The threat of being sacked looms large over minister of state who is facing charges of raping a woman. The state government has ordered a probe by the CID while the Opposition BJP sought a CBI probe. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot said “law will takes its course.”
Women’s group led by Kavita Srivastva demanded the immediate arrest of the minister and said he should be removed from the Cabinet. The Opposition BJP protested against the minister and burnt his effigy.
“Why is the government protecting the minister,” asked Suman Sharma, a leader of the state BJP women’s wing. Former chief minister Vasundhara Raje took a dig at the government and asked chief minister Gehlot to explain why was the probe not handed over to CBI. “When the government ordered a probe by the CBI in the Bhanwari case against then minister Mahipal Maderna and suspended Congress MLA Malkhan Singh, what prevented the same government from handing over this probe to the CBI,” she said.
The victim said she was feeling unsafe and received threat. The victim also told mediapersons that the minister and his associates threatened her to keep quiet, otherwise her family will be ruined.
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BJP ex-leader quits, joins Meena’s party
age correspondent
Jaipur, Sept. 18
The state BJP received a jolt when party’s former national executive member and pro-RSS leader Sunil Bhargava resigned from the party and joined Kirori Lal Meena’s National People’s Party. Mr Bhargava quit the party as a mark of protest against former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, who he said was encouraging factionalism and promoting former royals in the party.
He said the state BJP has been run by outsiders and local leaders have been sidelined.
Mr Bhargava has been raising the issue with the party for a long time and had written a letter to party president Rajnath Singh against Ms Raje. Mr Meena was quick to welcome him and made him his party’s acting president. Party sources said Mr Bhargava was the second leader from the politically powerful Brahmin community who raised his voice against Ms Raje.