Kanhaiya Lal was killed by ‘BJP people’, party raising issue now for polls: Ashok Gehlot

Lal was killed on June 28 last year by two cleaver-wielding men who accused him of insulting Islam. The two men, Mohammad Riyaz and Ghouse Mohammad, also made a video of the act and posted it online.

Talking to journalists in Jodhpur on Sunday, Gehlot said it was “serious that the ones who have been caught are BJP people.”

Earlier on Friday, a day after PM Modi raised the issue at a rally in Udaipur, Gehlot said the accused in Lal’s killing had been arrested in a separate case “4-5 days” before the tailor was murdered and were bailed out by BJP members. Referring to Modi’s attack on his government over the issues, he said the PM was either “misled” or “not briefed properly”.

“Who were the people who had Kanhaiya Lal murdered? It was BJP people. He [Modi] must not have been briefed on this. When they (the accused) were taken to the police station 4-5 days before (Lal’s killing) in (another) case, then it was the BJP people who got them bail. Doesn’t he know this? Then how can he (Modi) speak?” Gehlot said.

“Prime Minister is a big post. Either he has been misled by his party people and has been given incorrect reports and spoke such objectionable language yesterday (Thursday). Or maybe, he is so worried about the (political) atmosphere in Rajasthan that he has become frustrated and is speaking this kind of language,” Gehlot said.

Terming Gehlot’s accusations as baseless, BJP spokesperson Laxmikant Bhardwaj said Gehlot was frustrated as he’s going to lose this election.

“Such a heinous crime took place where terrorists were involved and they even threatened to kill the Prime Minister. The law and order is a CM’s responsibility but instead if he gives such a shameless, irresponsible and baseless statement, then there cannot be anything worse.”

Bhardwaj said that Kanhaiyalal had sought police protection “but wasn’t given any, hence the terrorists beheaded him.”

Saying that BJP had no issues left and were making an issue “out of a non-issue”, Gehlot also raised questions on the NIA progress in the case.

He said that had the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Rajasthan Police investigated Lal’s killing perhaps a challan would have been filed by now.

“We caught the accused within two hours but even then the NIA took over the case that night itself. But we did not mind it because there could have been an international conspiracy. Hence we did not object. Now the NIA should come forward and tell about the progress of that case,” Gehlot said.

He alleged the case was being “intentionally stretched” so that the BJP can make an issue out of it in the elections.

Gehlot said that after Lal’s killing, while he dropped all plans and came to Jaipur and held meetings with top officials and met Lal’s family, the BJP leaders from the state continued with a conference in Hyderabad.

Accusing Modi of “provoking people in the name of religion”, Gehlot criticised his “language” during the rally in Udaipur. “It can’t be called appropriate because it vitiates the atmosphere … I didn’t expect this from PM Modi. The manner in which the PM has spoken is unacceptable to us and I would like to politely request the PM, please don’t create such an environment in the country; it is not in the interest of the country or the society,” Gehlot said.