Jodhpur:
Trouble seems to be adding up for the Rajasthan congress, with more skeletons tumbling out of the cupboard after former state minister for water resources Mahipal Maderna was questioned and suspended by the party for his role in nurse Bhanwari Devi's disappearance.
The Bhanwari Devi scandal took a dramatic turn when media crews, covering the missing nurse case in Jodhpur, were attacked by hooligans professing loyalty to Mr Maderna.
There have been two arrests in the media attack case so far. Both the arrested men are known to be supporters of Mr Maderna. The case would come up in Jodhpur High Court on Monday.
Mr Maderna is currently in hospital. Doctors say he has high blood pressure. There are question-marks over his interrogation today.
The CBI is questioning Mr Maderna on his relationship with the missing nurse. Bhanwari Devi went missing from Bilada near Jodhpur on September 1. Mr Maderna is suspected of having a relationship with Bhanwari Devi, with a CD purportedly showing him in a compromising position with the missing nurse.
Mr Maderna's loyalists vented their anger on journalists after his suspension from the Congress. But many see it as the result of Leela Maderna's tirade against the media.
"I will tell everyone in the village that stop watching tv channels, stop reading the newspapers and if they come, break there cameras because they talk rubbish," Mrs Maderna had said after she was questioned by the CBI.
But it's not just the Bhanwari scandal, the Gehlot government is in a crisis over a slew of allegations against its ministers.
- Forest minister Ram Lal Jat has resigned over his links to Paras Devi who died in mysterious circumstances in Bhilwara district two months ago.
- Home minister Shanti Dhariwal is in the dock for "mishandling" the police firing in Bharatpur that killed 10 people in September this year.
- Another minister Bharosi Lal Jatav has been booked by the police for illegal mining.
- Food minister Babu Lal Nagar is being investigated by state anti-corruption bureau.
And now, the BJP now wants Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to step down.
"The chief minister also seems to be involved in the case, whatever action is taken against the rest should also be taken against the Chief Minister but who will carry out the investigations and will the chief minister resign," said BJP leader and former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Vasundhara Raje.