Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot has said Union Home Minister Amit Shah will have to explain the delay in concluding the Kanhaiya Lal murder case in court. He averred the case was inherited by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on the evening of the incident three years prior. Nevertheless, the central agency has failed to even take statements in the case, the ex-chief minister alleged.
A tailor, Kanhaiya Lal Sahu, was killed by two cleaver bearing men in Udaipur in June 2022. Gehlot was chief minister then.
"Our police had the accused in their custody within four hours of the crime. NIA began working on the case in the evening. but even after so many days, they could not make any progress," Gehlot stated at a press conference at his residence.
"In most of the cases, decisions are taken within six months but this case is still under consideration. The inaction has led people to question the efficiency of the government," he said.
Gehlot also levelled allegations of false accusations against the BJP and accused them of politicising the incident during elections. "We employed government jobs to both the sons (of Kanhaiya Lal) and gave a compensation package of ₹50 lakh. This was the biggest compensation package paid to anybody after Independence," he averred.
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"(But) They lied that Kanhaiya Lal's family got a compensation of just ₹5 lakh whereas a Muslim family got a compensation of ₹50 lakh. They wrote Hindu-Muslim narrative and it helped us a lot in losing (the 2023 Rajasthan Assembly elections)." Alleging the Bhajanlal Sharma government, Gehlot accused that law and order was going from bad to worse under the BJP regime.
"Recently, a Dalit boy was abducted, disrobed and brought from Alwar to Bundi. This shows how increasing fearlessness of criminals is growing, and it is a concerning sign for the people of Rajasthan," former chief minister Ashok Gehlot said.
There was widespread criticism about the performance of the government, he said.
"This is the most inefficient government I have witnessed during my political life. I have never experienced such inefficiency and ineptness in any government, be it BJP or Congress. People are not happy," said Gehlot.
On being questioned regarding Shah's Rajasthan visit and political activities of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Gehlot avoided making any comments on this, calling it an internal affair of the ruling party.
He added that reports suggest that some chief ministers could be ousted from power.
"I just made a passing remark regarding the political conspiracies unfolding in the party. Such actions would not be in the interest of the state," Gehlot said.
The Congress leader also emphasised how necessary it is to respect the opposition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi need not take the opposition as enemies, he said, and that constructive debate and engagement of the opposition in decision-making can help provide good governance.
He backed Rahul Gandhi's position for caste-based census.
"Gandhi's mission is clear. He is not against common castes. But some leaders of Congress, however, have always defied the Constitution, and now are selectively quoting Ambedkar's name," Gehlot further said.
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