Ashok Gehlot alleges justice elusive in Kanhaiya Lal murder case, targets BJP
Quick Look
Former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot accused the BJP of using the Kanhaiya Lal murder case for electoral gains while failing to ensure a speedy trial, alleging that only 21 of 180 witnesses have been examined four years after the incident in Udaipur.
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Why It Matters
Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor from Udaipur, was murdered on June 28, 2022, after supporting a controversial statement by Nupur Sharma, leading to communal unrest and a nationwide outrage. The case was handed over to the NIA for investigation.
Congress leader and former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday alleged that justice has remained elusive in the Kanhaiya Lal murder case even four years after the incident, accusing the BJP of using the case for electoral gains while failing to ensure a speedy trial. Gehlot said that despite the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probing the case and a special NIA court hearing it, there has been little progress under BJP governments at both the Centre and in Rajasthan. "The hope for justice remains unfulfilled even today under the BJP's "double engine" government," he wrote in X post.
'Only 21 of 180 witnesses examined'
Questioning the pace of the trial, Gehlot claimed that only 21 out of nearly 180 witnesses have been examined so far. He alleged that the delay appeared to be more than mere negligence and suggested there was a deliberate attempt to prolong the proceedings. "The BJP, which spread the lie of "5 lakh versus 50 lakh" to win elections, never intended to deliver justice in the first place," Gehlot said further.
Targets BJP over 'silence'
Gehlot also claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah no longer mention the Kanhaiya Lal murder during their visits to Rajasthan. He urged people of the state to "see through the BJP's politics" on the issue, alleging that the party had played with public sentiments instead of ensuring justice for the victim's family.
About the Kanhaiya Lal murder case
Kanhaiya Lal, a tailor from Udaipur, was brutally murdered on June 28, 2022 after he publicly expressed support for a controversial statement made by suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. The incident led to significant communal unrest in Rajasthan, with two men from a minority community arrested shortly after for the crime. The accused also recorded the killing and circulated the video online, triggering nationwide outrage. The case was later handed over to the NIA for investigation. The murder took place when the Congress government led by Ashok Gehlot was in power in Rajasthan.
Open Questions
- Why has the trial progressed so slowly?
- Is there a deliberate attempt to prolong the proceedings?
- Will the BJP respond to Gehlot's allegations?
