Jaipur: Rajasthan police on Saturday detained BJP leaders and workers during a massive protest organised by the party in Jaipur.
Rajasthan Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore was also among those detained by the police.
The BJP leaders and its supporters have been protesting against the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government in the state over the matter of demands by the widows of the soldiers who lost their lives in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack.
BJP leader Kirodi Lal Meena was detained by the police yesterday. Gehlot accused Meena of using the widows for political gains while Meena, in turn, accused the police of "trying to kill him".
The protests turned violent today as the protesters were marching towards Gehlot's residence. While the protesters threw stones and broke police barricades, cops resorted to lathi-charge.
Heavy police were deployed in Jaipur due to the massive protest.
The widows of the jawans have been protesting for nearly a week outside Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot's house in Jaipur demanding jobs for families on compassionate grounds. Their other demands include the construction of roads and the installation of statues of the martyrs in their villages.
On Friday morning, the police removed the widows outside the Deputy Chief Minister’s house and shifted them to hospitals near their respective residential areas.
The BJP slammed the state government, calling the action "an insult to the widows" and accused it of not fulfilling the promises made to the families.
Reacting to the police action, Pilot said that the issues of the widows should be heard with sensitivity.
"Even today I believe that we can fulfill demands like laying roads, erecting houses, and installing statues. A message should not go out that we are not ready to listen to the demands of the widows of the martyrs. It is another thing whether we agree to their issues or not but one should put aside his ego while listening to their demands," the Congress leader said.