Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje relents, asks state ministers to rethink 'gag law'

After the protests from Opposition Congress and her own party’s lawmakers, Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje asked state ministers to rethink the “gag law”.

According to the sources, CM Raje has met state ministers at his residence to make changes in Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) bill which was tabled in the assembly on Monday.

In a shocking move, BJP-led Rajasthan government had last month promulgated the new Ordinance that seeks to protect ministers, lawmakers and government officials from being investigated without its prior sanction.

The move left Rajasthan BJP divided with some of the party’s senior leaders joining Congress in opposing the “gag law”.

Former State Education Minister and sitting MLA Ghanshyam Tiwari termed the law a “Kala Kanoon (Black Law)” and said he was against it.

The Opposition Congress has also launched a black band protest led by the leader of the Opposition Rameshwar Dudi and Sachin Pilot outside the state assembly against the “gag law”.

“The government’s move to bring the ordinance and now a bill clearly shows that it has no respect for democracy and is working against the principles of democracy,” Dudi told reporters.

Earlier, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi taking a dig at CM Vasundhara Raje had said, "Madam Chief Minister, with all humility we are in the 21'st century. It's 2017, not 1817."