Rajasthan is turning into 'Talibani state': BJP

New Delhi: The BJP on Wednesday made a scathing attack on the Congress-ruled government in Rajasthan, claiming, "the state, under Congress rule turning into a 'Talibani State'." While addressing a press conference, condemning the killing of a tailor in Udaipur, Kanhaiya Lal, former Union Minister and Lok Sabha MP Rajyavardhan Sigh Rathore said, "The way Congress-ruled government in Rajasthan approached towards the law and order in the state, the brutal killing is the result of that."

Allegedly, the killing is an avenge for an insult to Islam, as the deceased reportedly posted a social media post, in support of expelled BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. The tailor was killed at his shop. One of the assailants, who was identified as Riyaz, attacked Kanhaiya Lal with a chopper while the other recorded the crime on his mobile phone. "Many terror organisations are active in the state and have been involved in many anti-social and dreaded activities. The state government's 'inactiveness' since past three years shows, it is directly, or indirectly fostering such activities and such organisations," the BJP leader mentioned, holding the Ashok Gehlot government squarely responsible for the incident in Udaipur.

Meanwhile, the killing triggered communal tension and a curfew was declared till further orders in seven police station areas in the city. Rathore also claimed that "The appeasement of Muslims by Congress has increased the audacity of the 'jihadis' to such an extent that they are openly killing Hindus and threatening the PM."

Meanwhile, other senior BJP leaders and Union Ministers, as well as leaders of many other political parties have also condemned the incident. Condemning the incident, Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan and Union Minister Bhupender Yadav said, "This brutal murder of an innocent man shows that the Ashok Gehlot government is running a 'jungle raj'. This is what happens when a dispensation makes appeasement its governance model. Reprehensible state of affairs."

Another BJP leader from the state and Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat further stated that the killing was an "outcome of the policy of appeasement" which, he said, had crossed all limits in Rajasthan. "This incident is part of a conspiracy to terrorise the civilised society. Gehlot cannot get away by making flat statements," Shekhawat asserted.

On the other hand, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said he is deeply shocked by the heinous killing of a tailor in Udaipur and called for immediate punishment for those spreading terror through such brutality. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal termed the murder of a tailor in Rajasthan over an "insult to Islam" horrifying and demanded that the perpetrators be given strict punishment.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said, "The killing in Udaipur should be condemned in the harshest terms. Everyone in the society has to come forward to save the country's brotherhood. Such criminal elements must be given the harshest punishment so that the enemies of peace do not take any advantage of it." BSP supremo Mayawati too demanded action against the assailants and urged people to maintain peace and harmony.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also condemned the killing."I condemn the gruesome murder in Udaipur Rajasthan. There can be no justification for it. Our party's consistent stand is to oppose such violence. No one can take law in their own hands. We demand that the state govt takes strictest possible action. Rule of law must be upheld," he said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "Violence and extremism are UNACCEPTABLE, no matter what! I STRONGLY CONDEMN what happened in Udaipur. As law takes its own course of action, I urge everyone to maintain peace."

The accused persons were identified as Riaz Akhtari and Ghouse Mohammad. Five more have been detained in this case. Reportedly, one of the accused, Mohammad Riyas Ansari, was in contact with Pakistan-based terror groups. Gulam Ghouse visited Karachi in 2014. Accused persons who allegedly carried out the murder in the broad daylight, posted videos online admitting to the crime and were taken into custody by police. In the video clip, one of the purported assailants declared that they had beheaded the man and then threatened Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying their knife would get him as well.