Why did PM visit poll-bound states but not Manipur, asks Gehlot

Jaipur: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for touring all the poll-bound states but staying away strife-torn Manipur.

"If he could not visit Manipur, the Prime Minister should have at least called a meeting and reviewed the situation. For the first time I am seeing that a Prime Minister is visiting places for elections but not a state which is burning," he said.

Tearing into the Prime Minister, he further said imagine if Congress had been in power in the state instead of BJP, what all he would have said.

Gehlot was addressing a press conference here in connection with the violence in Manipur.

The manner in which the women were humiliated in the violence-torn state, has shamed the entire country. Even after the passage of 77 days, the Prime Minister did not utter a word. He only spoke after the Supreme Court order, he said.

Gehlot said that the Prime Minister had asked the Chief Ministers of Manipur, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh to take care of law and order, now tell where Manipur stands and where is Rajasthan.

PM Modi has hurt the pride of Rajasthan. "Where is Manipur, what is not happening there. The Prime Minister says 140 crore people are feeling ashamed but let me tell you that 140 crore people are not ashamed, they are sad because of the exploits of your government and your carelessness," he asserted.

"Was just speaking for a few seconds on such a heart-wrenching incident justified? The PM ended the matter by doing formalities in a few seconds. You would have at least held meetings. How will the situation be controlled there? When the state was burning, you were busy touring Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh," Gehlot said.

"If our government comes to power, we will take forward the theme of social security," the Rajasthan Chief Minister said.

"Rahul Gandhi had said that every person should get a fixed amount from the NYAY scheme. Though our government was not formed at the Centre, we will take forward that theme when we form a government. We want to work continuously regarding social security," he added.

The Congress, Chief Minister Gehlot said, is accused of adding to the loans, but the loan is given with the approval of the Centre. If the state is not in a position to take a loan, permission is denied. As a state the parameters are met, that's the reason the loan is given. The debt is on every state government, he added.