Centre created 'urea crisis' in Rajasthan: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday blamed the NDA-led Centre for the "urea crisis" in the state, alleging that urea racks meant for Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were diverted to Haryana.

He said an "artificial crisis" was created in the states where the Congress government was formed, and the matter was being investigated.

"It seems that urea racks meant for Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh were diverted to Haryana which led to the crisis. It was an artificial crisis created in the states where governments changed," Gehlot told reporters outside the Raj Bhawan.

A resurgent Congress had recently made significant gains in the assembly elections of Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

Gehlot said instructions have been given so that such urea crisis is not faced in any of the districts.

He also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks that urea was distributed under police protection in Rajasthan during the previous Congress government.

The chief minister said such incidents never occurred during (his earlier tenure of) 2008-2013.

"The prime minister had quoted in a public meeting that urea was distributed under police protection during the Congress rule. In fact, in past five years of BJP government, urea crisis had occurred, farmers were lathicharged. How could he (Modi) make such a statement?" he said.