Regressive trends

When social, political, or criminal forces appear to become larger than the law, the law-and-order situation goes off-balance. This is exactly what has unfolded in Rajasthan. The broad daylight murder of Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena leader Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi by three unidentified assailants at his residence on December 5 has stirred chaos across the state. Interestingly, the murder coincided with a change of guard in state politics. No surprise, then, that the Indian National Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party are trading allegations with each other. While the INC asserts that criminals are feeling emboldened by the return of the BJP rule in the state, the saffron party, on the other hand, feels that the criminal incident is a culmination of the crime scenario prevailing during the Congress rule. It is true that the rule of a particular political dispensation may impact the crime situation in a region or state, but in the case of Rajasthan, it has also been the result of a flawed social structure exacerbating the crisis. To be precise, the brutal murder of Gogamedi has been claimed by Rohit Godara, a member of the gang headed by jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Gangster Rohit Godara, who is believed to be currently residing in Canada, is originally a resident of Bikaner's Lunakaran. He is a notorious name in the infamous ‘world of crime’ nestled in Rajasthan. Godara has been engaged in criminal activities since the age of 19 — an age that is ripe for education and constructive engagement. News reports suggest that Godara has more than 32 criminal cases registered against him across the country and is one of the accused in the murder of rapper Sidhu Moose Wala. He is learned to operate on behalf of the notorious jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who is celebrated like a hero in certain quarters. Bishnoi’s criminal empire is known for its ruthlessness and a penchant for using sophisticated tactics to evade law enforcement. Bishnoi has been linked to numerous cases of violence, and he is believed to have a significant influence in the underworld. Unfortunately, in states like Rajasthan, parallel to the world of sports and education, a nefarious world of crime has always been there to lure youngsters. Such a world thrives either due to complacency or with the complicity of ruling parties across the political spectrum. While a blot on society, the crime world has been allowed to flourish due to political compulsions or pressures. It may be noted here that the police are still verifying the claims made by Rohit Godara. While the clout of the underworld in Rajasthani society is one concerning issue, the volatile nature of caste politics pursued by certain quarters is another. Caste politics in Rajasthan takes an extreme form. It may be easily recalled that the Gogamedi’s Karni Sena vociferously assaulted Sanjay Leela Bhansali for his film Padmavat in 2017. Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena, established by Gogamedi, is among the newest of the bunch of Karni Senas operating in the state. The first one, i.e., Shri Rajput Karni Sena, was founded way back in 2006 by a failed politician and a builder. The avowed aim of these vociferous groups is to protect and restore the pride of Kshatriyas, or Rajputs. For some reason or another, these groups tend to punch above their weight and often trespass the rule of law in furtherance of their objectives. The dominance of Rajputs, who form the key voter base in 25 of the state’s 200 assembly seats, in Rajasthani politics is one reason behind the groups’ adamance. The second factor is that Rajputs and Jats are socio-politically opposed to each other in the state. Compounding this social division is the fact that the two major political parties in the state are also polarised on this front — while the Rajputs have traditionally been supported by the BJP, the Jats garner support from the Congress. From politics to society and the crime world, one can sense the archaic nature in which all three operate. While the law takes its course in the coming days in Gogamedi’s case, an honest attempt should be made to weed out the conventional negative elements from society and politics. Modernity, in the true sense of the term, awaits Rajasthan.