BJP leader Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from the Jodhpur seat in Rajasthan, found himself in hot water after he was filmed purportedly issuing a threat. Shekhawat is the current Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
Shekhawat allegedly said, “Today, I am warning the ‘prashasan’ (administration) standing on the podium. This election is not the last election. Government changes in five years. I have kept the ‘janampatri’ (horoscope) of each and everyone. My name will not be Gajendra Singh, if I don’t hang them upside down (Ulta na latka du toh mera naam Gajendra Singh nahi hai),” the Times of India reported. “The police and the officials are dancing to the tune of Ashok Gehlot government, which is not right. They are removing party flags only from our houses and catching our vehicles,” Shekhawat added, speaking at an election event in Pokharan, Rajasthan.
Per The Wire, Shekhawat “was apparently angered by the videography of vehicles during his election meeting in Pokaran”. The Wire noted that the vehicles were filmed after the sub-divisional magistrate issued a notice stating that expenses incurred on the vehicles that Shekhawat used at the event would be added to his overall campaign expenditure.
Sunil Chaudhary of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) filed a complaint with the District Election Officer (DEO). “Desperation of the BJP candidate was evident by his threat. It showed that the BJP doesn’t believe in democracy,” Chaudhary told The Wire.
Jaisalmer DEO Namit Mehta told the Times of India, “A notice has been issued to him (Shekhawat) for violation of model code of conduct (MCC) and violation of 189 IPC (threat of injury to public servant). He has been asked to reply by April 18.”
A video of Shekhawat’s remarks may be seen here.
