The Rajasthan High Court on Saturday asked the ruling BJP to submit an affidavit stating the details of expenses incurred on the ongoing ‘Gaurav Yatra’ of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. BJP president Amit Shah had flagged off the yatra from Charbhuja temple in Rajsamand on August 4.
The direction by a Division Bench here came two days after the State government submitted its response to the court’s notice issued on a public interest litigation which had contended that no expenses from the treasury could be made on the yatra, because it was a BJP’s programme ahead of the State Assembly elections.
The PIL, moved by lawyer Vibhuti Bhushan Sharma, said no orders could be issued to the government departments to make arrangements for the yatra. The State government had ordered the Public Works Department on August 1 to make arrangements for setting up the stage, sound system and decoration for the march, while the Information and Public Relations Department was handed over the task of giving publicity.
In its reply, the State government said the yatra was being organised by the BJP and no government funds were being spent on it. It stated that the administration was only providing security to the Chief Minister and her Cabinet colleagues as per the protocol during the march, which was being taken out to apprise the people of the government's welfare schemes.
The counsel representing the Chief Secretary and PWD had informed the court on August 10, when notices were issued on the PIL, that the impugned order of August 1 had been withdrawn.
The Bench, headed by Chief Justice Pradeep Nandrajog, asked the BJP to file its affidavit by August 20 and posted the matter for further hearing on August 21, while asking the party office-bearers to come prepared with the documents.
Meanwhile, BJP State president Madan Lal Saini said on Saturday that the Gaurav Yatra’s second phase would start in Jodhpur division from August 24. The second leg, originally planned for Bharatpur division, was postponed because of Ms. Raje’s visit to Delhi to attend the cremation of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.