Even as the Kshatriya stir against the BJP in Gujarat continues over Union minister and Rajkot candidate Parshottam Rupala’s contentious comments, various Kshatriya organisations and leaders have appealed through newspaper advertisements to stand by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP in the elections.
It has been the tradition and responsibility of the community to forgive a person if he tenders a sincere apology for his mistake, the advertisements urged. The appeal came ahead of the voting day on Tuesday.
In response to two such advertisements, the coordination committee of nearly 90 Kshatriya organisations has alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) and submitted a complaint to Gujarat Chief Electoral Officer P Bharathi, which the Election Commission has forwarded to the police to investigate.
One of the advertisements has been issued by four leaders of various Kshatriya community groups — Kanbha Gohil, President, Akhil Gujarat Rajput Samaj; Jasabhai Barad, President, Karadiya Rajput Samaj; Naranbhai Sagar, President of Akhil Gujarat Nadoda Rajput Samaj; and D D Rajput, President, Vav-Tharad Rajput Samaj.
The groups expressed their support for the BJP and Modi while stating that Modi has been strengthening the ideology of ‘Sanatan Dharma’ (eternal religion). In the advertisement, they also highlighted various works done under Modi’s leadership in the country such as construction of Ram Mandir, abrogation of Article 370, safe return of students amid the Ukraine war, renovation of places of worship like Kashi Vishwanath, Mahakal in Ujjain and Kedarnath and others.
Gohil said, “We have been with the BJP since long. I have been with the BJP since the time of Jan Sangh. We have issued this advertisement since there are some issues (related to Kshatriya agitation) in the community.” Another community leader D D Rajput said that they have issued the advertisement as a social message to the community people. Rajput was earlier in Congress and joined BJP a month back.
The other advertisement, with the title ‘Kshama Virasya Bhushanam’ (forgiveness is the virtue of the brave), has been issued by six individual leaders from the Kshatriya community; Rajendrasinh Vaghela (Ahmedabad), Baldevsinh Chudasama (Gandhinagar), Bharatsinh Jadeja (Rajkot), Indranilsinh Goyel, Kripalsinh Solanki (Surendranagar) and Akshayrajsinh Jadeja (Jamnagar). The advertisement refers to PM Modi as ‘Hindu Hriday Samrat’ who has always been ‘an ardent supporter of Hindutva’. It has appealed to people of Kshatriya community to get united in support of ‘Hindu Sanatan Dharma, our country and Narendrabhai Modi’.
Meanwhile, the coordination committee of 90-odd Kshatriya organisations in Gujarat -Shree Rajput Kshatriya Samaj Sankalan Samiti (SRKSSS), which is spearheading the agitation against BJP over the statements made by Rupala against the Kshatriya community, has taken objection to the two advertisements calling them in violation of MCC.
On behalf of the SRKSS, its coordinator Ramjubha Jadeja has complained to the office of Gujarat CEO. The complaint said, “No such type of person can issue advertisements to get votes in favor of any political party.” “Who is the advertiser? Who is the financier of such advertisement? What is their name and address and mobile number? And in what capacity are they appealing to the kshatriya samaj society? Whose consent has he obtained before making such an appeal? Request to disclose from them,” the complaint added.
Ramjubha said the credit line of the advertisement headlined Kshama Virasya Bhushanam and published in local Gujarati dailies look suspect. “That particular advertisement has been credited to six individuals who are claimed to be residing in six different cities of Gujarat. But their addresses have not been given. Nor has their contact details been revealed. All that has been revealed is the names of their supposed cities,” Ramjubha said, adding, “I have been in social service for the past 40 years and I can tell you that none of these individuals are any known figures. I know none of them.”
Ramjubha added that prima facie, the advertisements violate the MCC. “This is a flagrant violation of the MCC, and the Representation of People Act. Can sundry individuals get published an advertisement praising (Narendra) Modi and appeal voters to vote for him (Modi)? We suspect these people have been used as a front by some political party. We have sought to know if this advertisement had prior approval of the media certification and monitoring committee (MCMC) of the Election Commission,” said Ramjubha, adding, “The media certification and monitoring committee is supposed to respond to a complaint within two hours. We have been asked to wait till evening. So, we are waiting for its response.”
Ramjubha, PT Jadeja and other Kshatriya leaders also made a representation to Rajkot District Collector Prabhav Joshi, who is the returning officer of Rajkot Lok Sabha seat. “We made a representation to Rajkot district collector also as he is one of the officers who has to enforce model code of conduct and take action against those who violate it.”
Speaking with reporters, Ramjubha expressed hope that the Election Commission will take action in this case just as it had done in case of distribution of anonymous pamphlets about Patidar community in Rajkot last week. “Youth of Patidars got published a normal pamphlet and action was taken against them within two days. Despite it being a legal requirement, addresses, mobile numbers etc are not there in those who got this advertisement published,” he said.
Last week, five people were arrested by Rajkot Police for allegedly printing and distributing a pamphlet that said the BJP was meting out injustice to Leuva Patidars of Rajkot Lok Sabha constituency.
When contacted over the complaint submitted by the SRKSS, Additional Chief Electoral Officer Kuldeep Arya said, “We are sending it to the state police nodal for taking appropriate action; to inquire and act.”
In response to two such advertisements, the coordination committee of nearly 90 Kshatriya organisations has alleged MCC violation and submitted a complaint to Gujarat CEO P Bharathi (File Photo) 
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