PFI link emerges in Rajasthan's Karauli communal violence, 46 arrested so far
Highlights
- At least 35 people were injured in the violence in Rajasthan's Karauli
- PFI had issued a press release warning that communal tensions may flare up, reports say
- BJP has accused the Gehlot government of doing nothing despite there being an alert for violence
Karauli violence news: In what raises serious questions over state intelligence, it has been revealed that the Popular Front of India (PFI) had warned the Rajasthan government in advance about a sinister plan to create trouble on the occasion of Hindu New Year.
According to reports, on 1 April, PFI had issued a press release warning that communal tensions may flare up. PFI's Rajasthan state president Mohammad Asif had written a letter to CM Ashok Gehlot in this regard.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the Gehlot government of doing nothing despite there being an alert for violence.
"PFI wrote a letter in advance to Gehlot govt about violence in Karauli ! How did they know that there would be violence targeting the Hindu New Year Shobha Yatra ? Was it Sanyog or Prayog? If PFI knew how did Rajasthan administration not know? Or did look the other way?" BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said in a series of tweets.
Incidents of arson and vandalism were reported on Saturday (April 2) after stones were pelted at a motorcycle rally taken out to celebrate the Hindu New Year when it was passing through a Muslim-dominated locality in Karauli district. At least 35 people were injured in the violence.
Reacting over the incident, CM Gehlot sought to accuse the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre behind such communal incidents. The Rajasthan chief minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should appeal to the people of the country to shun polarisation based on religion and caste.
"(In view of) the atmosphere which has been created in the country after the NDA government came to power, I believe that the prime minister himself should appeal to the people of the country that this polarisation in the name of religion and caste is not justified and is not in the interests of the country," Gehlot said
"Unfortunately, the incident that happened yesterday in Karauli and even today (Sunday, April 3), there was a fight in Beawar over a small issue and one person was killed. If religions (of the persons involved) are different then in the name of religion, people polarise and make it an issue," he told reporters in Barmer.
(With inputs from agencies)
Also Read | Rajasthan: 46 arrested, 7 detained for questioning in Karauli stone pelting incident
