Anurag Kumar
Friday, Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat criticised Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot for allegedly dismissing a minister who questioned the state government’s handling of offences against women.
Rajendra Gudha, the minister of state (MoS) for Sainik Kalyan, home guard and civil defence, panchayat raj and rural development, surrounded his government in the assembly. Instead of bringing up the issue of Manipur, we should reflect on how we failed to provide security for women in Rajasthan and how the number of atrocities against women has increased, according to a PTI report quoting the now-fired minister in the assembly.
As the news of the minister’s dismissal spread like wildfire, Union Jal Shakti minister Shekhawat criticised the chief minister.
“It is forbidden to tell the truth in Gehlot Raj. The CM lacks the fortitude to acknowledge the truth. In the assembly, his minister Rajendra Gudha spoke the truth. He felt so terrible that he fired his minister. He has informed his colleagues that speaking the truth will not be tolerated. It is oppression to intimidate and muzzle your colleagues, the BJP leader tweeted.
#WATCH | Rajasthan Minister & Congress leader Rajendra Singh Gudha says, "It is true & should be accepted that we have failed in women's safety. Instead of Manipur, we should look within ourselves that atrocities on women have increased in Rajasthan."
(Source: Rajasthan… pic.twitter.com/uwStRuzmju
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) July 21, 2023
The Rajasthan branch of the BJP also criticised Gehlot for removing the minister. “Women’s empowerment, Congress-style, with a sprinkling of democratic temperament inspired by Indira Gandhi! A Minister in the Government of Rajasthan is removed for speaking the truth. It appears that Mohabbat Ki Dukan has no room for honest consumers. This Dukan welcomes only the corrupt and frauds!”, tweeted the BJP Rajasthan unit.
The BJP has criticised the Ashok Gehlot administration, claiming there is a “jungle raj” in the state. The manner in which incidents involving women, girls, Dalits, and merchants are occurring has shattered the state’s law and order. “Rajasthan has the highest number of cases of crimes against women,” former chief minister Vasundhara Raje told ANI.
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Similarly, Congress MLA Divya Maderna stated that she feels insecure in the state. “I cannot feel secure here. The accused has not yet been apprehended. Even though I was travelling under police protection, my vehicle has been assaulted twenty times. Two days ago, I was threatened. Multiple police officers were assigned to my protection. I had halted my vehicle three kilometres away from the location and alerted the police officer that I could be attacked. However, the SP assured me that appropriate arrangements had been made. In a video shared by Union minister Piyush Goyal, she is heard saying, “I was still attacked.”
