Karni Sena storms SP leader’s house in Agra over remarks on Rajput ruler
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A group of Karni Sena activists reportedly created chaos outside the residence of Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Lal Suman in Agra on Wednesday afternoon, protesting his comments about Rajput ruler Rana Sanga.
Some of the activists arrived on a bulldozer, shouted "Jai Shri Ram" slogans, and threw stones, injuring several police officers, Indian Express reported.
They also allegedly vandalized furniture outside the house and damaged at least ten parked cars. The police responded with a mild lathi charge to disperse the crowd. Although some arrests were made, the exact number is unclear.
Karni Sena protesters began gathering at Etmadpur crossing at 10 am before marching to the MP’s house in Hariparwat. They reportedly tried to break into the house’s main gate, but the police held them back. Three police officers were injured during the incident.
Alok Kumar, the Station House Officer of Hariparwat police station, confirmed that the crowd had been successfully dispersed and that additional police forces had been stationed nearby to maintain order. He mentioned that a few arrests had been made, although they would be released shortly.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Aditya stated that the police were reviewing CCTV footage from the area and would file an FIR, ensuring strict action against those responsible.
Okendra Rana, the youth wing chief of the Karni Sena, defended the attack, explaining that the activists would write the name of their revered warrior, Rana Sanga, on every brick of Suman’s house.
He criticized Suman for using disrespectful language about Hindu icons and declared that while insults toward their leaders had been tolerated before, this time they would not forgive him.
Suman had previously faced significant criticism from right-wing Hindu groups, including the Vishva Hindu Parishad and Karni Sena, after he referred to Rajput ruler Rana Sanga as a "traitor" in a statement made in the Rajya Sabha, according to the Indian Express.
A member of the Sisodia clan of Suryavanshi Rajputs, Rana Sanga ruled Mewar from 1508 to 1528. He led a Rajput coalition against Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire, but was defeated at the Battle of Khanwa, a crucial battle that cemented Mughal control over the region.
Suman on March 21, made a controversial statement in the Rajya Sabha, suggesting that Indian Muslims do consider Babur as their idol and follow Muhammad and the Sufi tradition.
He stated that it was Rana Sanga who invited Babur to India to defeat Ibrahim Lodi. He questioned why Hindus, if that were the case, should not consider themselves descendants of the "traitor" Sanga, and raised concerns about why Rana Sanga was not criticized in the same way as Babur.
Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat of the BJP condemned Suman’s remarks, saying that only someone with a “trivial intellect” and a “small heart” could have made such comments.
In response to the violent demonstration, Suman spoke to the local media, defending his statement by noting that Rana Sanga ruled Mewar from 1505 to 1528, and suggesting that people were now seeking to rewrite history.
He also criticized BJP leaders for focusing on figures like Aurangzeb to drive a communal wedge, asserting that others could not remain silent on the issue.