In Assam, there would have been retaliation in '5 minutes': CM Sarma on Kanhaiya Lal murder

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday attacked the Ashok Gehlot government over the murder of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal, saying that if something like that had happened in his home state there would have been retaliation within five minutes.Sarma made the remarks while addressing BJPs Parivartan Sankalp Yatra here.Two men with a cleaver killed Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipurs Dhan Mandi area in June last year and posted videos online that said they are avenging an insult to Islam.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday attacked the Ashok Gehlot government over the murder of Udaipur tailor Kanhaiya Lal, saying that if something like that had happened in his home state there would have been retaliation ''within five minutes''.

Sarma made the remarks while addressing BJP’s Parivartan Sankalp Yatra here.

Two men with a cleaver killed Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur’s Dhan Mandi area in June last year and posted videos online that said they are avenging an ''insult'' to Islam. ''If it had happened in Assam, there would have been another similar news on television within five minutes... A lesson needs to be taught immediately,'' the Assam chief minister said in Hindi while blaming the Congress government for the brutal murder. He predicted a BJP victory in the the upcoming Rajasthan polls.

''Hindus do not know to separate head from the body but they would certainly do this with the Congress through EVM machines to bring the BJP in Rajasthan polls,'' Sarma said. Later, the Assam chief minister in a press conference admitted to attacking the Rajasthan government over the Udaipur murder, and asked if ''head of a Hindu is meant to be separated from the body''. ''Yes, I stick to my words. It (Udaipur murder) was a breaking news...there should be another breaking news within five minutes,'' he told reporters. During the BJP yatra, Sarma alleged that it was a practice that every Congress government would launch distribution schemes months before elections to collect money to meet out electoral expenses. ''I had been in the Congress for 22 years...in every state before elections the Congress brings out some distribution schemes and channelize them to meet out the poll expenses,'' Sarma claimed, alleging that the Annapurna food packets (in Rajasthan) were not meant for the poor but the scheme was brought out to fill up someone's pocket. Looting money from people through higher petrol and diesel prices, and taking commission from purchasing food packets and then to launch free distribution schemes has been a technique of the Congress, he said. Sarma also thanked Kota and its people noting that the city has made a large number of students from his state doctors and engineers. He also lashed out at the Rajasthan government for high rates of petrol and diesel in the state and claimed fuel prices are lower in Assam. Sarma said the BJP did not relate elections with welfare schemes and formulated them to turn the poor into middle class in five years. The Assam CM also criticized Gehlot for keeping MLAs in a hotel for 35 days to save his government.

''It was a political blunder by Ashok Gehlot...keeping the MLAs in a hotel for 35 days made them aware that the CM could be blackmailed, and after coming out of hotel they looted the state for three years,'' he said. Sarma said Congress leaders visit temples just before elections and urged CM Gehlot to visit with Rahul Gandhi the Ram temple in Ayodhya. Former minister Phrabhulal Saini, and BJP MLAs Madan Dilawar, Chandrakanta Meghwal, Sandeep Sharma, and Kalpna Devi, among others were present during the Parivartan Sankalp Yatra.