Rajasthan’s Rural Development Minister, Rajendra Singh Gudha, was dismissed by the Congress government in the state after he conceded in the state assembly that they have failed in women’s safety. The ex-minister emphasised that rather than laying blame on Manipur, the government should prioritize ensuring the safety of women, a responsibility it has consistently fallen short of fulfilling.
On Friday, during the debate on the Minimum Income Guarantee Bill in the Legislative Assembly, Gudha accused his own government of failing in women’s safety. In protest against an incident of stripping women in Manipur, Congress legislators raised slogans in the assembly.
In response, Gudha said, “It is true & should be accepted that we have failed in women’s safety. Instead of Manipur, we should look within ourselves that atrocities on women have increased in Rajasthan.”
Rajendra Rathore, the Leader of the Opposition, addressed the accusations levelled by Gudha, asserting that the government functions based on collective responsibility, as enshrined in Article 164(2) of the Constitution. He stressed that when a minister speaks, it reflects the unified position of the entire government. Rathore acknowledged the minister’s revelation of the government’s shortcomings and, while commending him for it, he also expressed a sense of shame over the matter.
After his remarks over the abject state of women’s safety in Rajasthan, the decision to remove Rajendra Gudha was taken by the party in consultation with the party high command. Gudha’s “year-long deviation” from the party’s official stance was cited as a reason for his dismissal.
According to sources, the state in-charge, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, sent an immediate report to Delhi and discussed the matter with the high command. Chief Minister Gehlot also consulted with the high command. Following the green signal, the file for Gudha’s dismissal was sent to the Governor’s office shortly after his statements in the assembly.