Latest news with #Gehlot
The Print
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Print
Ashok Gehlot slams Amit Shah over ‘delay' in progress of Kanhaiya Lal murder case
Kanhaiya Lal Sahu, a tailor, was murdered by two cleaver wielding men in Udaipur in June 2022. Gehlot was the chief minister at the time. He said the case was taken over by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on the night of the incident three years ago. Still, the central agency has not been able to even get statements recorded in the case, the former chief minister claimed. Jaipur, Jul 17 (PTI) Veteran Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said Union Home Minister Amit Shah should clarify the delay in taking the Kanhaiya Lal murder case to conclusion in court. 'Our police had apprehended the accused within four hours of the incident. NIA took over the case in the night… but even after all this time, they have failed to make any headway,' Gehlot said at a press conference at his residence. 'In many cases, decisions are made within six months but this case is still pending. The lack of action has made people question the effectiveness of the government,' he added. Gehlot also accused the BJP of making false accusations and using the incident as a political tool during election campaigns. 'We gave government jobs to both sons (of Kanhaiya Lal) and provided a compensation package worth Rs 50 lakh. This was the largest compensation package given to anyone post-Independence,' he said. '(However) they falsely claimed that Kanhaiya Lal's family received only Rs 5 lakh while a Muslim family was given a compensation of Rs 50 lakh. They created Hindu-Muslim narrative and it contributed significantly to our defeat (in 2023 Rajasthan Assembly elections).' Targeting the Bhajanlal Sharma government, Gehlot alleged that law and order was deteriorating under the BJP's rule. 'Recently, a Dalit boy was kidnapped, stripped naked and taken from Alwar to Bundi. This is an indication of the growing fearlessness among criminals, and it is a worrying sign for the people of Rajasthan,' the former chief minister said. He said there was widespread criticism about the government's performance. 'This is the most ineffective government I have ever seen in my political career. I have never heard such ineffectiveness and incompetence in any government, whether BJP or Congress. People are dissatisfied,' Gehlot said. When asked about Shah's visit to Rajasthan and the political developments within the BJP, Gehlot refrained from making any direct comments, terming it an internal matter of the ruling party. He said that there were reports in the media suggesting that some chief ministers might be removed from office. 'I just made a casual comment about the political conspiracies happening within the party. Any such actions would not be in the state's best interest,' Gehlot remarked. The Congress leader also highlighted the importance of respecting the opposition. Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not treat the opposition as enemies, he said, adding constructive dialogue and involving the opposition in decision-making processes can lead to better governance. He supported Rahul Gandhi's stance on caste-based census. 'Rahul Gandhi's mission is clear. He is not against the general castes. Some BJP leaders, however, have always ignored the Constitution, and now they are selectively invoking Ambedkar's name,' Gehlot added. PTI SDA NSD NSD This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Hindu
14 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Operation Sindoor delivered a strong message on security: Amit Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday (July 17, 2025) that India had sent an 'unambiguous' message to the world that any attempt to harm its citizens would invite retaliation. 'In contrast, the country faced terror attacks almost every day during Congress rule,' he said. Mr. Shah, who also holds the Cooperative portfolio in the Union Cabinet, was addressing a cooperative and employment festival, marking International Cooperatives Year-2025, at Dadiya village near Jaipur. He referred to Operation Sindoor, affirming that it had eliminated terrorists based in Pakistan. 'When the Uri attack occurred, [Prime Minister] Narendra Modi took decisive action by carrying out the surgical strike. After the Pulwama attack, an airstrike was ordered. After the attack in Pahalgam, Operation Sindoor was sanctioned, which targeted terrorists across the border,' Mr. Shah said. Fourth largest economy Mr. Shah said the country had become the fourth largest economy under Mr. Modi's leadership, while 22 crore people had been lifted above the poverty line. The vision of a 'prosperous and secure nation' had been turned into a reality under the present dispensation, he added. Meanwhile, veteran Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday asked Mr. Shah to clarify why the trial in Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal's murder case was not making headway after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the matter. Two cleaver-wielding men had murdered Mr. Lal in June 2022, when Mr. Gehlot was the CM. Mr. Gehlot said at a press conference here, ahead of Mr. Shah's address at the event, that though the State police had apprehended the accused within four hours of the incident, NIA took over the case overnight. 'Three years later, even the statements [of witnesses] have not been recorded in the court,' he said. CM Sharma praised Mr. Shah praised Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma for launching public welfare and development works and said the BJP government in the State had taken strong action against paper leaks in recruitment exams by forming a Special Investigation Team. He also pointed to the cooperative sector's contribution to development and said it was playing an active role in 98% of rural areas. The Ministry of Cooperation had launched 61 initiatives in the last four years to strengthen the sector, he said. Mr. Shah flagged off 100 new police vehicles, visited an exhibition of cooperative products, and distributed appointment letters to youths selected for government jobs. He also virtually inaugurated 24 food grain storage warehouses and 64 millet outlets on the occasion. Besides the CM Mr. Sharma, Union Minister of Culture & Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Deputy CMs Prem Chand Bairwa and Diya Kumari, and former CM Vasundhara Raje were also present.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Shah should clarify delay in Kanhaiya Lal murder case: Gehlot
Jaipur: Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Thursday demanded Union home minister Amit Shah to explain the prolonged delay in delivering justice in the infamous Kanhaiya Lal murder case of 2022. During a press conference held here shortly before Shah reached Jaipur to address a cooperatives and employment festival, Gehlot alleged that BJP's manipulation of the incident contributed to Congress's defeat in the 2023 state assembly elections. The case, which shocked the nation, involved the beheading of Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor in Udaipur, in June 2022. Despite the local police arresting the two accused within four hours, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the investigation the same night. Gehlot said there has been minimal progress in the case since then. "Even basic procedures like recording statements in court remain incomplete," Gehlot pointed out, comparing this case to others where verdicts were reached within three to six months. He emphasised that such delays have led to public scepticism about the govt's competence. The former CM refuted allegations about discriminatory compensation, stating that Kanhaiya Lal's family received the "largest compensation package given to anyone post-independence," including govt jobs for both sons and a Rs 50 lakh package. He accused Amit Shah of spreading misinformation about the compensation amounts, which he claims created a Hindu-Muslim divide that influenced the election outcome. Addressing current law and order concerns, Gehlot highlighted a recent incident involving a Dalit boy in Alwar, expressing worry about the deteriorating security situation in the state.
