Gujjar-Rajput controversy: Firing outside Yamunanagar zila parishad vice-chief’s farmhouse

In a recent incident, unidentified men allegedly opened fire outside the farmhouse belonging to Yamunanagar Zila Vice President, Agni Vijay Singh Chauhan, on Wednesday night. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but a parked car's rear window was shattered during the shooting.

Yamunanagar City Police Station has registered a case under Section 285 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to negligent acts involving fire or inflammable substances, in connection with the incident.

According to Chauhan's complaint, the incident occurred around 1:30 a.m., and the loud noise initially led them to believe it was a transformer explosion. Upon investigation, Chauhan discovered that the car's window had been broken by a bullet. The shooting incident took place shortly after Chauhan made a statement regarding the ongoing controversy between the Rajput and Gujjar communities over Raja Mihir Bhoj. He attempted to downplay the dispute, asserting that it was an individual's choice to use any surname with "Raja."

Reportedly, a heated argument and scuffle had taken place between protesting members of the Rajput community and Chauhan's family approximately 14 hours before the shooting incident. A separate case has been registered against several local men at the Jathlana police station in connection with this incident.

Chauhan has reportedly been receiving online threats demanding that he retract his statement and apologize. He maintained that his remarks were intended to promote brotherhood between the Rajput and Gujjar communities.

Meanwhile, the Gujjar community members in Karnal have formed two committees to address the controversy surrounding the recently unveiled statue of 9th-century ruler Raja Mihir Bhoj in Kaithal. The Rajput community has expressed disapproval over the use of the term "Gujjar" for the king and demanded its removal. The panchayat decided to establish a six-member committee of legal experts to examine the legal aspects of the matter in the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Additionally, a 16-member committee has been formed to ensure peace and harmony between the two communities is maintained.