Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to come forward and condemn the communal violence in the State’s Karauli town, where provocative sloganeering outside a mosque had triggered clashes. Mr. Gehlot said it was the Prime Minister’s responsibility to maintain peace and communal harmony in the country.
Speaking to reporters after flagging off a mobile investigation unit of the Rajasthan police at the State Secretariat here, Mr. Gehlot said the incidents of communal tension and riots indicated that the BJP had entered the election mode in the State, much ahead of the December 2023 Assembly election. He called upon the people to remain alert and cooperate with the authorities in maintaining safety and security.
BJP’s counter
The remarks of the senior Congress leader, barely two days after the large-scale violence in Karauli where 35 persons were injured and three dozen shops were set ablaze, led to a war of words with the BJP.
Union Minister Bhupender Yadav took to twitter and retorted that someone needed to remind Mr. Gehlot that he was the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, while hinting that law and order was a State subject. “Blaming the BJP for violence against Hindus in his [Mr. Gehlot’s] State instead of abandoning the politics of appeasement will only ensure that the people of Rajasthan show Congress the door like all other States in India,” Mr. Yadav said.
The violence erupted in Karauli, situated 170 km away from Jaipur, on April 2, when the participants in a motorcycle rally taken out as part of a religious procession stopped before a mosque and started raising provocative and communal slogans. Miscreants from the other side allegedly hurled stones at the rally. The rallyists then attacked houses and torched and looted the shops of the minority community in the city.
Mr. Gehlot said the Prime Minister should address the nation and establish the rule of law in the country, while ensuring that anti-social elements were punished. “Both the Prime Minister and [Home Minister] Amit Shah should appeal for establishing peace and declare that they will not tolerate violence,” Mr. Gehlot said, while affirming that the people would be safe only when there was rule of law.
The Chief Minister said the BJP and its front organisations were indulging in an “illegal act” by raising provocative and communal slogans and playing objectionable songs in their rallies marking religious occasions. “Nobody is stopping religious processions... But you should give the [true] message of religion. Why do you raise such slogans which offend the other religious community?” Mr. Gehlot said.
Curfew relaxed
The situation in Karauli remained peaceful and the curfew was relaxed for two hours on Monday to enable the people to make essential purchases. The district administration made arrangements for Class X and XII examinations and allowed the students to reach their exam centres. The Central and State government offices and courts also remained open and their employees reached the offices.
