‘Unfortunate, Shameful’: BJP Slams Ashok Gehlot Over His Rape Law Remark, CM Reacts

Reacting to the CM’s statement, BJP leader Rathore said the statistics of NCRB and police report show that the state ranks first in the country in rape cases.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot (L), Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (R).

Source : Getty Images

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday slammed Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot over latter’s remark against rape law in the coutry saying that the CM was trying to hide his government’s failures to curb rising incidents of attrocities against girls and women in the state, reported news agency PTI. Meanwhile, CM Gehlot reiterated his stance saying that he "only said the truth". Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that the chief minister's statement is "unfortunate".

"In the last three years, Rajasthan has become the centre for atrocities against young innocent girls. Nothing can be more unfortunate that the issue is being twisted by making controversial statements to hide their failures," said Shekhawat., quoted by the news agency. 

Deputy Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Rajendra Rathore also dubbed Gehlot’s statement as "unfortunate and shameful".

The CM, who also heads the home department, cannot escape the failure of his government in curbing increasing rape cases in the state by making absurd statements, Rathore said.

CM Gehlot, while addressing a press conference on Friday said that the cases of murder after rape have increased in the country following the law providing death sentence for rape convicts came into force, referring to the December 16, 2012 Delhi gangrape incident. 

“Ever since the death penalty (for rape convicts) is brought after Nirbhaya incident, the murders after rape have increased. The rapist sees that the girl will become a witness tomorrow, so he not only rapes but also kills her. This is happening across the country. This is a very dangerous trend,” Gehlot had said.

Reacting to the CM’s statement, BJP leader Rathore said the statistics of NCRB and police report show that the state ranks first in the country in rape cases. He also claimed that from January 2020 to January 2022, 4,091 cases have been registered under the POCSO Act.

Meanwhile Gehlot stood firm on his statement saying that he “only said the truth”. 

“I only said the truth. Whenever a rapist rapes a child, they then kill them for the fear of being identified and then taken action against. So many deaths have never happened before,” Gehlot said.