Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot has claimed that the killers of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal Teli were linked to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in fresh attacks on the Opposition party in the state, days before the legislative assembly election.
Gehlot claimed that the BJP was attempting to whip up communal tensions ahead of the November 25 polling in the state. Speaking to reporters on a campaign jaunt to Jodhpur on Sunday as reported by news agency ANI, Gehlot said if the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Rajasthan Police had taken over the case instead of the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the probe would have reached a logical conclusion.
The case was initially registered at Dhanmandi police station in Udaipur but was later re-registered by the NIA.
The chief minister further said days before the heinous crime, the accused were arrested by police in another case and BJP leaders came to the police station to release them.
"The culprits have links to the BJP. Days before the incident, when the police had arrested these accused in some other case and some BJP leaders visited the police station to get them released," Gehlot had said.
Gehlot's remarks came following Modi's allegations on the Congress government in the state of playing a "vote-bank politics" in the Kanhaiya Lal case.
{{/usCountry}}Gehlot's remarks came following Modi's allegations on the Congress government in the state of playing a "vote-bank politics" in the Kanhaiya Lal case.
{{/usCountry}}Addressing an election rally in Chittorgarh last month, Modi had said, "The murder of Kanhaiya Lal ji is a big stain on the state government. Such a heinous incident happened in Udaipur because there is a Congress government which sympathizes with terrorists."
In response to Modi, Gehlot said, "The thing is that BJP has sensed defeat in the elections and are, hence, coming up with bizarre claims. They are not speaking a word about the schemes that we launched and the laws we brought. They just want to stir up trouble ahead of the elections."
Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor, was allegedly killed by individuals, identified as Riaz Akhtari and Ghouse Mohammad, at his shop in Udaipur's Dhan Mandi police station area in June last year. The accused had recorded a video where they admitted to killing Kanhaiya.
The motive behind the attack was reportedly a controversial post on social media allegedly posting content in support of suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma, who had made controversial remarks about the Prophet Muhammad.
The beheading of the Udaipur tailor sent shockwaves across the country and sparked a public outcry.
Rajasthan will go to polls on November 25, with vote counting slated for December 3. In the 2018 assembly election, the Congress emerged as the single largest party winning 99 seats, while the BJP secured 73 seats in the 200-member House.
(With inputs from ANI)