On 22 March 2024, Union minister Parshottam Rupala, the BJP's Lok Sabha candidate for Rajkot, said at a gathering that erstwhile maharajas had bowed to foreign rulers and the British and married their daughters to them. Gujarat's Kshatriya (Rajput) community took it as an insult and spent the next two months demanding that the BJP replace him, with rallies, black flags, a jauhar threat and detentions. The BJP kept Rupala, who apologised four times and won Rajkot on 4 June 2024 by 4,84,260 votes, but he was left out of the new Union council of ministers five days later.
Key takeaways
- On 22 March 2024 Union minister Parshottam Rupala said in Rajkot that erstwhile maharajas had bowed to the British and married off their daughters to them. Gujarat's Rajputs took it as an insult and demanded the BJP drop him as its Rajkot candidate.
- Police in Ahmedabad detained five women who threatened jauhar on 6 April, and two Karni Sena chiefs on 6 and 9 April. About one to two lakh people attended the Ratanpar sammelan on 14 April.
- Rupala apologised four times, but Kshatriya leaders rejected every apology. The BJP kept him; he won Rajkot by 4,84,260 votes on 4 June 2024 but was left out of the ministry sworn in on 9 June.
Background: Rajkot, Patidars and Rajputs
Rupala, a Kadva Patidar and three-term Rajya Sabha member, was Union minister for fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying. The BJP dropped two-time Rajkot MP Mohan Kundariya to field him in his first Lok Sabha contest; the Congress fielded Paresh Dhanani, a Leuva Patidar. Of Rajkot's roughly 23 lakh voters, about 5.8 lakh are Patidars and 1.5 lakh Rajputs, and the BJP had won the seat in every election since 1989 except 2009 PTI via Deccan Herald. The two communities have a history of rivalry in Saurashtra dating to the land reforms of the 1950s Deccan Herald.
The remark and the apologies
On 22 March 2024 Rupala spoke at a small gathering in Rajkot organised by the Dalit Rukhi Samaj Deccan Herald (The Wire described it as a Valmiki community event). Scroll, citing The Hindu, reported his words as:
Even rajas and maharajas [kings and royals] bowed down to the British, started family bonds with them, broke bread with them, and even married their daughters to them but this rukhi samaj [Dalit society] did not budge.
Parshottam Rupala, Rajkot, 22 March 2024, as reported by Scroll citing The Hindu
Kshatriya groups objected because most former rulers in Gujarat were Rajputs PTI via Tribune. Rupala gave an unconditional apology the same day, after the video went viral. On 28 March community leaders in Ahmedabad rejected it. The next day, at a gathering near Gondal organised by former BJP MLA Jayrajsinh Jadeja, he apologised again with folded hands: "It is a matter of great regret for me that such words came out of my mouth." Jadeja declared the issue over PTI via Deccan Herald. Coordination committee member Ramjubha Jadeja later said Rupala "played a farce of seeking apology" PTI via Deccan Herald.
The demand: replace him as Rajkot candidate
The protest had one demand: withdraw Rupala's candidature. On 30 March Raj Shekhawat, national president of a Karni Sena faction, quit the BJP, saying the party "has not taken any action against him" PTI via Deccan Herald. Close to 75 Rajput clans were demonstrating, coordinated by a committee of senior leaders, Scroll reported citing The Hindu Scroll.
Talks between BJP leaders and the committee in Ahmedabad on 3 April failed The Wire. That day Rajput leader Padminiba Vala began an indefinite fast in Rajkot, saying women would "perform jauhar in large numbers if needed at BJP offices" PTI via National Herald.
Documented Also on 3 April, election officials concluded the remark did not breach the model code of conduct. Additional chief electoral officer Kuldeep Arya said it was not a political gathering, that Rupala "did not say anything about a particular caste", and that nothing he said "could cause unrest or riots" PTI via National Herald.
The jauhar threat and detentions
On 6 April 2024 five Kshatriya women threatened to commit jauhar that evening outside "Kamalam", the BJP's state headquarters in Gandhinagar. Police detained them and Shree Rashtriya Karni Sena president Mahipal Singh Makrana in Ahmedabad before he could meet them; Makrana said he wanted to talk them out of any extreme step PTI via Deccan Herald. ACP AB Valand said Makrana was released that evening and the women, "prevented from leaving the house as heavy police force was deployed", later went home PTI via Tribune.
The same day protesters showed black flags at a Jam Khambhalia event attended by state BJP chief C R Paatil, and a Rajkot meeting launched "Operation Rupala" PTI via Deccan Herald. On 9 April police detained Shekhawat outside Ahmedabad airport, hours before his planned gherao of Kamalam PTI via National Herald. Outlook later reported over a hundred arrests in the agitation Outlook.
