'Polls Not An Excuse To Stall Investigations. Centre Will Probe Scams If You Don't': BJP Tells Rajasthan CM

The BJP MP further criticized the Congress-led state government, highlighting that Rajasthan has witnessed multiple scandals, including instances like the paper leak mafia and sand mafia.

New Delhi: BJP MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Thursday slammed the Rajasthan government for not allowing the CBI to probe multiple corruption cases in the state. He suggested that if the state government is averse to a CBI investigation, they should conduct the inquiry themselves.

Earlier in March, Rajasthan had withdrawn general consent to the CBI to probe cases in the state, along with eight other states--Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Punjab, Telangana and West Bengal.

Additionally, Rathod criticized the Congress-led state government, highlighting that Rajasthan has witnessed multiple scandals, including instances like the paper leak mafia and sand mafia.

Speaking to ANI, Rathore said, "What does the Rajasthan government want to hide that it has not given permission to the CBI for an inquiry? The Rajasthan government then should do the inquiry themselves. Many scams are happening in Rajasthan. Be it the paper mafia or the mining mafia...Crores of rupees and gold were recovered from the secretariat. Whose money is this?"

He further stated, "Someone will have to inquire...At some point of time, you will have to come before investigative agencies... You cannot make an excuse that elections are happening, so investigating agencies should not work... The Congress government in Rajasthan could have investigated this themselves. When you did not inquire, then the central government has the right to do so."

Assembly polls are slated on November 25 in the state. BJP has declared a list of 41 candidates so far out of total of 200 assembly seats.

The party has fielded MP Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore from the Jhotwara assembly seat.

Earlier on Tuesday, Rathore was shown black flags by supporters of an overlooked ticket-seeker, Rajpal Singh Shekhawat, as he started his campaign in the Jhotwara assembly constituency.

According to a video of the incident that surfaced on social media on Monday, Rathore was shown black flags in Jobner by Shekhawat's supporters who confronted him with slogans "Colonel kehna maan le, boria bistar bandh le (Colonel, follow our advice, pack your bags and return)" and "Jhotwara me ek hi naam, Rajpal, Rajpal."

Shekhawat had earlier represented the Jhotwara assembly constituency and contested unsuccessfully in the 2018 assembly elections. He was also a cabinet minister in former CM Vasundhara Raje government.