BJP’s Parshottam Rupala, who angered the Kshatriya community, apologises again

Union minister Parshottam Rupala said the just-concluded elections as the toughest period of the four-decade-long political career

AHMEDABAD: Union minister Parshottam Rupala, whose remarks on Kshatriyas sparked widespread protests by the Rajput community in Gujarat, on Wednesday again apologised for his remark, saying the Bharatiya Janata Party got entangled in the controversy that followed.”

BJP leader and union minister Parshottam Rupala, who hails from the Patidar community, landed in a huge political row over his remarks at a small Dalit gathering on March 22 (X/PRupala)

“It was very painful for me because the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi suffered because of me,” Rupala told a news conference on Wednesday, a day after Gujarat voted in the Lok Sabha elections.

The minister, who described the just-concluded elections as the toughest period of the four-decade-long political career, said he decided to apologise again a day after polling to underscore that his apology wasn’t just to gain an electoral advantage.

“Today, one more time, I tender a humble apology,” he said.

Rupala, who hails from the Patidar community, landed in a huge political row over his remarks at a small Dalit gathering on March 22. “Maharajas had given their daughters to foreign rulers and the British and broke bread with them while us Dalits neither gave up our religion nor made any relations with them, we are the true inheritors of Sanatan dharma,” he said.

The Rajput community promptly demanded that the BJP drop Rupala as a candidate in the Lok Sabha elections from Rajkot but the party did not back down, angering the Kshatriya-Rajput community.

Rupala said his oratory skills, which were once an asset for the BJP, proved troublesome this time with one comment about the Rajput community. “I admit that and take full responsibility. I am human, and to err is human. I apologised immediately, even before Rajputs protested. Later, I apologised before the community,” he said.

The BJP leader also praised the Kshatriya community for not blocking voting on May 7. “Their yesterday’s conduct was highly praiseworthy, and I want to thank the Kshatriya community as they did not create any hurdles in the election process yesterday.”

Rajkot recorded 59.6% voting.

Rupala was pitted against Congress leader Paresh Dhanani, who belongs to the powerful Leuva Patidar community for the Rajkot Lok Sabha seat.