Jaipur: Two days after a Hindu priest was killed in Rajasthan’s Dausa district, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday (October 23) hit out at the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in the state and alleged that it was the result of its minority-appeasement policy. This comes after a priest, identified as Ramjilal Sharma, 65, was allegedly beaten in an inebriated condition in the Kalakho village of the district on Friday after which he succumbed to his injuries at a hospital in Jaipur the next day.
According to the police, the accused was arrested on Saturday.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Rajendra Rathore termed the killing as unfortunate and called it a "blot" on the Congress government.
"Once again, an innocent priest has been killed in Rajasthan. This is not the first time this has happened. Every month, priests and mahants, who offer prayers at temples, are being targeted by miscreants somewhere in the state," Rathore said in a post in Hindi on X, formerly Twitter.
He alleged that Rajasthan has turned into a hub of crime and added that the criminals are committing crimes under the nose of the government.
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat slams Gehlot
Addressing a press conference in Jaipur, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat slammed the Gehlot government accusing it of causing a divide in the society by adhering to politics of appeasement for minorities.
The minister also accused the Congress leader of issuing statements that are uncalled for in the media with an intention to divert attention from issues including crime against women.
'Rajasthan the rape capital of the country'
Shekhawat alleged that Rajasthan has become the country's rape capital under the Congress rule.
"Lakhs of people are worried about the hidden intentions of the government and its agenda of dividing the society through its appeasement policy in order to garner votes. A priest was beaten to death by criminals outside his house in Kalkoh, Dausa. He was beaten so badly that his eyes popped out. Even before this, several priests were killed. Such incidents are happening to lower the morale of the majority and boost the morale of the minorities. The government is a pioneer of appeasement," he alleged.
The Union Minister cited crime incidents against women and said that the number of rape incidents has spiked in the state as the Gehlot government has not been able to control crime.
Rajasthan will go to Assembly polls on November 25 and the counting of votes will take place on December 3.
(With PTI inputs)
