Gehlot hits back at BJP, says phone tapping 'biggest crime' in democracy

Jaipur: Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday strongly rejected the allegations by the BJP about the increasing crime rate in Rajasthan and said that tolerance is must in a democratic set up which the central government lacks.

Gehlot was addressing the virtual inauguration and foundation stone laying ceremony of 15 new police stations.

He said that this government has been pressurising the ED, CBI, IT and the judiciary.

"Pegasus issue has cropped up now; however, we have been saying it for the last five years that phones are tapped and hence people are afraid. Tapping anyone's phone is a crime in a democracy and this reality of the central government shall soon come to fore," he added.

Speaking on allegations of a higher crime rate in Rajasthan made by the opposition BJP, he said, "There is no weight in such allegations. The NCRB has written in its report since the very beginning that crime is the result of the circumstances prevailing in the society. The policies existing in different states also make a difference in this. There is a difference between an increase in crime and an increase in crime registration. NCRB clearly wrote that some people make the mistake of considering both as one."

He added that under BJP rule, 30 per cent of the rape cases were registered by the order of the courts.