Cong holds silent march against Raje govt’s 2nd anniv event

Jaipur: Congress today held a silent march from its state headquarters to Civil Lines railway crossing here, alleging the BJP government “misused” public money for its second anniversary celebrations where hollow announcements were made to please BJP President Amit Shah.

Hundreds of Congress workers and functionaries, led by Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) president Sachin Pilot, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, leader of opposition Rameshwar Dudi, former state unit chiefs Girija Vyas and B D Kalla, took part in the march.

The march was stopped at Civil Lines railway crossing and was not allowed to proceed to the area housing the chief minister’s residence and Raj Bhawan.

The Congress alleged that despite the Raje government’s failures on all fronts, hollow announcements were made to please BJP President Amit Shah, who was the chief guest at the anniversary event in the state capital yesterday.

Later addressing the gathering, Pilot said it was wastage of public money in the name of the Raje government’s second anniversary and this government has failed on every front including law and order, atrocities against women and dalits, and anti-labour and anti-farmer policies, besides high inflation.

Instead of reviewing its failure and misdeeds in the past two years, the BJP leaders including Amit Shah slammed the Congress and hailed Raje’s plans and schemes.

Pilot criticised the BJP president for applauding the performance of Raje rule, saying “Shah made such claims that corruption and scam in the state has reduced or did not occur in two years at least. It shows the double standards of BJP. He was in fact making a failed attempt to give clean chit to CM Raje for providing patronage to mining scam and helping the absconders”.

Former chief minister Gehlot said all announcements made by chief minister Raje from the dais in presence of Shah were misleading. Refinery in Barmer has been pending for the past two years, Gehlot said, adding most of the public welfare schemes that his government had launched were slashed mid way.

Among others who addressed the gathering were AICC Secretary Mirza Irshad and former Union minister Jitendra Singh.