Congress on Thursday reacted sharply to the recent comments of Union minister SP Singh Bhagel against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, saying indecency has no place in democracy and civilized society.
Addressing a public meeting on Wednesday in Kharsan area in Udaipur's Vallabhnagar assembly constituency where a bypoll is scheduled, Mr Baghel, who is the Union Minister of State for Law and Justice, called Mr Gehlot a liar and went on to question the parentage of those who do not stick to their words.
Mr Baghel also said that Mr Gehlot was born on the day when a thousand liars had died.
Former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, Pradesh Congress Committee chief Govind Singh Dotasra and Health Minister Raghu Sharma condemned the remarks.
Highlighting the contents of the manifesto that the Congress came out with ahead of the 2018 Rajasthan assembly polls, Mr Baghel alleged that the Ashok Gehlot-led government has failed to fulfil promises made to people.
“Gehlot ji, you had said that if the Congress forms government (in Rajasthan), you will give unemployment allowance… if you (people) have got it, just tell me,” Mr Baghel asked the people present there in the video clip posted online by Dotasra. He also said that loan waiver and 24-hour electricity were promised in the manifesto and asked the people whether these promises have been fulfilled or not.
“So, I was saying that Gehlot would have been born on the day when a thousand liars died,” he commented.
Slamming the Union minister, Pilot said indecent language has no place in politics and termed comments as undignified. He also said that Mr Baghel should apologise to the public for his unrestrained statements.
During the public hearing at his residence, Pilot alleged that deputy leader of opposition Rajendra Rathore used derogatory words for Congress leader Rafique Mandelia.
He said ideological opposition is acceptable in politics but using such words not only hurts one's own credibility but sends a negative message to the public.
"The BJP leaders are using such language which has no place in clean politics due to the fear of defeat in the by-elections," Mr Pilot claimed.
Dotasra said that the Narendra Modi government at the Centre has forgotten how to maintain dignity.
“In clean politics, it is necessary to imbibe restrained language and values for criticism, but the Modi government has forgotten the dignity,” the PCC chief said. Stressing that “such derogatory remarks will not be tolerated", Raghu Sharma said, “The BJP will have to pay the price for it in the bypolls. Nobody would like this kind of language against the chief minister of Rajasthan.”
Earlier, Mr Gehlot's officer on special duty (OSD) Lokesh Sharma said criticism in a democracy does not mean indecency, dishonesty, and bad manners.
Lokesh Sharma said the Union minister's utterances for Mr Gehlot were very shameful.
The people should think how low the Union minister will stoop to get publicity, he added.
Polling in Vallabhnagar (Udaipur) and Dhariawad (Pratapgarh) constituencies will be held on October 30 and counting of votes will take place on November 2.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
