Raje should take out Paschatap Yatra instead of Gaurav Yatra: Sachin Pilot

Rajasthan Congress leaders came together to start the party’s election campaign from Sanwaliyaji temple in Chittorgarh on Friday. While flagging off the Sankalp Rally, Congress leaders said that the party has taken an oath that it will set the people free of the misgovernance of the “autocratic BJP government”.

Sachin Pilot said that the presence of a large number of people at the rally shows that they have made up their mind to oust the BJP. “We take an oath that under the Congress governant, farmers will not have to commit suicide, youth will get jobs and we will ensure that women feel secure. People will feel that they are part of the governance. We have faith that people will support the Congress and give us a chance to serve,” he said while taking the sankalp (oath).

Pilot said that the BJP with their big promises misled the people. They were given a huge mandate to serve the people but the four-and-half years of governance shows how the BJP insulted the people’s verdict. “Looking at the present situation, CM Vasundhara Raje, instead of Gaurav (pride) Yatra, should take out Paschatap (repentance) Yatra and apologise to the public,” he said.

Before addressing the rally, the Congress leaders offered prayers at Sanwaliya Seth temple. AICC general secretary and ex-CM Ashok Gehlot, who was also present, said, “In the last four and half years, the CM has not shown her face to the people but now she is travelling across the state asking for votes through the Gaurav Yatra.”

“Looking at the crowd at the rally, it shows that people have made up their mind to oust BJP government. We take an oath that we will fight to remove the autocratic BJP government,” state party in-charge Avinash Pande said

AICC general secretary CP Joshi and Mohan Prakash, Leader of Opposition Rameshwar Dudi, Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, Tarun Kumar, party MLAs and others were also present. After Friday’s rally, the next rally will be held at Churu on August 28, then Barmer on September 5, Karauli on September 10 and Nagaur on September 12.

Does CM take pride in delaying Barmer refinery: Pilot

State Congress chief Sachin Pilot also posed 11 questions and asked if the CM takes pride in delaying the Barmer refinery project by four years. He said if the refinery had been constructed it would have not only generated employment in Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jalore, Pali and Jodhpur and nearby districts but would also have established small and medium industries.

Congress takes support of emotions and slogans: BJP

Hitting out at the Congress, BJP state spokesperson Satish Poonia on Friday said that state Congress chief Sachin Pilot did take an oath of forming the government during the Sakalp rally but the expression of serving people was missing. Poonia’s reply came on Pilot’s statements during Sankalp rally that CM Vasundhara Raje is misguiding people.

Criticising the statement on BJP taking political mileage of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s demise, he said, “Vajpayee was a huge personality and was above the party, this for us is a subject of faith and we immerse the ashes of our elders — such statements on a fatherly figure is unjustified.”

Replying to the charge of increase in cases of crimes against women, he said that from 2008 -2013 during the Congress regime, the criminal cases increased by 92%, whereas according to NCRB in BJP tenure, it has decreased by 5%.

First Published: Aug 25, 2018 01:24 IST