'If Amit Shah Has Courage...': Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot Blames BJP-RSS For Recent Communal Clashes (WATCH)
Recent festivities in India including Ram Navami, Hanuman Jayanti, and Eid celebrations have been marred by communal violence in parts of the country.
New Delhi: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of instigating violence in several parts of the state, as various incidents of violence have been reported over the past two months, leading to disturbed law and order situation. He also remarked that if Union Home Minister Amit Shah had courage, he would constitute a committee to probe recent cases of communal clashes in the country.
According to CM Ashok Gehlot, the state government took action on "time" as he stressed that the Rajasthan government will not spare the culprits of the Karauli, Jodhpur, and Ramgarh incidents.
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"They (RSS and BJP) are setting the agenda. They were planning to incite riots in Karauli, Jodhpur, and Ramgarh. We took timely action and due to that only small incidents occurred but we've arrested the culprits and will not spare anyone. We will not allow violence in the state," he told media persons, as quoted by news agency ANI.
He also brought up the issue of communal clashes in other states including Gujarat, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and the national capital Delhi which took place during the recent Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti.
"People showered flowers on Ram Navami processions. Riots happened in seven states and bulldozer was used. A similar method like that of Karauli was used in all seven states. If Amit Shah has courage, then a committee should be formed to probe all this," the Rajasthan Chief Minister remarked.
#WATCH | People showered flowers on Ram Navami processions. Riots happened in 7 states & bulldozer was used. A similar method like that of Karauli was used in all 7 states. If Amit Shah has courage then a committee should be formed to probe all this: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot pic.twitter.com/Qzhh7C9Wic
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) May 5, 2022
Meanwhile, as per Rajasthan DGP ML Lather, the situation in Jodhpur is under control: "Police taking all possible steps to maintain peace, law and order. 211 persons arrested so far. Of these, 191 arrested u/s 151 and 20 persons in other cases. Total of 19 FIRs registered by including 4 FIRs and 15 FIRs by the general public."
Communal Tensions In Rajasthan
Communal tension gripped Rajasthan's Jodhpur after members of the minority community were installing Eid flags and they put up a flag on a roundabout alongside the statue of freedom fighter Balmukund Bissa.
The other community alleged that a saffron flag that was put up there ahead of Parshuram Jayanti, had gone missing.
The issue snowballed into stone-pelting and clashes, PTI reported the officials as saying.
The police control room stated that police rushed to the spot to control the situation during which five policemen were injured.
The situation was brought under control with heavy police deployment, but the tension re-escalated after the Namaz of Eid on Tuesday morning when some people pelted stones near the Jalori Gate. A few vehicles were damaged, police said.
In Karauli, violence broke out after the stone-pelting incident took place at a religious procession in April, and in Alwar's Rajgarh a 300-year-old temple was demolished using a bulldozer.
(With Agency Inputs)
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