BJP leader Poonia slams Rajasthan government over crimes against women

BJP leader Satish Poonia on Sunday mounted an offensive on the Congress government in Rajasthan on the issue of law and order and alleged that the state was top in crimes against women.

Poonia, the deputy leader of opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly, on Sunday reached Pachpadra in Barmer district with a BJP delegation to meet family members of the Dalit woman who was allegedly set afire after being raped. She died while undergoing treatment in Jodhpur.

"The rape and murder of a Dalit woman in Pachpadra is shocking. As a result of the state's failed law-and-order situation, women today are insecure and the spirits of criminals are high," Poonia told reporters.

The 30-year-old woman was allegedly raped on Thursday by Shakoor Khan at her home in Barmer district's Balotra and set her on fire. The woman was cremated on Sunday after a post-mortem.

Poonia said Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, in order to save his chair, has forgotten the people of the state.

He said in a statement that the morale of criminals in Rajasthan has been high since the arrival of the Gehlot government and crimes against women have hit a peak.

Cases of rape and violence are continuously increasing under Congress rule, he alleged.

The BJP leader claimed that the entire state is troubled by the increase in crimes due to the "broken" law-and-order situation.

Poonia also claimed that the Congress government has weakened the morale of the police.

Only three per cent of Rajasthan's budget is spent on policing and there is a shortage of manpower and other resources, he alleged and added that Gehlot did not take any step to strengthen the police.

During his visit, Poonia was accompanied by Jogeshwar Garg, the party's whip in the Rajasthan Assembly, Lok Sabha MP PP Chaudhary and MLA Hamir Singh Bhayal, among others.