Following his sacking from the post of minister in the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in Rajasthan, Rajendra Singh Gudha has said that he was punished for speaking the truth. On 21st July 2023, Rajasthan’s Rural Development Minister, Rajendra Singh Gudha, was dismissed by the Congress government in the state after he conceded in the state assembly that they failed to ensure women’s safety in the state.
The ex-minister emphasised that rather than pointing fingers at Manipur, the Rajasthan government should prioritise ensuring the safety of women, a responsibility it has consistently fallen short of fulfilling.
Rajendra Singh Gudha said, “I said what I thought was right. It was not a crime to say it. I say what I feel is right. When this government was in the numbers crisis, we left no stone unturned to strengthen this government. Whenever there was a crisis in the government, whenever there was any problem, we stood behind it with full force.”
#WATCH | "I speak the truth always, that is who I am… I got punished for speaking the truth", says Rajendra Singh Gudha after he was removed from the Rajasthan cabinet pic.twitter.com/dsH6TVilN1
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) July 21, 2023
He added, “I was punished for speaking the truth. Rajasthan tops in women rape cases. There is corruption in RPSC. Instead of correcting the shortcomings, the government is inactive. We were voted to power by our sisters and daughters so that we could protect their dignity. All records say that Rajasthan has reached number one in atrocities on women.”
#WATCH | Sikar: " I was elected by the women of Udaipurwati so that I can protect them and uphold their dignity, but day by day, crimes against women are increasing in Rajasthan…this state has become no. 1 when it comes to crimes against women…we need to retrospect or else… pic.twitter.com/eyfJf6L5lB
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) July 21, 2023
Rajendra Singh Gudha further said, “The Manipur incident was shameful and should be condemned. All I said was that we should introspect ourselves. We will go in front of the public after four months. How are we going to face the people? I just talked about introspection and there was nothing else. I have been punished for speaking the truth.”
#WATCH | "I did not commit any crime by making such a statement… I left no stone unturned to strengthen the state govt. I always stood by Ashok Gehlot whenever there was a problem": Rajendra Singh Gudha, Former Rajasthan Minister pic.twitter.com/PoaWK2Mneh
— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) July 21, 2023
On Friday, during the debate on the Minimum Income Guarantee Bill in the Legislative Assembly, Gudha accused his own government of failing to ensure women’s safety.
To protest against the incident in Manipur, Congress legislators raised slogans in the assembly. At that time, Gudha said, “It is true and should be accepted that we have failed in women’s safety. Instead of Manipur, we should look within ourselves that atrocities on women have increased in Rajasthan.”
After his remarks over the abject state of women’s safety in Rajasthan, the decision to remove Rajendra Gudha was taken by the party in consultation with the high command. Gudha’s “year-long deviation” from the party’s official stance was cited as a reason for his dismissal.
