Bhavnagar, Apr 2 (PTI) BJP leader Rajendrasinh Rana on Tuesday said he was hurt by Union minister and his party’s Rajkot Lok Sabha seat candidate Parshottam Rupala’s controversial statements about the Kshatriya community.
Speaking at a gathering of Rajput or Kshatriya community in Bhavnagar, Rana, himself a Rajput leader and former Gujarat BJP chief, said Rupala made the remarks despite the fact that the erstwhile rulers of princely states made numerous sacrifices to save the country’s culture and traditions.
“I have known Rupala for the last 25 years as we both belong to the same party. However, while speaking at a gathering recently, Rupala praised one community (Dalits) by demeaning another community (Rajputs) against the backdrop of historical events. Such remarks have hurt the feelings of our community and people are also angry,” he said.
The Rajputs have been protecting the country’s culture and traditions since time immemorial and “we will continue to do so in the future,” Rana said.
“I was pained and surprised by this remark by Rupala. I was wondering how he would say such things. History of Rajputs is full of sacrifices. During our rule, we only gave to society instead of taking anything. Despite that, Rupala commented about our matrushakti (women). That is why we have taken this path of agitation,” he added.
The former MP from Bhavnagar said he was attending the gathering because he is an inseparable part of the Rajput community, and every one will accept the decision of the coordination committee which will be meeting BJP leaders on Wednesday in Ahmedabad to find a solution.
Speaking at a small gathering in Rajkot on March 22, Rupala said the erstwhile ‘maharajas’ succumbed to the persecution of foreign rulers as well as the Britishers. Rupala further said these maharajas broke bread with them and also married off daughters to them.
The Kshatriya community in Gujarat strongly objected to Rupala’s remarks on erstwhile rulers of princely states, who were mostly Rajputs.
Rupala then tendered an apology, but many Rajput leaders rejected it and asked the BJP to replace him as a candidate or face the ire of Rajput voters.
Earlier during the day, Gujarat BJP president C R Paatil held a meeting with the party’s Rajput leaders in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel to find a way to pacify the community amid growing clamour to replace him. PTI COR PJT KRK
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