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Gujarat politics witnessed tensions in a breeze on Apr 6 at different locations in the state. Days after the remarks of Parshottam Rupala on the Kshatriya community, the enraged groups of the community took to the roads of Gujarat on a  scorching mid-summer afternoon.

Ruckus in Rajkot

At around 4 p.m. on Apr 6, a large number of Kshatriyas wearing saffron turbans and sarees showed up outside Rajkot’s Bahumali Bhavan to protest against Rupala and demand cancellation of his ticket from the city.

Kshatriyas  expressed their opposition by writing a letter to the collector and demonstrated outside the district collector’s office.

Meanwhile, Padminiba Vala, who was on a hunger strike, was rushed to a civil hospital for treatment after she fainted during the protests

A heavy ruckus among the crowd and police was witnessed in Rajkot.

While in Ahmedabad’s Bopal area, the Karni Sena president, Mahipal Singh Makrana, was also detained by the police, which led to a chaotic situation among police officials and the crowd.

The waves of agony of Kshatriyas also reached Dwarka, where the BJP marked its foundation day and inaugurated Shri Dwarkesh Kamalam in the district.

Over 300 Kshatriyas barged into  the premises where Gujarat BJP president CR Patil was inaugurating the new office.

According to reports, Kshatriyas created a ruckus by breaking the chairs, stone-pelting, and hurling slogans against Patil and the BJP.

Opposition in Kutch

The narrative was no different in Kutch’s Mothala village, where BJP MP and candidate Vinod Chavda went campaigning with Abdasa BJP MLA Pradhyumansinh Jadeja.

However, the duo was forced to leave the village, followed by a major agitation by the villagers, who were raising slogans against Rupala and the BJP.

Mothala, with a Kshatriya majority, witnessed protests as villagers reacted to Rupala’s recent remarks with posters and slogans.

From Rajkot to Ahmedabad, the Kshatriya community demanded the withdrawal of Rupala’s Lok Sabha ticket across regions like Jamnagar, Jamkhambhalia (Dwarka), Kutch, and Gandhinagar in Gujarat.

Also read:

Padminiba Vala faints in ‘mega rally’ organised by Kshatriya leaders

Mahipal Singh Makrana detained in Ahmedabad, Rupala controversy flares further