, took to the stage to symbolically resign from the BJP, urging the party leadership to reconsider Parshottam Rupala's candidacy. The demonstration, marked by the presence of black scarves and chants against Rupala, illustrates the depth of frustration within the community.
Series of meetings held
When a group meeting was being held by the BJP in Gurjar Vishwakarma Suthar's wadi on Gandhinagar road in Jamnagar city, the youth of the Rajput community went to Vishwakarma's wadi and raised slogans and protested. The police detained the protesting youth.
A tight security was maintained by the police at the central office of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Jamnagar city, where the women's meeting was also held. The youth from Rajput Kshatriya community raised slogans of 'Rupala Hai hai'. After that the police immediately rushed to the spot and detained the Rajput community youths.
Discontent extends beyond individual protests
The discontent extends beyond individual protests, with Kshatriya organizations in Saurashtra spearheading efforts to hold Parshottam Rupala accountable for his remarks. Despite Rupala issuing public apologies on two occasions, the sentiments of resentment persist, casting a shadow over the BJP's electoral prospects in the region.
The fallout from Rupala's remarks reverberates beyond the electoral arena, impacting the BJP's political alliances and strategies. With prominent figures like MLA Jitubhai Vaghani and Lok Sabha member Bhartiben Shiyal witnessing the protests firsthand, the party faces the challenge of reconciling internal divisions while maintaining a united front in the face of opposition.
