PM has 'hurt' self respect of Rajasthan: Gehlot

Jaipur: Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for mentioning Rajasthan in his statement on the Manipur incident, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said he has "hurt the self respect" of Rajasthan.

While condemning the incident of Manipur where two women were paraded naked and molested, Modi on Thursday made a reference to states like Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh in context of law and order.

"The prime minister has hurt the self respect of Rajasthan," Gehlot told a press conference here.

He said Modi finished his speech within a few seconds on the Manipur issue, on which he should have held meetings to review the situation and how it can be controlled.

He also took a dig at Modi's remark that the Manipur incident has put 140 crore Indians to shame.

"One hundred and forty crore people of the country are not feeling ashamed but they are saddened by the deeds and negligence of the Modi government," Gehlot said.

He said Modi did not utter a word on this issue for 77 days but after the Supreme Court raised the matter, he completed the formality and finished his speech within a few seconds.

On the opposition BJP targeting his government on several issues including law and order and paper leaks, Gehlot said, "They are spoiling the atmosphere, they have nothing to say. They just talk rubbish."

He said the BJP is scared of the decisions and works of the state government and so has decided to defame it.

Commenting on BJP's 'Nahi Sahega Rajasthan' campaign against the Congress government in the poll-bound state, Gehlot said the saffron party only showed 'Nikammapan' (uselessness) in the four-and-a-half years in the state and therefore people are saying that they will not tolerate BJP.

He said the BJP has nothing to say against the Congress government.

Terming the Rajasthan Minimum Guaranteed Income Bill, 2023 passed in the assembly on Friday as historic, he said that Rajasthan has become the first state to implement the minimum income guarantee scheme.

He reiterated the demand from the Centre to bring the social security act.

When asked about the decision to sack Rajendra Gudha, Gehlot refused to comment saying it was an internal matter of the party.

Hours after he cornered the state government over law and order in the assembly, Gudha was sacked on Friday evening.

He held the portfolios of minister of state sainik kalyan, panchayati raj development and rural development.