Some royal families call for unity & Rupala’s defeat in polls, some for compromise

Speaking to mediapersons in Ranjitvilas Palace, the residence of the royal family, Mandhatasinh said: “In my view, to remark on individuals, groups, collectives or communities for serving one’s self interests is akin to murdering humanity. Recently, Parshottam Rupala, while referring to our raja-maharajas, made comments which could deeply hurt the prestige, self-esteem, honour and pride of daughters of Kshatriya community. I was very shocked to listen to it. It hurt my mind, head and heart so much that I was stunned.”

“Such utterances from the mouth of a person who has deep understanding of folk literature and who is a Union Cabinet minister were definitely shocking for me not only as member of a royal family but also as an Indian citizen who holds dear Sanatan culture and follows Sanatan dharma,” he added. “I held a telephonic discussion with him (Rupala) immediately and expressed my disappointment. Not only that, I also insisted that he should rectify his mistake immediately,” said Mandhatasinh.

Shatrushalyasinhji (85), meanwhile, said in a statement that if once the Rajputs ruled the country, it was not only because of courage but also unity. “Those days, Rajputs would die for one another, while today, we see that for trivial reasons, they are ready to kill each other,” he added. He also criticised the women who had threatened to commit jauhar (self-immolation), saying there was “no question of it”.

The statement said, “The time has come in today’s democracy, to, not in an unreasonable manner, but in a democratic way, show unity and oppose (the remarks). Rajputs have to be not just courageous, but also one, and show that Rajputs still exist in India. Therefore, all Rajputs should get together, and if whoever does something that we cannot tolerate, we should unite and defeat (that person) in the election. This is called a punishment befitting democracy by unifying in a democratic system.”

Earlier, in the media interaction, while maintaining that levels of sensitivity among independent India’s rulers were depleting, Mandhatasinh said: “We are independent citizens of an independent India and heir to the world’s largest democracy. The Indian Constitution has afforded us the special right of freedom of speech and expression. However, that doesn’t permit us to use language in an unrestrained manner whenever we wish.”

Mandhatasinh’s grandfather Pradyumansinh was the last ruler of the princely state of Rajkot. Mandhatasinh’s father Manoharsinh was a Congress leader and had served as a minister in Congress governments in the state. His assertions come a day after Pritidevi, the matriarch and titular head of the royal family of erstwhile princely state of Kutch, rejected the apologies tendered by Rupala after his remarks. “Rupala’s statement about the community and its women and daughters is highly condemnable and can’t be accepted in any circumstances,” she said in a statement late Monday.

Both Mandhatasinh’s and Pritidevi urged the BJP and Kshatriya community to find a solution to the issue. Mandhatasinh told mediapersons, “Hurt by those utterances, our Kshatriya community, our elders, our youth, our sisters and daughters and mothers are today coming in the open and expressing their anger by taking our rallies, staging dharna, observing fast and expressing their wish and demands by submitting memorandums. I am deeply pained. Keeping in mind public interest, as a member of a royal family and as a son of Kshatriya community, I appeal and request with humility to BJP and Kshatriya community to find an amicable solution to this issue.”

The protests notwithstanding, Bharat Boghra, vice-president of state Gujarat, had announced on Monday that Rupala will file his nomination papers for Rajkot on April 16.