The Hindu : Rajputs firm on stir plan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 12, 2003

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Rajputs firm on stir plan

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR JAN. 11. The commotion over the damage caused to the statues of caste heroes during the past fortnight in Sikar and Jodhpur continued unabated in Rajasthan.

While there was some let-up in the ire of the Jat community as two persons who were accused of pulling down the bust of the late Baldeo Ram Mirdha in Jodhpur were taken into custody, the Rajput community is going ahead with its plan for a state-wide ``chakka jam'' on Monday to protest against the damage to the statue of Rao Shekha in Sikar district.

The police in Jodhpur arrested on Friday Chandra Singh, a resident of Brigadier Jabarsingh Colony in connection with the dismantling of the bust of Kisan Kesari Mirdha.

His accomplice, Bhawanipratap Singh, who was eluding arrest, was taken into custody today.

After the arrest of Chandra Singh, the Jat community had taken back the call for a bandh in Sikar today.

The members of the Rajput community, still agitated over the attempts at pulling down a statue of Rao Shekha, the founder of the Shekhawat clan at Ralawata village in Neem Ka Thana in Sikar district, today submitted a memorandum to the State Home Minister, Gulab Singh Shaktawat.

The members, led by Narendra Singh Rajawat, president of the Rajput Sabha, sought stringent legislation against those causing damage to statues.

They demanded the restoration of the statue in Ralawata, besides installation of the statue of Rao Shekha in the State capital.

The BJP State president, Vasundhara Raje Scindia, while addressing party workers here on Friday condemned the incidents and termed them as a ``conspiracy by mischievous elements''.

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Chakka jam planned against damage to statues

Rajputs firm on stir plan