‘If Kanhaiya Lal had been murdered in Assam, I would have…': Himanta Biswa Sarma in Rajasthan
Two men with a cleaver killed Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur’s Dhan Mandi area in June 2022 and posted videos online that said they are avenging an “insult” to Islam.
Rajasthan Assembly Elections: Attacking the Ashok Gehlot government over the murder of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that if something like that had happened in his state, he would have settled scores within five minutes.
Addressing the BJP’s Parivartan Sankalp Yatra at Nayapura Stadium in Kota, Sharma said, “If incident like Kanhaiya Lal's murder had happened in Assam, I would have settled the score within five minutes. There would have been another similar news on television within five minutes but people like Ashok Gehlot are just sitting on the chair. A lesson needs to be taught immediately,” the Assam Chief Minister said while blaming the Congress government for the brutal murder.
Kanhaiya Lal was murdered in Udaipur
Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor by profession, was allegedly murdered in June 2022 in Udaipur on charges of insulting Islam. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed charges against 11 accused in this case in December last year. Two of the accused, who were responsible for the heinous act, also recorded a video of the incident, which sparked outrage across the country. Both the accused seen in the video were arrested shortly after the incident.
The Assem Chief Minister also predicted a victory of the BJP in the upcoming Rajasthan polls. “Hindus do not know to separate the head from the body but they would certainly do this with the Congress through EVM machines to bring the BJP in Rajasthan polls,” Sarma said.
‘Annapurna scheme is not for the poor’
Sarma alleged that it was a common practice for every Congress government to initiate schemes months before elections to gather funds for covering their electoral expenses. "I was in Congress for 22 years. The party brings schemes before the elections and then meets the election expenses through them. Annapurna Food Packet Scheme is not for the poor but to fill someone’s pocket. If its purpose is to help poor people, then why was it not started 5 years ago? People were not getting food during COVID-19. All these schemes will stop two days after the elections. With what face will Rahul Gandhi come to Rajasthan? First he should take a dip in the Ganga, apologise and only then come to Rajasthan," he said.
The Annapurna Food Packet scheme was launched by the Gehlot government in the poll-bound state on Independence Day this year. Under this initiative, families covered by the National Food Security Act (NFSA) will receive monthly Annapurna food packets containing essential items from fair-price shops for free.
Sarma further said that BJP do not relate elections with welfare schemes and formulated them to turn the poor into middle class in five years. "We are not worried about elections. We don't want to please anyone just three months before the elections. If you make the MLAs sit in a hotel and feed them for 35 days, the MLAs will develop the habit of eating," he said.
He also lashed out at the Rajasthan government for high rates of petrol and diesel in the state and claimed fuel prices are lower in Assam. "Looting money from people through higher petrol and diesel prices, and taking a commission from purchasing food packets and then to launch free distribution schemes has been a technique of the Congress," the Assam CM said.
'Political blunder by Ashok Gehlot...'
CM Sarma also criticised Gehlot for keeping MLAs in a hotel for 35 days to save his government. “It was a political blunder by Ashok Gehlot…keeping the MLAs in a hotel for 35 days made them aware that the CM could be blackmailed, and after coming out of the hotel they looted the state for three years,” he said.
Further lashing out at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Sarma said, "Gehlot says that he will not allow Rajasthan to become a Hindu state. But Hindus have been in Rajasthan for thousands of years. As long as there is moon and sun, Rajasthan will remain a Hindu state. The people of Rajasthan did not become Hindus with the permission of Congress."
(With agencies input)