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'While Rome was burning...': Nadda's jibe at Ashok Gehlot over Jodhpur clashes
Similar clashes were also reported from Karauli, 513.9 km away from Jodhpur, following which both cities were clamped under a curfew.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief JP Nadda on Tuesday compared Ashok Gehlot to Roman Emperor Nero as he targeted the Rajasthan chief minister over recent violence in his state. "While Rome was burning, Nero was playing the flute," Nadda said, referring to communal clashes in Jodhpur before Eid which injured several people in the city, news agency PTI reported.
"Such a situation they have created. And these people have found a very good excuse. Why did the sun rise, ask RSS...Why did the sun set, ask BJP. What are you doing? Isn't it the duty of Ashok Gehlot to visit Jodhpur?" the senior BJP leader also said as he was addressing a booth workers convention at Suratgarh in Sri Ganganagar district near Bikaner city.
Continuing his attack on the Congress leader, Nadda also said that Gehlot not visiting Jodhpur, which is his hometown, shows how little he loves his people. He also accused Gehlot of not following his words with action.
Tensions broke out the night intervening of May 2 and 3 over the putting up of Islamic flags on the Jalori gate circle, days before the Eid celebrations. The situation was brought under control in the early hours on Tuesday with heavy deployment of police but tensions escalated again in the morning after prayers at a mosque close to the Jalori gate circle. Shops, vehicles and houses were pelted with stones near the area.
Similar clashes were also reported from Karauli, 513.9 km away from Jodhpur, following which both cities were clamped under a curfew.
Further speaking during the event, Nadda accused the Congress-run government in Rajasthan of oppressing women and Dalits. Citing data from the National Crime Records Bureau and Nadda said, Rajasthan ranks first in cases of atrocities against women, second in atrocities on scheduled tribes, and third in Dalit atrocities.
"Out of the total number of rape cases registered in the entire country, 22 per cent are in Rajasthan... 18 rapes take place here every day,” the BJP leader said, according to PTI.
Alleging that the Congress government in the state has changed the names of some of the schemes started by the previous BJP government, Nadda said, "They change signboards and nothing else. You have to change them (the government) literally next time."
(With agency inputs)
