As BJP intensifies protest, Gehlot meets war widows

JAIPUR: Politics over job to soldiers' kin in Rajasthan has heated up, as BJP on Saturday escalated its protest in support of Pulwama martyrs' widows who have been seeking jobs for their relatives, while chief minister Ashok Gehlot met other war widows who backed his government's decision to "save" jobs only for wives and children of deceased jawans.

BJP held a major protest rally in Jaipur, where police detained leader of opposition Rajendra Rathore, along with several other party workers and leaders, who vowed to continue the stir.

On the other hand, Gehlot said the group of widows from across the state who met him at his residence expressed that BJP's demonstration over "unfair demands" would affect the image of all war widows. "It is not appropriate to give the jobs and rights of war widows and their children to someone else. The state government will always stand with the martyrs and their families," the CM said.

Widows of three Pulwama martyrs from the state have been protesting since February 28, with two of them demanding jobs for their brothers-in-law, as their children are minors.

Coming out in their support, BJP's Kirori Lal Meena picketed at the assembly building's main gate with the three widows and their children, when the House was in progress on February 28.

The protesting women shifted base to Shaheed Smarak in Jaipur on March 1. On March 4, Meena marched along with them towards the CM's residence. The visuals of police allegedly manhandling the widows in an attempt to stop them went viral and were shared on social media by BJP central leaders.

Refusing to bow to BJP's "pressure tactics", Gehlot shared a detailed statement on Twitter, stating, "How can we justify giving the job to any other relative by trampling upon the rights of the children of the martyrs? What will happen to the children of the martyrs when they grow up? Is it appropriate to trample upon their rights?"

The CM said he had written to defence minister Rajnath Singh clearing his position on the issue.

While the party's central leaders have adopted a cautious approach, Meena refused to back down.

On Friday, police forcibly removed the widows who were on a sit-in outside Pilot' residence, and admitted them to hospitals in their respective cities. Later in the day, Meena clashed with police on the outskirts of Jaipur and was detained.

The issue has even divided the Congress, with former deputy chief minister and Gehlot's bete noire Sachin Pilot favouring a sympathetic consideration of the Pulwama widows' demand..