Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused the ruling Congress in Rajasthan of indulging in appeasement as its “first and last policy”, which had led to riots in the State’s peaceful towns and disturbed the celebration of major festivals. Mr. Modi said the Congress was worried about its vote bank instead of maintaining law and order.
Addressing a BJP rally in Jodhpur, Mr. Modi said no festival takes place in Rajasthan without incidents of stone-pelting. “The processions marking festivals such as Ram Navami, Hanuman Jayanti and Parasuram Jayanti were disrupted with stone-pelting. What was the Chief Minister doing when Jodhpur was engulfed in riots?” Mr. Modi asked.
The Prime Minister said a city like Jodhpur, which valued peace, was witness to gang wars, while a woman MLA of the region had declared that she was not safe and a businessman’s son had been kidnapped. “All of this shows a complete failure of the [State] government. In the last five years, the Congress has taken Rajasthan to the top in violence, corruption and crimes against women and Dalits.”
