BJP Will Return With "Overwhelming Majority" In Rajasthan: Union Minister

Slamming the Gehlot government, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the BJP will return to power in Rajasthan with an "overwhelming majority". 

"It is certain that the people of Rajasthan will vote us to power in the state with an overwhelming majority....we will form double-engine government in Rajasthan and lead it to the path of development," he said while launching the BJP's 'Parivartan Yatra here.

Assembly elections are due in the state later this year.

The 'Parivartan' Yatras are scheduled across the state till September 5, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a mega public rally on September 25 in Jaipur.

"In Rajasthan, the government that was formed in the state after the 2018 elections, focussed only on saving seats. In these 4.5 years, you have seen enough internal squabbles within the party whether between the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister or between members within the party....this had an impact on 7 crore 80-90 lakh people of Rajasthan. The people of Rajasthan have to shed tears of blood because of this," the Union Minister told ANI.

On oppression against women in Rajasthan, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said Rajasthan has become the "rape capital of India." 

"There is oppression against women continuously. Rajasthan which was the cultural capital of India became the rape capital. The government instead of stopping corruption gave shelter and confidence to those practising corruption in Rajasthan. There have been gang wars in Rajasthan and the government seemed incapable of handling them."

Launching a sharp attack against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on the Pratapgarh incident, the Union Minister said, "The Chief Minister shed responsibility at times by saying that so many incidents have come to light in Rajasthan because so many are being registered. At times he said that the perpetrators of most of these cases are relatives. Cases of atrocities against women, disrespecting women, gang rape have been taking place every day."

Last week, a tribal woman was allegedly beaten and paraded naked in Rajasthan's Pratapgarh. The incident came to light after a video went viral.

The Jal Shakti Minister further attacked the Congress ministers in Rajasthan for giving insensitive remarks against women.

"The Ministers have broken all shackles of shame by saying that there are so many cases in Rajasthan because it is a state known for its masculinity...this is why people are not scared of the police which leads to such unfortunate incidents," Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said.

The Union Minister said that the government should find out the root cause behind such incidents and not stay limited to investigating the perpetrators.

"Just investigating the perpetrators is not enough. The government needs to find the root of such incidents and eradicate them. Not only Rajasthan but women from the entire country are filled with shame today," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)