After a calm for some months, the internal fight in Congress in Rajasthan erupted again today, as Sachin Pilot launched an attack on the Ashok Gehlot government on corruption issues. He alleged that the Gehlot govt is hand in glove with BJP leader and former Rajasthan CM Vasundhara Raje, and the govt has failed in fulfilling poll promises.
In the most dramatic move, Sachin Pilot announced that he will hold a one-day fast on 11 April demanding probes on corruption cases in Rajasthan.
Addressing a press conference today, Sachin Pilot accused the Ashok Gehlot government of not taking any action against Vasundhara Raje over corruption cases. He said that only a few months are left for the assembly elections, and therefore the Congress party needs to approach the voters with evidence of actions taken against corruption.
He said that Congress won the assembly polls by launching a massive attack on the BJP govt on corruption, and that is why the voters gave the mandate to the Congress party.
But now that no actions were taken against the corruption cases during the Vasundhara Raje government, now people can question whether they are hand in gloves. “Due to inaction by Ashok Gehlot government against corruption cases during Vasundhara Raje regime, our opponents can question whether they are hand in gloves,” he said.
Sachin Pilot said that he has written letters to the CM demanding action on corruption cases during the previous BJP government, but he has not received any reply to the letters. “I had written letters to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on March 28, 2022. However, I did not receive any reply. I again wrote a letter on November 2, 2022, seeking action in those cases of corruption whether it is about mining mafia,” he said.
Pilot further said, “We had fought hard while being in Opposition due to which we came to power. While in Opposition, we raised several issues of corruption during Vasundhara Raje government’s regime. Our credibility will be there when the allegations that we are levelled while being in Opposition are acted upon.”
He further claimed that while the central govt is misusing various probe agencies like ED, CBI, and Income Tax, and 95% of cases are false cases against opposition leaders, but Rajasthan govt is not even using its own agencies to probe corruption cases. This is a matter of great concern, as public should not think that Congress promises action against corruption but does not actually do it.
Sachin Pilot further said that on 11 April, on the occasion of birth anniversary of Jyotiba Phule, he will do a one-day hunger strike to reiterate that his government will fulfil the promise of action against corruption. He said that he is doing this so that the public does not feel that they are not doing any work or they have not fulfilled any of the poll promises. Every political is required to provide evidence so that people believe the promises made by the parties, he added.
The Congress MLA said that he has already informed the district administration about his one-day hunger strike at Shaheed Smarak in Jaipur.