Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot (left) and Minister of state, Rajendra Gudha (right) (Image: ABP News)
On Friday, July 21, the minister of state, Rajendra Gudha, was sacked by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for questioning his own government at the state legislative assembly. The action has sparked controversy, and the opposition, BJP (Bhartiya Janata Party), is surrounding the government for the same. The opposition is calling this a ‘punishment for questioning’.
Gudha holds charge for Sainik Kalyan (Independent Charge), Home Guard and Civil Defence, Panchayati Raj, and Rural Development.
Gudha said, “We have failed to provide security…”
On July 21, a discussion was going on in the state assembly on the Rajasthan Minimum Income Guarantee Bill, 2023. The discussion was, however, disrupted by fellow Congress leaders who waved placards in solidarity with the victims of Manipur violence and the viral video incident.
In response to the protest, Gudha then raised questions against his own government on the issue of providing security to women.
He said, “The way we have failed to provide security to women in Rajasthan and atrocities against women have increased, instead of raising the issue of Manipur, we should introspect.”
The termination from office
Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot removed Rajendra Gudha as minister of state, hours after his statement at the assembly.
According to the Governor’s House, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot recommended to Governor Kalraj Mishra to remove the minister.
The Governor accepted the recommendation of the Chief Minister with immediate effect.
“Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot recommended to Governor Kalraj Mishra to sack the Minister of State Rajendra Singh Gudha, a member of the Council of Ministers, on the evening of July 21. The Governor has accepted this recommendation of Chief Minister Gehlot with immediate effect,” stated the Governor’s House.
In the official statement, no reason for Gudha’s termination was mentioned in the order.
“I always speak truth,” said the minister
Notably, following the termination, Gudha during an interaction with the media said, “I only speak truth”.
“I always speak the truth, that is who I am… I got punished for speaking the truth,” he said.
“But day by day, crimes against women are increasing in Rajasthan… this state has become number one when it comes to crimes against women… we need to introspect, or else how will we face the people? This was all I said,” Gudha was quoted as saying by ANI.
“I did not commit any crime by making such a statement… I left no stone unturned to strengthen the state government. I always stood by Ashok Gehlot whenever there was a problem,” Gudha further said.
BJP slammed Gehlot for the intolerant behaviour
Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat slammed Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot for reportedly sacking the minister who raised questions about “crimes against women in the state.”
Taking to Twitter, the BJP leader wrote, “You are not allowed to speak the truth in Gehlot Raj. The CM does not have the courage to accept the truth. His minister Rajendra Gudha spoke the truth in the assembly. Gehlot ji felt so bad that he removed his minister. He has sent a message to his colleagues: You won’t be spared for speaking the truth. Intimidating your peers and gagging them is oppression.”
Reacting to the minister’s sacking, BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said in a tweet in Hindi that Gehlot removed Gudha from his cabinet for telling “the truth”.
“This shows how serious Congress is about harassment of women,” the BJP leader charged.
Notably, Rajasthan Congress co-in-charge Amrita Dhawan, on Gudha’s statement, said he should have been removed earlier as he speaks the language of the BJP.
As reported by ANI, Dhawan said, “Rajendra Gudha should have been sacked earlier as the Rajasthan minister…His earlier statement on Goddess Sita was not accepted by the party. It will not be acceptable if he speaks BJP’s language while being part of Congress. He was given multiple chances and should have been sacked earlier.”
Recently reported crimes against women
The recent incident, in which the body of a 19-year-old girl was recovered from a well in which she was allegedly dumped after being allegedly raped and murdered had created a furore in the State Assembly.
Meanwhile, Jodhpur Police recovered four charred bodies from a hut at Cherai village in Ramnagar gram panchayat of Jodhpur on July 19. As per the information, the family members were first murdered and then their bodies were set on fire.
Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani on Thursday said that the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights and National Commission for Women has taken cognizance of the incident.
Coming down heavily on the Congress government over the recovery of the charred bodies, the BJP demanded the resignation of CM Gehlot.”This is a shameful incident. The chief minister should step down owning moral responsibility for the incident, which took place in his home district. Crimes across Rajasthan have been on the rise in the recent past,” BJP leader CP Joshi said.
Earlier on Sunday, in another incident, a 17-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly gang raped by three college students while her boyfriend was thrashed in Jodhpur of Rajasthan.
However, the police later informed that they have arrested the accused hours after the incident.
The three accused have been identified as Samandar Singh Bhati, Dharmpal Singh and Bhattam Singh (aged 20-22).
As per the police, the three accused had first attacked the boy and then took turns raping the minor girl.
(With inputs from ANI)
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