The BJP in Haryana's Kaithal finds itself embroiled in ongoing discontent stemming from the Mihir Bhoj statue controversy of 2023. In response to the lingering unrest, the party's national leadership has dispatched Union Minister Rajnath Singh to the Kshatriya-dominated Kalayat area to address the grievances.
Last year, the inauguration of a statue of the ninth-century North Indian king Mihir Bhoj by local BJP leader Leela Ram Gujjar sparked intense opposition from the Kshatriya community. The controversy escalated to the point where police had to intervene with lathi charges to disperse protesting Kshatriya members. Sensing the seriousness of the situation, the state government formed a committee to resolve the issue, and the court ordered the covering of the statue's nameplate, which bore the inscription "Gujjar." However, the perceived bias of local BJP leaders deepened dissent among the Kshatriya community, leading to several mahapanchayats against the party.
With the sixth phase of polls scheduled for May 25 in Haryana, the BJP has deployed Rajnath Singh to address concerns in Kshatriya-dominated areas. Historians assert that Mihir Bhoj belonged to the Pratihara Rajput dynasty, challenging the claim that he was a Gujjar ancestor. Devpal Singh, former head of the Kshatriya Sangharsh Samiti in Kaithal, expressed dissatisfaction with the BJP's response to their grievances, accusing them of neglecting the concerns of the Kshatriya community.
Prashant Singh Madhad, state media coordinator of the Kshatriya Moolniwasi Mahasangh (KMM), echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the community's refusal to accept the distortion of their history and ancestry. The Kshatriya community remains adamant in its opposition to the BJP's candidate in the upcoming election for the Kurukshetra parliamentary constituency, reflecting the enduring impact of the Mihir Bhoj statue controversy on local politics in Kaithal.
