The Rajasthan High Court had earlier allowed the MLAs time till Tuesday 5.30 pm to file their response.
Rajasthan Government crisis LIVE UPDATES: Breaking his silence on the Rajasthan crisis, Rahul Gandhi listed the alleged “attempt to topple” the government in the state as among the Centre’s “achievements” in the COVID-19 era. The Gandhis, have so far, refrained from making any public comment on the crisis triggered by Pilot’s revolt.
The Rajasthan High Court today resumed hearing a plea filed by Sachin Pilot and 18 other dissident Congress MLAs, challenging the disqualification notices issued to them by the state assembly speaker. On Monday, the bench had observed that a whip can be issued only for an Assembly session but not with respect to a party meeting. The court had earlier allowed the MLAs time till Tuesday 5.30 pm to file their response.
Another meeting of the state Congress Legislature Party has been called at 11 am Tuesday. The meeting comes a day after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot ratcheted up the rhetoric Monday, calling his former deputy Sachin Pilot a “nikamma” and a “nakara” (useless and worthless). Congress leadership, who is still hopeful of a reconciliation, has disapproved of the personal remarks, a party leader told The Indian Express.
Sachin Pilot, meanwhile, responding to a Congress MLA Giriraj Singh’s allegation that he offered him Rs 35 crores, said such remarks re being leveled to “malign” him and to “stifle” the “legitimate concerns” that he had raised against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Sources close to Pilot said his next move will depend on the outcome of the battle in court.
Rajasthan government crisis LIVE updates: The Congress MLAs at Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's residence last Monday. (File)
Responding to Rahul's tweet, Prakash Javadekar also listed the Congress leader's 'achievements'. "February: Shaheen Bagh and Riots; March: Losing Jyotiraditya and MP; April: Instigating migrant labourers," he said, adding that Gandhi was insulting the covid warriors by making fin of candle lights.
Mukul Rohatgi, counsel for Pilot's camp, cites the following as ground showing malafide
Breaking his silence on the Rajasthan crisis, Rahul Gandhi listed the alleged "attempt to topple" the government in the state as among the Centre's "achievements" in the COVID-19 era. The Gandhis, have so far, refrained from making any public comment on the crisis triggered by Pilot's revolt.
"Achievements of the government in the COVID-era: February -- Namaste Trump, March-- toppling the government in Madhya Pradesh, April -- making people light candles, May -- government's sixth anniversary, June -- Bihar virtual rally, July -- Attempt to topple the government in Rajasthan," Gandhi said in the tweet. "That is why the country is 'Aatmanirbhar' (self-sufficient) in the fight against coronavirus," he said.
CM Ashok Gehlot's OSD Deva Ram Saini reaches CBI office in Jaipur for inquiry.
Rajasthan DGP Bhupendra Yadav writes to DGP of Haryana and the Commissioner of Delhi Police, seeking cooperation in Special Operation Group's (SOG) probe in a case related to alleged attempts to destabilize the state government, news agency ANI reported.
The Congress had on Friday cited the two audio tapes, purportedly featuring Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and rebel Congress MLA Bhanwarlal Sharma conspiring to topple the Ashok Gehlot government, seeking their arrest. The Special Operation Group (SOG) of the Rajasthan Police has registered criminal cases in the matter. The BJP has described the audio clips as “manufactured”, and Shekhawat has said the voice in the clips was not his.
The High Court has begun hearing Sachin Pilot's plea. Sachin Pilot and 18 other dissident Congress MLAs have filed a plea challenging the disqualification notices issued to them by the state assembly speaker
Referring to the ongoing court case, Gehlot mocked and questioned Pilot for hiring lawyers Harish Salve and Mukul Rohatgi, saying they command a tall fee. “Where is this money coming from? Is Pilot sahab giving it from his pocket?” he said. He also claimed that rebel MLAs were being hostage. “Everyone knows how they are being kept; their mobiles have been taken away… Many of them want to come here. They are crying over the phone. Some say they are using the barber’s phone, others their son’s phone,” he said.
Former J&K chief minister and NC vice-president Omar Abdullah on Monday said he would take Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel to court after the latter raised questions on his release from detention and hinted that it may be linked to developments in Rajasthan. “He and Mehbooba Muftiji were booked under the same sections of the law, while she is still languishing, he is out. Is it because Mr. Abdullah is brother-in-law of Sachin Pilot?” Baghel said in an interview to The Hindu.
Reacting sharply, Abdullah tweeted, “I am fed up of the downright malicious and false allegation that what Sachin Pilot is doing is somehow linked to my or my father’s release from detention earlier this year. Enough is enough. Mr @bhupeshbaghel will be hearing from my lawyers.” He tagged former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party spokesperson R S Surjewala.
