They also questioned the absence of Congress MLAs when the 'crowd was attacking innocent people' in Jodhpur.

 

"Nero was fiddling when Rome was burning," said Union minister and Jodhpur MP Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, taking a dig at Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot who is from Jodhpur and has held the Sardarpura Assembly constituency since 1998.

 

Shekhawat alleged that when Gehlot's own city was burning, he was busy accepting wishes on his birthday.

 

"Why an innocent girl was attacked? Why common people sitting inside their shops were attacked? Why a BJP leader was attacked? And why there were delays in lodging FIRs?"

 

BJP state unit chief Satish Poonia also wrote to Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra demanding a fair investigation into the violence in Jodhpur.

 

"Necessary guidelines should be issued to the state government so that peace can be established in the state and communal incidents do not recur in Rajasthan. Strict action should be taken against the chaotic elements involved in the above incidents," he said.

 

In a statement, Poonia said, "Law and order remains a big challenge in Rajasthan. Under the patronage of the Ashok Gehlot-run Congress government, the law and order situation has deteriorated in the state due to appeasement politics, which is indeed worrying.

 

"The way an Islamic flag was put up in Jodhpur, and the violence that ensued were attempts made to spread anarchy in the state. After Karauli, this incident proves that such violent acts are taking place under the patronage of the Congress government.

 

"Why such incidents take place only under the Congress government? This means the chaotic elements get protection, which is available because on one hand the PFI is allowed to take out rally in Kota, while on the other hand Ram Navami and Hindu New Year processions are banned."

 

Ashok Gehlot should think of people's security instead of worrying about his chair, Poonia added.

 

At least 97 people have been arrested so far in connection with the clashes in Jodhpur, which forced the authorities to suspend Internet services in the district besides clamping curfew in areas under 10 police stations.