Jaipur
Amid the ongoing political crisis in Rajasthan, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has written a two-page letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi apprising him of the efforts to topple his government through horse-trading. Naming Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, he writes that leaders from the BJP and his own party are involved in such efforts.
The letter says: “I do not know how much aware you are of this or you are being misled. But history will never forgive people who are a part of it.”
The letter says that the beauty of democracy is that the governments rise above party politics to keep public welfare as top priority. It mentions the efforts made by Rajiv Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee governments to amend anti-defection laws. “But for some time now efforts are being made to destabilise elected governments. Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka are examples.”
Gehlot further writes he was then the state president of Congress and had personally met Prime Minister PV Narsimha Rao and Governor Baliram Bhagat and said that toppling elected governments through horse trading is cheating the public.
Posting the letter on micro blogging site Twitter, Gehlot addressed a message to the PM: “I am bringing to your attention the hateful attempts being made to topple democratically elected governments that are damaging the democratic traditions.”
"Saving lives is the top priority during these times of Covid-19 pandemic but efforts are being made to topple Rajasthan government. This is being done by Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and other BJP leaders along with some over ambitious leaders of our party. One of them is Bhanwarlal Sharma who had tried to topple Bhairon Singh Shekhawat’s government," Gehlot wrote in the letter to PM Modi.
Speaking to a local channel after sending off the letter, the chief minister said: “I share a very cordial relationship with the Prime Minister. He has appreciated the work in the state during the Neeti Aayog meet and video conference meets held to review the Corona situation. He has formed a government twice and created history. I thought to write to tell him and tell him about what is going on.”
‘Rebel’ Sachin Pilot slaps legal notice on MLA Giriraj Malinga
Jaipur: Former deputy chief minister and PCC chief of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot has served a legal notice to MLA Giriraj Malinga and sought an apology, and an amount of Re1 from him within seven days. Else, criminal and legal proceedings would be initiated against him. Malinga is an MLA from Bari constituency of Dholpur. Malinga had alleged Pilot offered him Rs35 crore to help topple the state government with BJP support, and said he had informed CM Gehlot about it. MLA Rajendra Gudha said Gehlot, in his turn, had mentioned about the incident in the CLP meet. Pilot's notice says a section within the Congress is involved in acts and tactics to tarnish his reputation. It termed the disqualification notices issued to him as an example of the same. It also mentioned Pilot had issued a statement to the media refuting the allegations. It also states Pilot was never a part of such a conversation and the allegations have caused irreparable damage to his goodwill, reputation, integrity and honesty in the eyes of his collegues, relatives, friends in fraternity and public at large. The notice mentions he has been the youngest MP of the Congress and a minister in Govt of India and is currently an MLA from Tonk. —Sangeeta Pranvendra
