Shekhawat's statement was a response to Congress president Sonia Gandhi's demand here on Saturday that the Centre ought to send a team to Rajasthan to look into the "glaring lapses" of the BJP State Government in preventing atrocities on women.

The Chief Minister dubbed her demand "politically motivated" and alleged she had "mischieviously exaggerated the issue of atrocities on women to justify her demand for central intervention."

Shekhawat's statement comes as a shot in the arm for the governments of West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Bihar, all of which have been targeted for dismissal by various constituents and allies of the BJP-led Government at the Centre. In fact, while the Left Front Governmentof Bengal snubbed the Central team sent there by refusing to let its ministers meet it, similar teams were also sent to Tamil Nadu and Bihar.

But today Shekhawat said that even though he was "personally opposed" to the Centre sending teams for political expediency, he was ready to welcome and cooperate with any team that was sent. He said he was sure that an impartial inquiry by any agency would expose the "false propaganda" about the law and order in Rajasthan," including "criticism on atrocities on women."

Calling for a comparison of the BJP's and the Congress's performance with regard to law and order and communal amity, Shekhwat said it was "unfortunate that a peaceful state like Rajasthan is sought to be projected like this for mere political mileage."

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Congress president Ashok Gehlot criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party president Kushabhau Thakre for giving a clean chit to Shekhawat on the law and order situation yesterday. He said comparison with Bihar was erroneous andadded that since the situation had gone out of hand, the BJP was trying to evade responsibility.