Gehlot hits out at BJP, says it’s taking India in Sri Lanka’s direction

He said the BJP is confident of winning elections through religious polarisation no matter how much inflation rises

JAIPUR: Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre was trying to take India in the “direction” of Sri Lanka, where an economic crisis has triggered political unrest. He said the BJP is confident of winning elections through religious polarisation no matter how much inflation rises.

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot. (HT/File)

“In Sri Lanka, people do not have food because there too the attention was diverted in the name of nationalism and protests against minorities. The Modi government is trying to take India in the same direction,” Gehlot said on Thursday.

He said his government has made healthcare free but in other states people are not even able to buy medicines. In a series of tweets, he said unemployment and crime are increasing. “Petrol has become costlier by ₹27, diesel by ₹25 in a year.” Gehlot said the debt has increased two and a half times since Prime Minister Narendra Modi was voted to power in 2014.

Congress leader Sachin Pilot also hit out at the Centre’s policies and said they have hollowed the country. He added rising inflation has broken the back of people. “Inflation is sky-rocketing and the Centre is not even bothered... Common people are suffering from rising prices of fuel, cooking gas, cooking oil, pulses,” Pilot said as the Congress organised state-level protests against rising inflation on Thursday. Pilot said every Congress worker will have to fight against the government at the Centre.

Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara blamed the Centre for the rising inflation and said it is hiding behind the valour of the army. He added the BJP has forgotten the issues of eradicating unemployment, doubling farmers’ income, reducing inflation and ending corruption. Dotasara accused the BJP of dividing society. He said the railways, army, banks and central government departments are not recruiting.

BJP leader Ram Lal Sharma said the Congress also promised to curb inflation but did nothing after coming to power in Rajasthan. “Rajasthan is providing the most expensive electricity and fuels to the people. It increased VAT [value added tax] many times in the name of the Covid-19 pandemic. The fuel prices are governed by the international market.” He accused the state government of imposing restrictions during Hindu festivals and ordering uninterrupted power supplies during those of minorities. “This shows their policy of appeasement. BJP believes in welfare and respect for all.”