Old videos of casteist remarks by newly appointed RPSC member spark controversy

Jaipur: Days after being appointed as a member of the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC), retired army officer Kesari Singh Rathore landed in controversy after some old videos of him purportedly making casteist statements surfaced online.

Lt Col (retired) Rathore was among three people who were appointed as members of the commission on Monday, shortly before the Model Code of Conduct came into force in the state. Assembly polls in the state will be held on November 25.

The videos surfaced on social media after Rathore's appointment, drawing flak from members of the Jat community and other castes. They alleged that the statements were against certain castes and were biased.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said that he was 'deeply hurt' by Rathore's statements. "An unfortunate incident happened and it happened because of me, I deliberately took him because of his army background," he told reporters here.

Congress sources said Rathore was aspiring for a party ticket from the Makrana assembly constituency, which is currently held by the BJP.

Earlier, Gehlot in a statement posted on X said the state government had recommended Rathore's appointment in view of his military background.

Gehlot said that any person serving in the army is expected to serve the country irrespective of caste, religion and class. Soldiers sacrifice their lives to protect the country and hence, they are respected by society, he said.

"After the appointment of Colonel Kesari Singh Rathore, some of his statements have gone viral on social media, which are made against a particular caste and individual, which are condemnable, painful and unfortunate. I too am deeply hurt by his comments," Gehlot said.

He said in view of incidents of (government recruitment question) paper leaks, the state government tried to give place to army officers in institutions such as the RPSC and the Rajasthan Subordinate Services Board (RSSB) so that the credibility of these institutions is maintained.

"Recently, the government had recommended the appointment of Major General Alok Raj as the chairman of RSSB and Colonel Kesari Singh as member of RPSC. Both of them neither applied nor any recommendation for them was received. They were appointed considering their 37 years and 20 years of military service respectively," he said on X.

Maj Gen (retired) Alok Raj was appointed as RSSB chairman in August.

On Monday, appointment orders of Rathore, Ayub Khan and Kailash Chand Meena were issued by the state department of personnel.

The orders were issued shortly before the announcement of the date of assembly elections in Rajasthan by the Election Commission. The BJP had also questioned the timing of the appointments.

Jat leader and president of the Rajasthan Jat Mahasabha, Rajaram Meel, had written a letter to the Governor and Congress leaders on Tuesday to cancel the appointment of Rathore in view of his 'biased' statements.

He alleged that Rathore has been a controversial and biased person and has worked to spread hatred in society through his statements against certain castes.

Meel said a person with a clean image and a non-biased approach should be appointed to the RPSC to maintain the sanctity of the commission.

"Today, the chief minister has admitted that Kesari Singh's statements were going to spread enmity seeing which he too is pained. I demand from CM Gehlot that he should demand the resignation of Kesari Singh. On the grounds of morality, Kesari Singh should also resign," he said, reacting to the chief minister's statement.

Rathore is from the Rajput community.

Meel said, “We are not against any community, we are only against a person who makes statements that spread enmity and is suffering from the mentality of caste discrimination. If a capable person is appointed from the Rajput community who can take along all '36 Kaums' (communities), we will welcome him.”