Lokendra Singh Kalvi (1955–2023) was an Indian politician and activist who founded the Sri Rajput Karni Sena (SRKS), a Rajasthan-based organization working for the welfare and rights of the Rajput community. He is the son of politician and Janata Dal party member Kalyan Singh Kalvi. Lokendra Singh was also associated with various political parties, including the Indian National Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party. He came to national attention for spearheading protests against the filming and release of the Indian historical drama film Padmaavat (2018). On 14 March 2023, he died of a heart attack at Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
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Wiki/Biography
Lokendra Singh Kalvi was born in 1955 (age 68 at the time of death) and hailed from Kalvi, Nagaur district, Rajasthan. He studied at Mayo College and Government College, Ajmer. He was a national level basketball player.
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 6′ 2″
Weight: 120 kg
Hair color: gray
Eye color: light brown
family and caste
He belongs to a Hindu Rajput family.
parents and siblings
His father, Kalyan Singh Kalvi, was the Agriculture Minister in the Rajasthan government from 1993 to 1998, during the period when Bhairon Singh Shekhawati served as the CM of the state. Later, Kalyan Singh became the Minister of Power (1990 – 1991) in the Chandra Shekhar-led government. His mother’s name is Lad Kanwar.
wife and children
Lokendra Singh Kalvi is married and has two sons, Bhavani Kalvi and Pratap Kalvi. Bhavani Kalvi is a professional polo player.
Lokendra Singh Kalvi’s son Bhavani Kalvi
Son of Lokendra Singh Kalvi Pratap Singh Kalvi
religion
He follows Hinduism. He worships Karni Mata, a Hindu goddess believed to be an incarnation of Jagadamba. It is mainly preached in Rajput royal families.
Lokendra Singh Kalvi will offer his prayers to the Karni Mata
politics
In 1996, Lokendra Singh Kalvi contested and lost the Nagaur Lok Sabha seat from the Samata Party. In 1998, he contested and lost the Barmer Lok Sabha seat on a BJP ticket. Ahead of the 2003 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly elections, he formed the Social Justice Front or Samajik Nyaya Manch, a body of Rajputs and Brahmins, to demand reservation for the economically backward upper castes. The party was led by the state’s veteran Rajput politician Devi Singh Bhatt. The result was a rout – out of 60 candidates fielded by the party across Rajasthan, only one won a seat. It was Bhat himself who secured the Kolayat Assembly seat in Bikaner. Soon the duo broke up and Kalvi founded Karni Sena in 2006. Kalvi began his association with the INC before the 2008 Rajasthan Assembly elections. The Kalvi-led Karni Sena has offered support to the INC on the condition that the party gives a specified number of tickets to Rajput candidates. He also reportedly sought a Congress ticket to contest the 2009 general elections but failed. In 2010, he joined INC and also formed its faction Shri Rajput Karni Sena (SRKS). Before the 2014 general elections, he joined the Bahujan Samaj Party but did not contest the elections.
Carni Sena
The origins of Karni Sena can be traced back to 2005 when Rajput leaders Lokendra Singh Kalvi and Tarun Pratap Singh Yadav were trying to mobilize the Rajput community. However, the organization was officially formed on 23 September 2006 in Jotwara, a suburban district of Jaipur, with the main objective of demanding caste-based reservation for Rajputs in government jobs and education. In addition, he worked to complete the alleged “bypassing of Rajput figures in textbooks” and helped elect Rajput legislators to the government. Ajit Singh Mamdol was appointed as the first president of the organization. Differences between Kalvi and Mamdoli led Kalvi to leave the organization and form his own Shri Rajput Karni Sena (SRKS) in 2010. Kalvi appointed Sukhdev Singh Gogamed as the president of his faction. In 2015, Gogamed was expelled due to criminal charges, after which he launched his own faction, the Sri Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena. Kalvi then appointed Mahipal Singh Makrana as the state president of his faction. In 2017, SRKS launched a protest against Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film Padmaavat (2018), claiming that it hurts Rajput sentiments by distorting history about the 14th-century Queen Padmini of Chittori.
