Deadline to replace Rupala over: Rajput leaders say fresh protests against BJP to begin from today

On Friday, representatives of over 120 Kshatriya organisations held a meeting at Rajput Samaj Bhavan at Gota in Ahmedabad to decide their strategy against BJP in the elections.

Speaking to The Indian Express, convener of the coordination committee, Ramjubha Jadeja, said that Kshatriya women will hold symbolic day-long fasts at districts and talukas. “It has also been decided to create awareness among people to vote in maximum numbers against the BJP… We want people to boycott BJP (in elections),” he added.

The spokesperson of the Rajput coordination committee, Karansinh Chavda, told mediapersons that from Saturday, Rajput women will sit on relay hunger strike across Gujarat and will continue the stir till voting day on May 7, while “dharm-raths (chariots)” will be taken out in five zones against the BJP.

“The BJP has taken 24 crore Rajputs for granted. If the BJP does not want Rajputs, then we too don’t need them. We will try to defeat all BJP candidates in Gujarat, not just Rupala. Vote is our weapon,” Chavda said after the meeting.

“We will interact with people. We are confident of inflicting heavy damage on the BJP in Patan, Banaskantha, Bharuch, Sabarkantha, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Bhavnagar and Jamnagar seats,” he added.

Since the Ahmedabad Police recently issued a notification banning display of black flags in protest during poll rallies and against candidates, youth and women will show orange flags, Chavda said, adding that the community will also move court against this notification since it curtails freedom of speech.

Further, district-wise legal teams will be formed to help those against whom police will file cases during the protests, he claimed. “We will support the strongest candidate against the BJP to ensure the ruling party’s defeat,” Chavda claimed.

With PTI inputs