kshatriya-protest-against-rupala-halted

The Kshatriya Sankalan Samiti has declared in Gujarat today that it has halted the protest against Rajkot BJP candidate Purshottam Rupala.

 

The organisation declared that the Kshatriya community has wholeheartedly voted against Rupala on the Rajkot seat in the Loksabha Elections. 

They said that they have also support from other communities and they strongly believe that Union minister Purshottam Rupala who is contesting in BJP seat in Rajkot will lose the elections because of their protest. Though they have said that the protest has just paused for the moment, it has not ended.

They say that the pause should be seen as a comma rather than a full stop.

 

According to Kshatriya leader Devendra Jadeja, “Today we had a meeting at Gota, Ahmedabad. In the meeting, we thanked everyone for their active participation and contribution to the community. In the meeting, we have decided to pause the protest till the 4th of June. 

 

After the Loksabha election results are declared we will again have a meeting with all Kshatriya organisations and decide the further course of action.” 

 

After the meeting, the community leaders said that “Shankarsinh Vagehela, Gujarat Ex-CM and prominent leader, had declared some days that the Kshatriya protest is over. Vaghela is a respected person, but, he does not have the right to decide the course of protest.” 

 

It has to be noted that there was a statewide protest against Rajkot candidate Rupala due to his remark made at a small meeting on the outskirts of Rajkot. 

 

All through the protest, Kshatriyas held the slogan ‘Modi tujhse bair nahi, Rupala teri kher nahi.’
(Stay wary, Rupala, No hard feelings against Modi)

Kshatriya’s demand for changing Rupala as Rajkot candidate was not accepted by the BJP high command, which has resulted in some cross-voting from the community members.

 

Purshottam Rupala has apologised at least thrice in public during campaigning. 

 

However, the Kshatriya community did not accept any apology and influenced community members and others to vote against the BJP. According to Kshatriya leaders, almost 85% of the community cross-voted during the voting in Gujarat on 7th May. 

 

Apart from Rajkot they will influence the result on other seats of Gujarat like Jamnagar, Surendranagar, Bhavnagar, Kutchh, Anand and Kheda which have Kshatriya dominance. 

 

After the election was completed, Union minister Rupala again conducted a meeting where he apologised once again, saying that, “since the election is completed, there is nothing political with this apology. It comes straight from my heart.”

 

Notably, Rupala’s public apology was also discussed during the Kshatriya meeting that was completed Thursday night. 

 

It was decided in the meeting that the core committee and affiliated organisations would decide whether to accept the apology or not.