Police detain Karni Sena leader ahead of his protest at Gujarat BJP HQ against Rupala's remarks

Ahmedabad: Police detained Karni Sena leader Raj Shekhawat from outside the Ahmedabad airport on Tuesday, hours before his plan to gherao the BJP's Gujarat headquarters in Gandhinagar, an official said.

Shekhawat, the national president of Karni Sena, an outfit of the Kshatriya or Rajput community, on Sunday gave a call to gherao the state BJP headquarters 'Kamalam' in protest against Union minister Parshottam Rupala's remarks on the community and the party's refusal to remove him as its Rajkot Lok Sabha seat candidate.

"We have detained Raj Shekhawat from the airport," Assistant Commissioner of Police (G Division) VN Yadav said.

Addressing a gathering in Rajkot on March 22, Rupala remarked that erstwhile ‘maharajas’ succumbed to the persecution of foreign rulers as well as the Britishers. He further said these ‘maharajas’ broke bread with these rulers and also married off their daughters to them.

Rajput community members saw the remarks as an insult to them. They have urged the BJP to withdraw Rupala’s candidature or face defeat.

On Tuesday, Shekhawat was whisked away by a police team as soon as he emerged from the Ahmedabad airport.

Several Karni Sena activists were also present at the airport when he was detained and taken away by the police.

On Sunday, Shekhawat in a post on X said he planned to gherao 'Kamalam' at 2 pm on Tuesday and asked the Kshatriya community members and their supporters to come with saffron flags and sticks and join the protest.

Meanwhile, tight police security was deployed at the state BJP headquarters in view of the threat by the Kshatriya community members to carry out the protest.

Amid the outrage over Rupala's remarks, Shekhawat had resigned from the BJP.

Despite Rupala having apologised for his comments, the Rajput community members have held protests in different parts of the state.

Elections to all the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat will be held in a single phase on May 7.