Vasundhara Raje has no moral right to hold the post: Ashok Gehlot

Chief minister Vasundhara Raje has no moral right to remain in power as the people of Rajasthan have lost faith in the BJP government, Congress general Secretary Ashok Gehlot said on Thursday.

“She has no moral right to remain in power as there is no rule of law in Rajasthan. From top to bottom, (state government) is riddled with corruption,” Gehlot said.

The former chief minister claimed that whenever BJP workers try to reach out to the people in rural areas, they have to face public ire. “The ministers are not allowed to enter in their own constituencies. CM is cancelling her visits (to different assembly constituencies). What kind of governance can they provide? The government has lost its credibility,” Gehlot said, adding “I don’t know what (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi and (BJP president) Amit Shah think (about Raje continuing as chief minister)... She needs to contemplate whether she has the moral right to remain on the post.”

Talking about the law and order situation, he alleged that, houses of Dalit leaders were torched in Hindaun in the presence of the local SP and collector, which is “very alarming and shows there is no rule of law in the state”.

A mob, allegedly of upper caste people, set ablaze the houses of a sitting BJP MLA, Rajkumari Jatav, and former minister and Congress leader Bharosi Lal Jatav— both from the Dalit community, a day after April 2 Bharat Bandh.

“Police asked family members of Bharosi Lal to leave before their house was set on fire. The vehicles at his house were torched in presence of SP and the collector. Bharosi Lal is in a state of shock and not in condition to speak. Even BJP MLA’s home was attacked... the chief minister never spoke to the two leaders or visited them,” Gehlot said. He was addressing newspersons at his residence in Jaipur.

He said 11 people died in protests during the April 2 Bharat Bandh across the country, but the anti-reservation Bandh on April 10, which was without any leadership, was peaceful. This shows security arrangements on April 2 were not as effective as that on April 10, he said.

“If the government could suspend the Internet on April 10 and clamp Section 144 of IPC, why did it not take similar preventive measures on April 2,” asked Gehlot.

Gehlot also held state Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria for “rising” number of criminal incidents in the state.

Factionalism in the Congress

Congress general secretary Ashok Gerhlot on Thursday sought to brush aside the talks of factionalism in party’s Rajasthan unit. He also sought to downplay questions about the possible CM face in the state that goes to polls later this year. “Such issues are raised by immature people, who have no political knowledge. Those who are spreading such things are damaging (their own chances) instead of benefitting,” Gehlot said. He said that in last four years, there has been no statement by any Congress leader against party leaders. “What is this factionalism being talked about,” he asked.