Lokendra Singh Kalvi during a press conference
confrontations
Against the release of the movie Jodhaa Akbar (2008).
In 2008, the Kalvi-Karni Sena protested against the release of Ashutosh Gowariker’s historical film Jodaa Akbari, starring Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai. Karni Sena noted that none of Mughal Emperor Akbar’s 34 wives was named Jodhabai. Kalvi claimed that Akbar married Karkbai alias Heer Kumar, the eldest daughter of Raja Bharmal of Ameri at Fatehpur Sikri on 6 February 1562. Akbar’s son Prince Salim was born in 1569. According to the Karni Sena, Jodha was the daughter of Udai Singh of Marwar and was not married to Salim. Speaking to the media, he said:
Jodhabai was the daughter of Moteraja Udai Singh and she would have been three years younger than Salim and therefore could not have been his mother in any way…she was Akbar’s daughter-in-law. So depicting Yoda as Akbar’s wife is not allowed.”
Karni Sena activists burnt posters of Jodaa Akbar in Rajasthan. Activists also gathered outside Jaipur’s Rambagh Palace Hotel, where Abhishek Bachchan’s birthday party was planned. They shouted slogans against Aishwarya Rai for playing the role of Jodhabai in the film and also against the director Ashutosh Gowarikar. The outfit staged a series of protests against Gowarikar in Rajasthan, asking him to apologize for the film’s content. Karni Sena has also moved court seeking a ban on the film’s release. According to reports, Karni Sena activists wrote letters in blood against the film’s release and sent them to theater owners.
Against the telecast of the show Jodha Akbar (2013).
In 2013, Ekta Kapoor’s historical drama TV show Jodha Akbar was met with a major controversy as the Karni Sena opposed it for “distorting facts” related to the history of the Rajputs. They demanded that the show be taken off the air. SRKS founding patron Lokendra Singh Kalvi claimed,
The marriage of convenience between the Mughal emperor Akbar and an imaginary Rajput princess, Jodha, is historically incorrect.
Several Karni Sena activists attacked Ekta Kapoor at the Jaipur Literature Festival in 2014. Activists threatened him with bottles, while raising slogans against him. The Karni Sena also attacked the Zee Media office in Jaipur and burnt an effigy of Ekta Kapoor during a series of protests. Sena members claimed that Ekta Kapoor had initially promised to change the name of the serial but she reneged on the promise. Consequently, Ekta left the show as a producer.
Padmavati Queue (2018)
In 2017, Kalvi-Karni Sena gained national attention when it protested against Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film Padmaavati (2018), starring Deepika Padukone in the title role. SRKS alleged that there were scenes in the film showing the romance between Queen Padmini of Chittori and Alauddin Khilji in a dream sequence that hurt Rajput sentiments. The Karni Sena led violent protests in various parts of India ahead of the film’s release in January 2018 and also vandalized theaters showing the film. Speaking to the media during the protests, he said:
Gardanein kathwai hi only poor ne. Apne sunehre itihaas ko kaali syaahi se mitne nahin dunga.” (My ancestors sacrificed their lives (for honor).
Protesters vandalized the movie set and grabbed director Bhansali and pulled his clothes. SRKS activists threatened to behead Bansali if he went ahead with the film’s release. Mahipal Singh Makrana threatened Deepika Padukone with physical violence and said that they would not hesitate to cut off her nose, while Kalvi called her a “scumbag”. Calvi also threatened to burn down any theater showing the film, saying:
Jauhar ki jwala hai, bahut kuch jalega. Rock Saco Ro Rock Lo.” (This is a “jauhar” fire, many things will burn. Stop us if you can.)
Rajput Karni Sena chief Lokendra Singh Kalvi addressing a press conference on Padmaavat Rig (2018)
death
On 14 March 2023, Lokendra Singh Kalvi died of a heart attack at SMS Hospital in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Due to the deterioration of his health, he was admitted to the hospital fifteen days before his death. His body was taken to his native village Kalvi in Nagauri district for the last rites.
Categories: Sports
Source: dienchau2.edu.vn
