Rajasthan communal clashes: CM Gehlot says PM Modi should appeal to people to shun polarisation

By PTI

BARMER: A day after communal clashes broke out in Rajasthan’s Karauli district, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday alleged that an environment of religious polarisation had been created in the country after the BJP-led NDA came to power at the Centre and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should appeal to people to shun this unfair division.

He said peace, brotherhood and harmony are important for development.

“(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,” he said.

“Unfortunately, the incident that happened yesterday in Karauli and even today, 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.

Gehlot also targeted the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, saying fake encounters took place there. He said doing fake encounters is easy but the country will progress when the rule of law is established. “Only then justice will be done,” he said.

On the Karauli violence, Gehlot said he was worried since Saturday evening when he came to know about the incident. “I have directed the DGP to take stern action against all those who were involved in the matter, they may be from any community or any religion. A message should go to them that the rule of law will be established in Rajasthan, this is my belief.”

Incidents of arson and vandalism were reported on Saturday 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, according to police. At least 35 people were injured in the violence.

The chief minister said that inflation and unemployment are key challenges today. Targeting the Centre over inflation and increasing fuel prices, he said that such a big deception never happened in the country.

He said that prices were not increased during elections in five states and now the fuel prices have started increasing. “The people of the country should understand their governance model,” he said.