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Appearing for the respondents, including Speaker C P Joshi, Abhishek Manu Singhvi said that the court proceedings were “non-maintainable, premature and without jurisdiction” as far as interim injunctive relief was even contemplated.
He also argued that the Speaker had exclusive, non-transferable and non-delegable powers to adjudicate on issues of disqualification. Singhvi contended that the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution dealing with disqualification – one of whose clauses has been challenged by the rebel MLAs –is designed and intended to be an autonomous, self-contained code to deal with defection and disqualification of members. Singhvi cited various judgments to say that courts have limited grounds of interfering in a Speaker’s order on disqualification.
Singhvi argued that whether non-attendance of a meeting, criticism of the party, constitute as grounds for disqualification is also for the sole consideration of the Speaker.
Ashok Gehlot’s attack, the sharpest till date, left the Congress leadership in New Delhi squirming. A party leader told The Indian Express: “The Congress leadership disapproves such personal remarks. He has been told about it. He is a seasoned leader and he needs to be careful.” The leadership, the party leader said, was still hopeful of a reconciliation.
The Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau Monday issued notices to dissident Congress MLAs Bhanwarlal Sharma and Vishvendra Singh, asking them to appear before it within three days for probe into an alleged attempt to topple the state government, reported PTI. The ACB had registered an FIR against Bhanwarlal under the Prevention of Corruption Act on July 17 in connection with the audio tapes that allegedly talks of plotting to bring down the government.
An MLA From Sacin Pilot's camp on Monday said the legislators supporting the former Rajasthan deputy chief minister will not join the BJP and their fight was to "save the party" by effecting a leadership change in the Rajasthan government. Mukesh Bhakar, MLA from Ladnun, Nagaur, who was dropped as the state youth Congress chief last week, also appealed to the party high command that in order to save the Congress, they must act now and change the state leadership. Asked about the Congress' allegation that they were under BJP protection in Haryana, a state ruled by the saffron party, Bhakar said, "No one is in a BJP state, we are in Delhi." He, however, did not elaborate. --PTI
A day after the Special Operation Group (SOG) of Rajasthan Police registered criminal cases over purported audio clips of BJP leaders plotting to topple the Ashok Gehlot government, the BJP on Saturday sought a CBI probe into the “phone tapping” of all the political leaders in the state. Rajasthan government on Monday revoked the general consent under Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946, which is required for CBI investigation. In a notification, the government, said, that prior consent of the state government shall be required on a case-to-case basis by the CBI for investigation of any offence or class of offence under the said Section 3 of DSPE Act.
Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Ashok Chandna attending to official work at Fairmont Hotel
Hemaram Chowdhary, an MLA from the Pilot camp, demanded apology for Ashok Gehlot's comments on Sachin Pilot. "People of the state know who is corrupt and who is not. So, please refrain from slapping allegations of corruption (on Pilot). Please issue an apology to public for your comments, and stay away from making such comments in future."
Taking a dig at Gehlot camp, suspended Congress MLA Vishvendra Singh Bharatpur Monday said: "I am not afraid of such jackals. I appeal to all of you family members not to be confused, the Bharatpur royal family has served you and we have always been receiving your love and blessings, and continue to maintain it in the same way," he tweeted.
Rajasthan government revokes the general consent under section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, which is required for CBI investigation.
Leader of Opposition in the Rajasthan Assembly Gulab Chand Kataria Monday sought action on a complaint lodged by the BJP against Congress leaders for "damaging" the party's reputation. In a letter to the state DGP, Kataria said BJP spokesperson Laxmikant Bhardwaj on July 17 had complained that Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala and Govind Singh Dotasara were damaging his party's reputation through baseless charges against their leaders and misinterpretation of facts. The complaint was lodged on July 17 at the Ashok Nagar police station in Jaipur but an FIR is yet to be registered, Kataria said in the letter. "Therefore, the Director General of Police should take action," Kataria demanded. --PTI
Union minister Shekhawat Monday questioned the authenticity of the audio tapes, cited by the Congress to allege his involvement in a purported bid to bring down the Rajasthan government, and wanted to know its source and how the police accessed it. The Rajasthan Police SOG (special operations group), which is probing the case, had earlier sent a notice to Shekhawat, asking him to give his voice sample and record his statement, PTI reported. "They (police) should first clarify about authenticity of these tapes. Who recorded it and where did the SOG get it from. Investigation should be carried out to find out if these tapes are genuine or not," PTI quoted Shekhawat as saying.
Probing into an alleged plot to topple the Rajasthan government, the Special Operations Group of the state police force has served a notice on Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat under a CrPC section which requires him to appear before the investigation officer when called. The notice was sent to the personal secretary of Shekhawat in connection with the audio tapes, in one of which the minister is allegedly heard during a purported conversation to bring down the Rajasthan government.