Hans India
a day ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Ashok Gehlot questions Amit Shah on delay in Kanhaiyalal case probe
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has raised questions over the prolonged delay in justice for Kanhaiyalal, whose murder became a political flashpoint ahead of the previous Assembly elections. Taking to social media just ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Jaipur, Gehlot alleged that despite quick action by the Rajasthan Police, the case has seen no substantial progress under the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which falls under Shah's ministry. Gehlot recalled that before the 2023 Assembly elections, Amit Shah repeatedly invoked the Kanhaiyalal case in election rallies across Rajasthan to target the then Congress-led state government. 'In this case, the Rajasthan Police arrested the accused within just four hours. Both were found to be linked to the BJP. Yet the NIA took over the investigation overnight. We did not object, despite that,' Gehlot stated. He alleged that the BJP misled the public with false claims of Rs 5 lakh to Rs 50 lakh compensation being paid, which he claimed significantly contributed to the Congress government's defeat. 'Even after three years, justice has not been served. The NIA court doesn't even have a regular judge, and it has failed to get the statements of key witnesses recorded to date,' Gehlot added. Demanding answers from the Union Home Minister, Gehlot questioned how much longer Kanhaiyalal's family will have to wait for justice. 'The BJP used this case for political mileage, but they have done nothing to ensure speedy justice,' he said. He urged Shah to speak on the status of the case during his Jaipur visit and asked whether the Centre plans to strengthen the judicial process or continue using such sensitive matters for political benefit. It needs to be mentioned here that Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah will visit Jaipur to participate in the Cooperative and Employment Festival being organised in Dadiya village on Thursday. The event is set to bring several major benefits to Rajasthan. Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said that over 8,000 youth will receive appointment letters during the event. He also confirmed that Union Minister Shah will announce several developmental initiatives for the state. As part of the programme, HM Shah will inaugurate 24 warehouses constructed under the Food Storage Scheme and launch 64 millet outlets to promote "Shri Anna". In addition, loans worth approximately Rs 12 crore will be distributed to 1,400 beneficiaries under the Gopal Credit Card Scheme. He will also hand over 2,346 micro ATMs to milk-producing cooperative societies. A significant highlight of the event will be the launch of the White Revolution 2.0 PDCS online registration platform, aimed at streamlining the dairy cooperative sector. HM Shah will also flag off 100 new police vehicles during the occasion. The Home Minister is expected to visit an exhibition showcasing the achievements of the Cooperative Department, underlining the government's commitment to empowering the rural economy and youth employment
Hans India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Don't fight over language, respect all: Ashok Gehlot on Marathi-Hindi row
Mumbai: Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday, during his visit to Mumbai, called for respecting every language and religion, stressing that fighting over linguistic differences is regressive and unnecessary. Gehlot's comments come in the wake of the ongoing controversy in Maharashtra surrounding the imposition of Hindi in schools and a series of violent incidents involving the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), whose workers were seen assaulting non-Marathi-speaking individuals for not conversing in Marathi. "Knowledge is power. There's nothing wrong with learning any language -- you must learn languages. There should be no restrictions when it comes to language. Some people know up to five languages," Gehlot told reporters. Recalling changing societal attitudes, Gehlot added, "We were also against English when we were younger, but now the times are different. In these new times, English has become important, so we are teaching our children English. Hence, it is wrong to fight over languages. People should respect every language and every religion." The controversy erupted after the Maharashtra government issued, and later withdrew, two government resolutions that proposed making Hindi a compulsory third language in Marathi and English-medium schools from Classes 1 to 5. The move sparked strong reactions from the Opposition, public backlash, and protests by regional outfits like the MNS. Additionally, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Bal Thackeray faction) and Congress also slammed the government for "imposing" Hindi on the Marathi-speaking state. Amid intense public backlash and Opposition protests, the Maharashtra government has scrapped two government resolutions (GRs) that sought to impose Hindi as a compulsory third language in Marathi and English-medium schools for Classes 1 to 5. However, the ruling Mahayuti coalition insists the decision has only been suspended temporarily and will be revisited after an expert committee submits its report.
