Rajasthan
Focus now is on providing relief to people from inflation induced by BJP, says Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot | Jaipur News
Taking time out from his busy election campaigning schedules in Karnataka, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot spoke to TOI’s Bhanu Pratap Singh at Mangaluru airport over a range of political issues affecting the nation and Rajasthan. Gehlot rebutted charges levelled not only by PM Narendra Modi but also by his former deputy Sachin Pilot. Excerpts:
BJP had so far been accusing Congress of appeasing Muslims, but now PM Narendra Modi has accused your party of appeasing even terrorists. What do you have to say?
This is not true. It is an old habit of these people (BJP leaders). When they have nothing to say, they just make rubbish allegations. Leave aside Congress, can anyone in this country appease terrorists? Congress history, in fact, is of leaders who laid down their lives fighting terrorism.
Indira ji, Rajiv ji (former PMs), Beant Singh ji (former Punjab CM), VC Shukla (former Union minister)—there are so many Congress leaders who sacrificed their lives for this country, not only before but after Independence too. BJP, on the other hand, does not have a single leader who as much as got even his little finger injured for the country
BJP says Congress in Karnataka wants to ban Bajrang Dal to appease Muslims. What is your response?
The Congress manifesto in Karnataka does not talk about banning just the Bajrang Dal. It also would ban the Popular Front of India (PFI) and similar organisations. The manifesto clearly says action against these organisations will be taken in accordance with the law.
The Supreme Court recently ordered that those who do not act against hate speeches will be tried for contempt of court. In keeping with this spirit of the SC order, the manifesto mentioned the ban. The entire nation, all governments and police should understand one thing now—if the nation is to be saved, the forces that promote hatred need to be dealt with strictly.
In Karnataka, Congress is promising to end BJP’s “40% commission” rule, but in Rajasthan your party’s Sachin Pilot is accusing your government of no action against alleged corruption by the previous Vasundhara Rajegovernment of BJP.
This is not true. We acted on our promise and it is there in the public sphere for all to see. My focus now is on providing relief to people against the BJP-induced inflation
People coming to the ‘inflation relief camps’ are asking why such work is done only in the poll year? (In Rajasthan, Assembly polls are due later this year.)
No, this is wrong. Last time we suffered a setback because of this allegation. We implemented the scheme of free medicines and diagnostic tests two years prior to the assembly polls. Such welfare schemes require big exercises for execution, try to understand this. Like, there should be regular supply of medicines right up to the primary and community health centres even in the remotest parts of the state. Warehouses were needed for that. Suppose the medicines get out of stock at a particular place, so from which nearest place can the supply be arranged. To work out all these things, it sometimes takes up to 2 years. By then, the elections approach. It was maliciously spread (in 2013) that free medicines were being given in the election year. The same thing is being spread now also about the inflation relief camps, which have become popular with the masses. Go through my last five state budgets and you will find that public welfare schemes were announced in all.
BJP says these were its schemes but Congress renamed them.
I leave it to the people, let them decide (which government brought the schemes). In fact, we accuse PM Narendra Modi—he is using the UPA government schemes after renaming them. In Rajasthan also, you can find out if the previous BJP governments renamed our schemes or we renamed theirs. The truth is, we are continuing the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project, which was their scheme, while they stopped 4-5 of our earlier schemes, including the Barmer refinery one
You recently claimed that a survey projected your government would get repeated this time. What makes you so confident?
It is not just the survey but we too are getting the same feedback wherever we are going in the state. We are getting a good response from the public, as can be seen from the crowds of people waiting for us at the roads and crossings when we go.
Many believe you put your political career at stake during the September 25, 2022, incident where Congress MLAs boycotted the CLP meeting in Jaipur. What are your reflections on that?
For me, the Congress president’s post is much more important than the CM’s post, but a ‘situation’ so developed that Mallikarjun Kharge sahib got it and I could not.
BJP had so far been accusing Congress of appeasing Muslims, but now PM Narendra Modi has accused your party of appeasing even terrorists. What do you have to say?
This is not true. It is an old habit of these people (BJP leaders). When they have nothing to say, they just make rubbish allegations. Leave aside Congress, can anyone in this country appease terrorists? Congress history, in fact, is of leaders who laid down their lives fighting terrorism.
Indira ji, Rajiv ji (former PMs), Beant Singh ji (former Punjab CM), VC Shukla (former Union minister)—there are so many Congress leaders who sacrificed their lives for this country, not only before but after Independence too. BJP, on the other hand, does not have a single leader who as much as got even his little finger injured for the country
BJP says Congress in Karnataka wants to ban Bajrang Dal to appease Muslims. What is your response?
The Congress manifesto in Karnataka does not talk about banning just the Bajrang Dal. It also would ban the Popular Front of India (PFI) and similar organisations. The manifesto clearly says action against these organisations will be taken in accordance with the law.
The Supreme Court recently ordered that those who do not act against hate speeches will be tried for contempt of court. In keeping with this spirit of the SC order, the manifesto mentioned the ban. The entire nation, all governments and police should understand one thing now—if the nation is to be saved, the forces that promote hatred need to be dealt with strictly.
In Karnataka, Congress is promising to end BJP’s “40% commission” rule, but in Rajasthan your party’s Sachin Pilot is accusing your government of no action against alleged corruption by the previous Vasundhara Rajegovernment of BJP.
This is not true. We acted on our promise and it is there in the public sphere for all to see. My focus now is on providing relief to people against the BJP-induced inflation
People coming to the ‘inflation relief camps’ are asking why such work is done only in the poll year? (In Rajasthan, Assembly polls are due later this year.)
No, this is wrong. Last time we suffered a setback because of this allegation. We implemented the scheme of free medicines and diagnostic tests two years prior to the assembly polls. Such welfare schemes require big exercises for execution, try to understand this. Like, there should be regular supply of medicines right up to the primary and community health centres even in the remotest parts of the state. Warehouses were needed for that. Suppose the medicines get out of stock at a particular place, so from which nearest place can the supply be arranged. To work out all these things, it sometimes takes up to 2 years. By then, the elections approach. It was maliciously spread (in 2013) that free medicines were being given in the election year. The same thing is being spread now also about the inflation relief camps, which have become popular with the masses. Go through my last five state budgets and you will find that public welfare schemes were announced in all.
BJP says these were its schemes but Congress renamed them.
I leave it to the people, let them decide (which government brought the schemes). In fact, we accuse PM Narendra Modi—he is using the UPA government schemes after renaming them. In Rajasthan also, you can find out if the previous BJP governments renamed our schemes or we renamed theirs. The truth is, we are continuing the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project, which was their scheme, while they stopped 4-5 of our earlier schemes, including the Barmer refinery one
You recently claimed that a survey projected your government would get repeated this time. What makes you so confident?
It is not just the survey but we too are getting the same feedback wherever we are going in the state. We are getting a good response from the public, as can be seen from the crowds of people waiting for us at the roads and crossings when we go.
Many believe you put your political career at stake during the September 25, 2022, incident where Congress MLAs boycotted the CLP meeting in Jaipur. What are your reflections on that?
For me, the Congress president’s post is much more important than the CM’s post, but a ‘situation’ so developed that Mallikarjun Kharge sahib got it and I could not.
