Rajasthan Minister's Big Charge On Ashok Gehlot Govt, Says 'Record Of Corruption Has Been Broken'

Jaipur: In a scathing attack on his Congress party's government led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Rajasthan minister Rajendra Singh Gudha on Monday charged that it has surpassed Karnataka's "40 per cent commission BJP government" in corruption.

Addressing a rally in support of dissident Congress leader Sachin Pilot here, the minister said, "Hamari sarkar ka alignment kharab ho gaya (Our government's alignment has been disturbed)."

"The record of corruption has been broken. There was an issue of 40 per cent corruption in Karnataka. Our government has surpassed it," Gudha said, referring to his party's campaign pitch in the southern state.

Rajasthan BJP leaders latched on to Gudha's remarks and demanded the immediate resignation of Gehlot.

Gudha, the Sainik Kalyan Minister, also levelled allegations against his cabinet colleague Shanti Dhariwal, saying no file is cleared by his office without corruption.

He also alleged that Chief Minister Gehlot engaged in horse-trading and attempted to buy BJP MLAs during a rebellion by Congress legislators in 2020. He also claimed that he has evidence of it.

Suggesting collusion between Gehlot and his predecessor Vasundhara Raje, he alleged they even got infected with the coronavirus at the same time.

Addressing the gathering, Forest Minister Hemaram Choudhary said that Congress leaders have left no stone unturned in trying to prevent people from coming to this rally. But, people have come in huge numbers to support the rally.

"The people in power today think they will single-handedly bring back the government. I do not accept that. I do not believe so. You cannot clap with one hand," Choudhary said.

"Throw me out of the government today itself if you think Hemaram is corrupt. There is no need to keep me in the government, nor do I aspire to continue in the government," he said, in retort to Gehlot's allegation that the rebel Congress MLAs took money from the BJP to revolt.

The public meeting marked the completion of Pilot's five-day foot march from Ajmer to Jaipur over "inaction" by the Gehlot government on "corruption" during the previous BJP term in the state.

The intensification of the Gehlot-Pilot tussle in Rajasthan Congress came on a day when the party's central leadership struggled to pick between the two CM contenders - Siddaramaiah and D K Shivakumar - in Karnataka after winning the assembly polls there.

The Congress returned to power in Karnataka last week, defeating the BJP. During the poll campaign, Congress accused the BJP dispensation of engaging in rampant corruption and "taking 40 per cent commission in all kinds of work done by the government".

Referring to the Rajasthan ministers' remarks at the rally, BJP state president C P Joshi tweeted, "Chief Minister @ashokgehlot51. The ministers of your government are accusing your own government of being India's most corrupt and commission-charging government. Should you continue in your post in such a situation? If there is even a little morality left, then you should resign immediately."

Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore said, "Congress ministers themselves are telling the reality of the promise of 'zero discretion, zero corruption and zero tolerance' made in the public manifesto regarding corruption...the allegations made by minister Rajendra Gudha ji from a public platform regarding corruption in his own government are very serious, there should be a fair and high-level investigation."

"The minister's statement has once again proved that Congress and corruption complement each other," he charged and said that if Gehlot is left with any morality, he should resign.