The Ratanpar sammelan, 14 April
On 14 April 2024 the Rajput coordination committee held its largest meeting, on 13 acres of farmland at Ratanpar (also spelt Ratanpur) in Rajkot district. Deccan Herald, quoting local sources, put attendance at about two lakh, including people from Rajasthan and Maharashtra Deccan Herald; PTI estimated one lakh Scroll, citing PTI. Leaders gave the BJP until 19 April to withdraw Rupala, and speakers appealed for peaceful protest PTI via Deccan Herald.
Rupala has insulted the daughters and sisters of the community and he has to go. Nothing should be done to hurt the self-respect of women and we will not sit idle till our self-respect is restored.
Trupti Ba (named Triptiba Vala by Scroll), Kshatriya women's leader, Ratanpar, 14 April 2024 (PTI)
Timeline
The remark
Rupala speaks in Rajkot and apologises the same day PTI.
Jauhar threat and detentions
Five women, Makrana and later Shekhawat detained PTI.
Ratanpar sammelan
Ultimatum to drop Rupala by 19 April Deccan Herald.
Nomination filed
Black-flag protesters detained at a BJP event in Bhavnagar Deccan Herald.
Statewide campaign
The committee divides Gujarat into five zones for "dharm rath" campaigns against the BJP Deccan Herald.
Modi meets Jam Saheb
The Prime Minister visits the former Nawanagar royal Shatrushalyasinh Jadeja in Jamnagar Deccan Herald.
Polling, fourth apology
Rupala apologises a day after Gujarat votes PTI.
Protest paused
Until the 4 June count News Arena.
Result and ministry
Rupala wins Rajkot, then is left out of the new ministry News Arena.
Spread beyond Gujarat
Within Gujarat the protests spread from Saurashtra to Banaskantha and Patan in the north Deccan Herald. Outside it:
- Maharashtra: Kshatriya Rajputs in Mumbai threatened to vote against the BJP across the city Free Press Journal.
- Rajasthan: Sections of the Rajput community protested before the 26 April polling Tribune, and groups in Udaipur announced a BJP boycott citing the Rupala row among other grievances The Mooknayak.
- Haryana: On 9 May Haryana BJP spokesperson and Karni Sena president Suraj Pal Amu resigned, writing that a ticket to a candidate who made "shameful comments" on women was seen as an insult to Kshatriyas PTI via Outlook.
How the BJP responded
The BJP central leadership signalled it would not replace Rupala Free Press Journal, though it had changed candidates in Vadodara and Sabarkantha after internal protests. On 2 April, after meeting Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and the party's Rajput leaders, Paatil appealed "with folded hands" for Rupala to be forgiven PTI via Deccan Herald; The Hindu described this as an apology The Wire. On 18 April Amit Shah said that since Rupala had tendered "heartfelt apologies", the matter had ended Deccan Herald. On 5 May the BJP's own Kshatriya leaders, including Bhupendrasinh Chudasama and Rajkot royal scion Mandhatasinh Jadeja, asked the community to forgive Rupala and vote for the party in the national interest PTI via Deccan Herald.
Both accounts
Protesters' account
Kshatriya leaders said the remark insulted the community's women and no apology was enough, pointing to the BJP's past action against former spokesperson Nupur Sharma PTI. Their slogan, "Modi tujhse bair nahi, Rupala teri kher nahi", targeted Rupala, not the Prime Minister News Arena. Makrana said: "if for a single person, Modiji is ready to lose power at the Centre, then let it be so" PTI.
Claim · Kshatriya leaders The committee said 75 lakh Rajputs in Gujarat would turn against the BJP Deccan Herald, and after polling claimed about 85% of the community voted against it News Arena. No evidence No independent count of how Rajputs voted was found.
The result in Rajkot and Gujarat
Rupala polled 8,57,984 votes (68.22%) against Dhanani's 3,73,724, a margin of 4,84,260 IndiaVotes (ECI data); Deccan Herald reported the margin as "more than 4.80 lakh" Deccan Herald. Kundariya had won the seat by over 3.68 lakh in 2019 PTI via Deccan Herald. Dhanani said the BJP had been "successful in instilling fear and threat among the people of Gujarat" Onmanorama.
Statewide, the BJP won 25 of 26 seats and its vote share fell from 63.11% to 61.86% Business Today. Congress's Geniben Thakor won Banaskantha by roughly 30,000 to 33,000 votes, depending on the report, and thanked the Kshatriya community for helping break the "arrogance". Paatil said the clean sweep was missed "due to some dissent" Deccan Herald.
Outcome
- Demand: Not met. The BJP kept Rupala as its candidate.
- Apologies: Four by Rupala; an appeal for forgiveness by Paatil.
- Detentions: Five women and Makrana on 6 April, Shekhawat on 9 April, protesters in Bhavnagar on 16 April; over a hundred arrests in all, per Outlook.
