Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia on Sunday called Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot the leader of the ‘tukde-tukde’ gang in the wake of his recent participation at a sit-in here against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
He said Mr. Gehlot has “attempted to push the State into anarchy” in the name of freedom of speech and expression.
“The Chief Minister’s participation has encouraged such protests across the State. There have been reports that the protests are being funded by the Popular Front of India [PFI] and the organisation has a connection with the Students Islamic Movement of India [SIMI],” Mr. Poonia said at a press conference here.
“All this indicate that there is a network working behind such protests. I don’t have any inhibition in saying that the Rajasthan Chief Minister is the leader of tukde-tukde gang,” he said, adding that Mr. Gehlot’s act was “shameful” as it aimed at taking political mileage.
Addressing the indefinite dharna against the CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) at the Shahid Smarak on Friday, Mr. Gehlot claimed that information on the birthplace of parents was being sought for the National Population Register (NPR).
“If I am not able to furnish the details, I, too, would be asked to live in a detention centre. You stay assured, if such a situation arises then I would be the first to go there,” he said.
Mr. Poonia said the Chief Minister’s effort to equate Shaheed Smarak to Shaheen Bagh was an “insult” to martyrs.
