‘Raje should be charged with treason’

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday launched a scathing attack on his successor Vasundhara Raje, saying she should be removed from the post and “charged with treason” in the Lalit Modi controversy.

“She should be charged with treason for not only submitting a false affidavit (in a UK court) for him (Lalit Modi) but also advising to hide this from the Indian government,” Gehlot told reporters here on Friday.

Gehlot said if such a step could be taken against Hardik Patel, who has been fighting for his community, “why Raje could not be charged with treason for deceiving the nation”. He alleged that Lalit Modi’s return to Rajasthan Cricket Association is the outcome of “a deal” between him and Raje.

Referring to the multicrore mining scam, Gehlot said Raje should be jailed for allotting 653 mines overnight. “An IAS officer is behind the bars for his involvement in the scam, but despite her role in such a big scam, she is on the seat,” he said.

Noting that the ACB and Lokayukta probe is nothing but “an eye-wash”, the senior Congress leader said Raje should step down and face CBI probe in this matter. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should take stern action against the tainted leaders of his party by removing them and give out a message that he would not tolerate corruption.

Gehlot had on Thursday launched an attack on the Raje government saying it is not interested in setting up the proposed oil refinery in Barmer, and accused it of “misleading” the people with “hollow 

arguments and contorted facts” on the feasibility of the project.