BJP-RSS cannot tolerate criticism, no regard for democracy: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said the BJP and its ideologue RSS cannot tolerate their criticism and have no regard for democratic system.

Mahatma Gandhi had said that opposition's views should be respected in a democracy, but neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor former chief minister Vasundhara Raje can tolerate their criticism, the senior Congress leader said.

"People in the BJP and RSS are not able to tolerate their criticism. Mahatma Gandhi had said views of opposition should be respected in democracy, but neither Prime Minister (Modi) nor former state chief minister (Raje) can tolerate their criticism as they do not believe in democratic system," Gehlot said at a public meeting in Sri Dungargarh.

He said the saffron brigade was doing politics with the "mask of democracy".

The chief minister alleged that the BJP recalled the issue of Ram Temple when elections were near.

Targeting the central government over its 2014 election promises, the senior Congress leader said Modi failed to bring back black money, deposit Rs 15 lakh in bank accounts of people and provide 2 crore employment every year.

Gehlot added that there was "no guarantee" of future elections if Modi was voted back to power.

"...there is no guarantee that there will be elections in the future if Modi is elected again," he said.