- Deaths or injuries: None reported.
- Resignations: Raj Shekhawat (Gujarat) and Suraj Pal Amu (Haryana) quit the BJP.
- Ministry: Rupala left out on 9 June 2024. News Arena linked this to the controversy; the government gave no reason.
What followed and what is pending
The Kshatriya Sankalan Samiti said its May pause was a comma rather than a full stop, and that it would decide its next step, and whether to accept Rupala's post-poll apology, after the results News Arena. No reporting found for this page records a later decision or a revived agitation, and no court case over the remark was reported. Rupala was elected Rajkot's MP but was not among the ministers sworn in on 9 June 2024 Deccan Herald.
Questions people ask
What did Parshottam Rupala say about Rajputs?
On 22 March 2024 he said erstwhile maharajas had bowed to foreign rulers and the British and married their daughters to them, while praising a Dalit community for not giving in. Rajputs took it as aimed at them.
What was the jauhar threat?
On 6 April 2024 five Kshatriya women threatened self-immolation outside the BJP's Gandhinagar office. Police detained them in Ahmedabad; they later went home.
Did Rupala win Rajkot in 2024?
Yes, by 4,84,260 votes over Congress's Paresh Dhanani, a bigger margin than the BJP's 2019 win there.
Is Rupala still a Union minister?
No. He was not included in the council of ministers sworn in on 9 June 2024.
Sources
- PTI via Deccan Herald: Union minister Rupala apologises again to Kshatriya community, 29 Mar 2024
- PTI via Deccan Herald: Kshatriya leader quits Gujarat BJP over Rupala's remarks, 30 Mar 2024
- PTI via Deccan Herald: Gujarat BJP chief urges Rajputs to forgive Rupala, 2 Apr 2024
- The Wire: BJP fails to pacify Rajput community over Rupala's remark, 4 Apr 2024
- PTI via National Herald: Rajput leader on indefinite fast over Rupala, 4 Apr 2024
- PTI via Deccan Herald: Rajput women threaten 'jauhar' if BJP does not withdraw Rupala, 6 Apr 2024
- PTI via Tribune: Rajput women threaten 'jauhar' in Ahmedabad, 6 Apr 2024
- Free Press Journal: Mumbai's Kshatriya community warns BJP, 6 Apr 2024
- Free Press Journal: Tensions rise as Gujarat BJP fails to end Kshatriya agitation, 8 Apr 2024
- PTI via National Herald: Police detain Karni Sena leader ahead of protest, 9 Apr 2024
- Deccan Herald: Kshatriya agitation intensifies with biggest ever protest meet, 14 Apr 2024
- PTI via Deccan Herald: Cancel Rupala's candidature, Kshatriya community reiterates demand, 15 Apr 2024
- Scroll: Replace Rupala as BJP candidate from Rajkot, demand Rajputs, 15 Apr 2024
- PTI via Deccan Herald: Rajkot to remain BJP fortress despite anti-Rupala stir, say analysts, 15 Apr 2024
- Deccan Herald: Rupala files nomination as Kshatriya agitators disrupt BJP event, 16 Apr 2024
- Deccan Herald: Kshatriya community plans statewide agitation against BJP, 19 Apr 2024
- Tribune: Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh gear up for Phase II, 21 Apr 2024
- The Mooknayak: Rajput community announces boycott of BJP in phase 2, 23 Apr 2024
- Deccan Herald: Dominant BJP looking for a clean sweep despite Kshatriya ire, 24 Apr 2024
- PTI via Deccan Herald: Gujarat BJP chief meets Kshatriya leaders, 25 Apr 2024
- Deccan Herald: PM Modi meets Jamnagar royal family amid Kshatriya agitation, 2 May 2024
- PTI via Deccan Herald: BJP's Kshatriya leaders urge community to forgive Rupala, 5 May 2024
- PTI via Deccan Herald: Rupala apologises for the fourth time, 8 May 2024
- PTI via Outlook: Karni Sena chief Suraj Pal Amu resigns from BJP, 9 May 2024
- Outlook: Why are the Kshatriyas up in arms?, 11 May 2024
- News Arena: Kshatriya protest against Rupala halted, 17 May 2024
- Onmanorama: Amit Shah, C R Paatil break own victory margin record, 4 Jun 2024
- Deccan Herald: Breakthrough for Congress in Gujarat as it wins one seat, 4 Jun 2024
- Business Today: BJP vote share slides 1.25 percentage points in Gujarat, 6 Jun 2024
- Deccan Herald: Modi 3.0, who's in the new council of ministers and who's out, 9 Jun 2024
- News Arena: Gujarat MPs reduced in Modi's third cabinet, 10 Jun 2024
- IndiaVotes: Rajkot Lok Sabha 2024 result, accessed 12 Oct 2026