Mihir Bhoja statue in Kaithal: Rajputs won’t vote BJP if ‘Gurjar’ not dropped from name

Tribune News Service

Karnal, July 30

Tensions continue to simmer between the Rajput and Gurjar communities over the recent unveiling of a statue of Raja Mihir Bhoja in Kaithal — depicting the 9th-century ruler as a member of the Gurjar community — which acted as a spark to the powder keg.

Members of the Rajput community today held a state-level meeting at a dharamshala, which lasted over three hours and saw the participation of community members from around 20 districts.

Three committees — legal, social, and historian — have been constituted to raise the issue on various platforms. They also warned that they would not back the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the polls if their demands are not met by September 10.

The Rajput side is demanding that the word ‘Gurjar’ not be inscribed on the statue’s plaque. The community members are also demanding the formation of a panel of historians to ascertain facts pertaining to the caste of Raja Bhoja. Besides, the Rajput side is calling for action after their fellow community members were baton-charged on the eve of the inauguration of the statue.

“We have formed three committees to take up the issue on various platforms,” said Col Davinder Singh (retd), the state president of the Haryana Pratinidhi Sabha. He elaborated, “The social committee led by me will coordinate with leaders from both the communities and the government and other agencies to resolve the issue. The historian committee, headed by Rajinder Singh Naruka of Rajasthan and some professors of Delhi University has been assigned the task of researching the history of the ruler. And the legal committee, helmed by advocate Raj Kumar Chauhan, will look into the legal aspects of the matter.”

The Rajput community will hold a mahapanchayat in Kaithal on September 10, which will be attended by community members from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Rajasthan, said the state president. The government is not taking any decision as it fears losing the support of both the communities in elections, he rued.

To mobilise more members of their community, they will also stage protests in the days to come.

Bone of contention

On July 20, a statue of Raja Mihir Bhoja was unveiled in Kaithal, depicting him as a member of the Gurjar community. The move earned the ire of the Rajput community.

About The Author

Tribune News Service

The Tribune News Service brings you the latest news, analysis and insights from the region, India and around the world. Follow the Tribune News Service for a wide-ranging coverage of events as they unfold, with perspective and clarity.

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.

#BJP #Kaithal #Karnal