Rajputs continue their protests in Gujarat over statements made by Union Minister Parshottam Rupala

Union Cabinet Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala addressing a rally before filing his nomination for the Lok Sabha Election seat in Rajkot, Gujarat on Tuesday April 16, 2024. | Photo Credit: Vijay Soneji

Rajputs in Gujarat continued their protests on Friday over the issue of controversial statements made by Union Minister Parshottam Rupala, who is contesting as the BJP candidate from Rajkot Lok Sabha seat. 

On Friday, the Rajput protesters in Vadgam forced the BJP’s Patan Lok Sabha candidate and sitting MP Bharatsinhji Dabhi to cancel his election meeting. 

“Over 100 members of the Rajput community started protesting at the venue where Bharatsinhji Dabhi was scheduled to hold a meeting. After the protests, the meeting was cancelled,” a local leader from BJP said.

Similar protests were held in Rajpipla in Bharuch parliamentary seat, Sabarkantha, Bhavnagar and other places. In Bhavnagar, Shihor town observed a peaceful bandh on Thursday. In the Jamnagar seat too, several protests were held in various places against the ruling party. 

In Himatnagar of Sabarkantha constitutency, representatives of the Rajput community apparently told Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghvi that their community members would vote against the BJP in the polls. The BJP had directed Mr. Sanghvi to hold a meeting with the representatives of the community in each seat in Saurashtra and north Gujarat and, so far, Mr Sanghvi has held meetings in Surendranagar, Bhavnagar and Sabarkantha. 

Earlier, Rajputs protested in the campaign meeting of Idar legislator and former Minister Ramanlal Vora, who had to cut short his speech amid slogans and protests. 

The ruling party has not made any public statement against the protests. In some places, the police detained the protesters briefly.

On its part, the Rajput community has adopted a new approach to hold smaller protests in the villages and towns during the BJP’s election campaign events. 

“We are not holding any big rally or gathering. We have instead decided to focus on organising local protests against the BJP,” said Karansinh Chavda, a community leader. 

Smaller groups comprising 50 to 100 people are holding protests every day across the state, but mainly in Saurashtra and north Gujarat, the police said.