Amar Singh tries to woo Rajputs

Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh has made a bid to cash in on the Rajput community's disenchantment with the Bharatiya Janata Party for supporting the Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh.

Thousands of Rajputs, mostly from UP, converged at New Delhi's Talkatora Indoor Stadium on Wednesday in response to Singh's call for an Akhil Bharatiya Chhattriya Ekta Mahasammelan.

"We pledge to carry forward the struggle against the anti-Rajput Mayawati and the BJP. We also pledge to struggle for [Independent legislator] Raja Bhaiya's freedom, who has been sent to jail under POTA [Prevention of Terrorism Act] by Mayawati," thousands of turban-clad Rajputs chanted.

Singh said Mayawati was merely obeying the order of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his deputy Lal Kishenchand Advani.

"This is not Mayawati's government, but of Atal Bihiri Vajpayee and Lal Kishenchand Advani. And it is being sustained on the edge of your [Rajput's] swords," Singh said, blaming the community for having voted for the BJP.

Singh, who announced the launching of the Pratap Sena [named after Maharana Pratap, a Rajput icon], also invited the crowd to an SP rally in Lucknow on May 12.

Thousands of swords were also distributed to the participants.

Many of the participants were seen raising the swords both outside and inside the stadium during the five-hour event.

"The organisers had informed us that they would make symbolic distribution of swords to a few respected leaders of the Kshatriya community... But it turned out that more than 3000 swords were distributed," a police officer said.

"We will seek an explanation from the organisers," he said.