Under pressure from the Opposition to quit after a woman from Rajasthan accused him of rape, Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Nihalchand Meghwl met Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday even as the BJP dismissed allegations against him and affirmed “he is doing a good job”.
According to sources, Meghwal briefed Singh about the case and is understood to have been assured of the party’s support as charges have not been proved yet.
Singh has advised the minister to stay away from media and not to court controversy amidst opposition Congress demanding his sacking quoting “zero tolerance” promised by the Modi dispensation against crime against women. The BJP had recalled that Rajasthan Police under Congress regime had closed the case in 2012, saying the charges were false and fabricated.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has deputed a minister to study the facts in the case and a decision may be taken after the minister submits a report to the PMO. On Thursday, Nihalchand had met Minister for law & justice Ravishankar Prasad.Nihalchand, 42, is the only representative from Rajasthan in Modi’s council of Ministers. He has been elected four times from Ganganagar reserved lok Sabha constituency.
Hours after the Minister was “summoned” by Rajnath Singh “to hear him out”, BJP national spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said at a press conference here that there was “no issue” as he was not “named in any FIR”. Answering questions at a press conference here, Hussain said Congress Government had closed the case and the controversy was “unfortunate”. “There is no case and the Minister is doing a good job,”claimed the BJP leader.
Nihalchand was named in an FIR filed in 2011 by a woman who alleged that her husband repeatedly drugged her and then allowed his friends, among them Meghwal, to rape her. Rajasthan Police had, in 2012, closed the case saying the charges were false and fabricated.The woman had then approached a district court which, too, dismissed the charges. She filed a review petition, following which additional district judge issued notices to Meghwal and 17 others in this case last week, asking them to respond by August 20.
National Commission for Women Mamta Sharma, appointed during the UPA regime, has demanded that the PM dismiss Nihalchand. The Minister has refused to resign from his post following the allegations asking that, “Why should I resignIJ”
The Rajasthan unit of the BJP has also come to the rescue of Nihalchand saying there was no question of his resignation as it was a conspiracy by Congress leaders.