On Saturday, an FIR was registered against Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in Rajasthan’s Chittorgarh over his alleged ‘Ravana’ remarks against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot at a rally two days ago. It was lodged on a complaint filed by former Congress MLA Surendra Singh Jadawat.
“I have filed a police complaint tonight against Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat for using such derogatory language against the chief minister of Rajasthan. He tried to outrage religious feelings while addressing a BJP rally,” he informed.
The FIR was filed under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, etc.), 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 500 (defamation) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) of the Indian Penal Code.
The FIR alleged that on April 27, the BJP held a meeting in a public space where the BJP lawmaker served as the keynote speaker and delivered a speech intended to ‘incite’ people. He provoked animosity and circulated lies against Ashok Gehlot, the ‘popular’ chief minister. He insulted the latter by calling him the ‘Ravana of politics’ in an effort to jeopardise his reputation, as per the complaint.
In response to the jab, the CM yesterday claimed that the Union Minister’s associates were imprisoned in connection with the scam and that he would probably also wind himself behind bars. The Congress leader also demanded his removal from the Union cabinet from the centre. “If I am Ravan, you become Ram and return the investors’ money,” he proclaimed.
While addressing Bharatiya Janata Party’s Mahaakrosh rally in Chittorgarh on April 27, Gajendra Shekhawat likened the Congress stalwart to ‘Ravana’ (the demon king in Ramayana) while urging people to throw the incumbent state government out in the upcoming assembly elections.
“If you want to end (the rule of) Ashok Gehlot, this Ravana of politics in Rajasthan, raise your hands and resolve to establish Ram Rajya in the state,” he stated.
Both Ashok Gehlot and Gajendra Shekhawat have been at loggerheads over the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society scam. The former has publicly charged the latter with being involved in the scam.
The veteran BJP member sued the Congress CM for defamation in a Delhi court for associating him with the scandal, which the Rajasthan Police are currently looking into. According to the authorities, the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society in Rajasthan is accused of embezzling thousands of people’s wages.
His arrest in relation to the scandal had recently been postponed by the Jodhpur bench of the Rajasthan High Court. Yesterday, the high court also took on record the clarification by the state government on calling him a perpetrator in the case.
