KOTA: Hitting out at the Rajasthan government led by his party, Congress MLA Bharat Singh has alleged that getting illegal weapons was easier than obtaining arms license in the state.
Speaking in the state assembly on Monday, he commented, "Manufacturing and selling of illegal arms has become a form of skill development and self-employment in the state."
In a letter to the secretary of the state assembly, the Congress MLA from Sangod area of Kota district expressed concern over recovery of a high number of illegal arms in the state last year as against the number of arms licenses issued in the same year.
"As many as 6,129 cases of illegal arms were registered in the state in last one year (between January and December 2019), but the number of those who obtained legal arms stood at 490," the government said in the assembly last month.
Singh also alleged that the law and order situation in the state has taken a hit.
"The circumstances in the state are such that a person now essentially requires arms and weapons for self-defense and safety, but obtaining license for the same is not possible without higher approach," he said.
"Getting illegal arms is easier than obtaining license for arms in the state," he said.
"It is so that if one wants arms, he should move to open markets to purchase the same at cheaper price from illegal arms dealers," Singh added.
The Congress MLA said such state of affairs is contrary to the "zero harassment policy" advocated by the state government.