india

Updated: Nov 13, 2019 22:11 IST

Union minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Chaudhary and Rashtriya Loktantrik Party MP from Nagaur Hanuman Beniwal were attacked by Congress workers who allegedly pelted stones at the minister’s while they were on their way to attend a religious function in Baytoo in Rajasthan’s Barmer district on Tuesday night, police said.

The Congress workers targeted Beniwal who had levelled corruption charges against Rajasthan’s revenue minister Harish Chaudhary, police said.

Harish Choudhary, who is MLA from Baytoo, on the other hand, called the attack a staged event for cheap publicity. Beniwal’s RLP is a constituent of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

So far no FIR has been registered about the attack, police said. Police also denied the Union minister’s allegation that Harish Choudhary’s supporters opened fire at his car.

Earlier in the day, Beniwal made offensive statements about Choudhary saying he curried favours to be in his cabinet. The revenue minister’s supporters gathered in Baytoo and started raising slogans against Beniwal.

Beniwal and Kailash Choudhary were attacked when they arrived around midnight at Baytoo, 46 km northeast of Barmer. The revenue minister’s supporters also raised slogans against Beniwal. The local administration and police tried to control the mob but failed and later used mild force to disperse them.

“He has made a big mistake and will pay for it,” Beniwal said. The MP also demanded that Harish Choudhary be removed from the Gehlot cabinet and appealed to his supporters to wave black flags at the CM’s convoy everywhere in the state until the revenue minister is removed.

The RLP leader slammed the Gehlot government for the law and order and said when even a Union minister and an MP were not safe in the state one could imagine the state of affairs. “This has dented the image of Rajasthan police,” he said.

Beniwal also leveled charges of corruption against the revenue minister. “He sold assembly tickets in Punjab and Maharashtra,” he alleged.

Kailash Choudhary who said he saved Beniwal’s life, also blamed Harish Choudhary for the attack.

Harish Choudhary said the attack was staged for cheap publicity. “Beniwal is upset with the results of Assembly bye-election. Booths result sheets of Khiwnsar indicate Beniwal’s decreasing popularity,” he said.

Harish Choudhary said people were upset with Beniwal’s baseless allegations and were protesting peacefully when police ordered lathi charge on them.