Kshatriyas give call to defeat BJP in Gujarat, restart protest against Rupala

Amid slogans of ‘Jai Bhavani’ and ‘Rajput Ekta Jindabaad’, a Kshatriya women applied tilak to a luxury car – which has been turned into a dharma rath – on the premises of Ashapura temple on Palace Road in Rajkot.

P T Jadeja and Ramjubha Jadeja, members of the coordination committee of Kshatriya organisations, flagged off the rath. Gayatriba Vaghela, former president of Congress women wing in Gujarat, was among the Kshatriya women present on the temple premises when the rath was green-flagged.

The rath contained a banner on the car’s bonnet, featuring photos of Maharana Pratap, the ruler of princely state of Mewar who valiantly resisted expansion of Mughal empire in India and Krushnakumarsinh Gohil, the last ruler of erstwhile princely state of Bhavnagar who was the first among the kings to accede to the Union of India. The banner featured a slogan in Gujarati, ‘Nari asmitano saval, nahi kariye koi samadhan (This is a matter of women’s pride and we shall not compromise over this)’.

P T Jadeja said that similar raths have been launched from Dwarka in Devbhumi Dwarka district, Dhama, the shrine of goddess Shakti in Surendranagar district, and also Bhavnagar district. He added that one rath each will be launched from Ambaji in Banaskantha and Becharaji in Mehsana on Thursday.

“These raths will traverse all 26 Lok Sabha constituencies over the next seven days. The raths will go to talukas, hold meetings and appeal to the people of all castes to vote against the BJP, as it did not respect the feelings of Kshatriyas and cancel Rupala’s election ticket. This, despite the fact that of the around 70 lakh to 80 lakh Kshatriyas in Gujarat, about 80 per cent have historically supported BJP. We will appeal to people to vote for Congress,” Jadeja told mediapersons.

Jadeja, also the international president of Akhil Gujarat Rajput Yuva Sangh, accused the BJP of also not respecting the feelings of women. “BJP is going around the town, talking about the Ram Temple constructed in Ayodhya. However, it is not respecting the feelings of Kshatriya women who are daughters of Lord Rama.”

“Our fight is for honour of women and we are confident that people of all caste groups, including Patidars will support it and defeat BJP…,” he added.

Kshatriyas have been protesting against Rupala since March 24 after a purported video of the minister delivering a speech on March 22 went viral. In the video, Rupala is heard saying that foreign rulers, including the British, spared none in persecuting Indians and even raja-maharajas bowed down to them and sought friendly ties with them by breaking bread with them and giving their daughters in marriages. While Rupala has apologised more than once for his comments, both he and the BJP have ignored the protesters’ demand for his withdrawal from the election.

Ramjubha Jadeja said the rath flagged off from Rajkot will cover villages in Rajkot taluka and Wankaner taluka of neighbouring Morbi district.

Speaking to mediapersons later on, Karansinh Chavada, spokesperson of the Kshariya coordination committee, said the community will organise conventions in Mehsana, Surat, Anand and Jamnagar on April 27 and 28 as well as May 1 and 2, respectively. “After that, we all will focus on Rajkot as Rajkot is the epicentre of protests,” he added.