Jodhpur violence: Congress, BJP remain tangled in blame-game over communal tensions

The reports of communal violence remain heightened in many parts of the country, with reports of religious groups clashing emerging from many states over the last month. Most recently, two groups clashed in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur, resulting in several people getting injured.

After violence was reported in Rajasthan between two groups, a political row was also sparked between Congress and BJP, where the former blamed the latter for trying to spread hatred in poll-bound states such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka.

Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has "unleashed a sinister and hateful agenda" in Rajasthan as also in the other election-going states of Gujarat, Himachal, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Chhattisgarh.

Hitting out at the saffron party, the Congress leader further said that now there will be no communal riots or violence in Uttarakhand or Uttar Pradesh since assembly elections are already over in these states.

While speaking to reporters, Surjewala said, “Their agenda is to befool people. Their agenda is to divide people. Their agenda is always to do politics of Hindu-Musalman, Shamshan-Kabristan. Their agenda is to put a religious and communal divide in the forefront so that the issues of inflation, unemployment, progress, and development get relegated to the dustbin.”

He further said, “They want that Hindus and Muslims should fight so that nobody asks Modi Ji 'where are the 15 lakh in every account that you promised'.” Congress further said that the BJP wants Hindus and Muslims to fight so that they don’t question the rates of inflation and the price of milk, pulses, and edible oil.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also hit out at the BJP, saying that the Karauli incident was “an experiment” by the saffron party, which has been “done in seven states on the occasion of Ram Navami.”

After clashes between two groups broke out in Jodhpur on the occasion of Eid and Akshaya Tritiya, authorities were prompted to take strict action and impose several restrictions. Internet was suspended in the disturbed area, and an immediate probe was ordered by the state government.

(With PTI inputs)

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