New Delhi: The Rajasthan police on Saturday detained BJP leaders and workers for protesting in Jaipur in support of widows of soldiers killed in the Pulwama terror attack in 2019. Widows of soldiers have been protesting in Rajasthan for the past 10 days for their various demands.
Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore was among those detained today. After being detained, Rathore threatened to hold protests across the state against the government.
Speaking to the media, Rathore said, “We have started the protest today and we will continue it.” He said the way the state government was behaving was an insult to democracy and to supreme sacrifice of the soldiers.
“We will carry forward the protest against the government in all corners of the state.”
Earlier on Friday, BJP leader Kirodi Lal Meena was rushed to Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur after he allegedly suffered “injuries” during a clash with police. Meena and party workers were detained by the police while on their way to Jaipur. He has been supporting the demands of the protesting widows of the Pulwama attack soldiers.
The widows are demanding that the rules be changed so that not only the children of the martyrs but also their relatives can get government jobs on compassionate grounds. Their other demands include construction of roads and installation of statues of soldiers in their villages.
On Thursday, the protests by the widows of Pulwama intensified against Rajasthan government led by CM Ashok Gehlot. The widows staged a sit-in in front of deputy CM Sachin Pilot’s residence on Wednesday and marched towards the chief minister’s residence, where they were stopped by the police. The widows had alleged that they were thrashed by the police personnel.