“Ready to pay any price…” sacked Raj Minister Rajendra Singh Gudha

JHUNJHUNU: A day after being sacked as a Minister following his critical remarks against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan government over recent incidents of crimes against women in the State, Rajendra Singh Gudha on Saturday said that he is ready to pay any price to keep his promise of protecting the weaker section of the society.

“I will speak the truth until the day I die. I had promised the weaker section to protect them, and I am ready to pay any cost to keep that promise. We are unable to protect the women in our state,” he said while speaking to media persons.

Addressing the speculation surrounding his meeting with All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen President Asaduddin Owaisi, he said, “Asaduddin Owaisi is the best parliamentarian in India. What is the issue in meeting an elected MLA? I did not meet a terrorist.”

Earlier on Friday, Gudha had criticised his own government over recent incidents of crimes against women in the State.

Speaking in the assembly, Gudha, the Congress leader said that it should be accepted that the State government “failed” in women's safety.

“It is true and should be accepted that we have failed in women's safety. Instead of Manipur, we should look within ourselves why atrocities on women have increased in Rajasthan," Gudha said.

Rajasthan government on Friday sacked its Minister of State Rajendra Singh Gudha.

According to the Governor’s House, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot recommended to Governor Kalraj Mishra to remove the minister. However, even after the action, Rajendra Singh Gudha remained firm in his statement and said that he was punished for speaking the truth.

"I speak the truth always. That is who I am. I follow my conscience. I got punished for speaking the truth," Rajendra Singh Gudha said.

"The sisters and daughters of the Udaipurwati Assembly constituency who have helped me win the elections, trusted me so that I could respect and protect them. But the way in which newspapers today are flooded with incidents of sexual harassment against our sisters and mothers shows that Rajasthan is number one in atrocities against women," he added.

Rajendra Singh Gudha said that even during the BJP rule in the state, the Congress which was then in opposition had raised their voice against abduction of children.

State Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra said that it is the right of the Chief Minister to remove or include anyone in the cabinet, and CM Ashok Gehlot did accordingly. "Inclusion of a minister or their dismissal is up to a Chief Minister and he acted accordingly. It is the right of the CM," Dostara said.

Speaking about the same, Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said, “We have seen indiscipline behaviour in the party...Elections are around the corner. Our competition is with a party (BJP) that talks about discipline. Congress has more discipline than them. Congress is a Democratic party. Anybody can speak in our party...”