Congress releases ‘charge sheet’, lists Raje government’s ‘failures’ in poll-bound Rajasthan
The Congress released a 21-page ‘charge sheet’ against Rajasthan’s Vasundhara Raje government two weeks ahead of the assembly elections in the stater. The ‘charge sheet’ covered economy and budget; agriculture and farmers; women security; electricity; roads; education; tourism; industry; and corruption.
The Congress on Thursday accused the BJP government in Rajasthan of failing to address the farmers’ grievances and unemployment, and released what it called a ‘charge sheet’ listing the alleged failures of the Vasundhara Raje-rule to deliver on the promises.
Two weeks ahead of the assembly elections, the Congress released the 21-page ‘charge sheet’ (aarop patra) against the Raje rule. The ‘charge sheet’ covered economy and budget; agriculture and farmers; women security; electricity; roads; education; tourism; industry; and corruption.
Addressing newspersons, state Congress president Sachin Pilot said when the Raje government started its Gaurav Yatra, the Congress asked 37 questions but none of them was answered. “This charge sheet reveals misgovernance which brought losses to the people. The BJP received mandate in the state and at the Centre, but despite that it failed to fulfil the promises made,” he alleged.
Pilot said Raje promised that a permanent system would be set up for purchase of crops on MSP (minimum support price), but 90% of the produce did not get price protection and more than 100 debt-ridden farmers committed suicide. “In last five years, over 100 farmers in Rajasthan committed suicide but people in government are not accepting it. Maximum such cases happened in Jhalawar, Baran, Kota and Bundi, the region from where the CM is being elected.”
He alleged that the chief minister failed to fulfil her promises for 15 lakh jobs, 24-hour single-phase power supply, and corruption-free government. “In 2013 assembly elections, the BJP made 600 small and big announcements. The reality is that the BJP cannot now claim that they were implemented across the state.”
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When the BJP government was formed after the last polls, the debt on state was Rs 1.9 lakh crore, but it has mounted to Rs 3.10 lakh crore – around three times, Pilot said. “Despite that the CM says the state is out of BIMARU states.”
The state government has almost intentionally winded up MNREGA – the number of families to complete 100 days has reduced to 2.40 lakh annually from 4.69 lakh. In 2018-19, wages are being delayed for six months, he said.
“The law and order situation is deteriorating; be it dacoity, abduction, rape, burglary or murder, the numbers have increased many folds.” Over 5000 villages in the state are supplied water through tankers, which shows mismanagement. Even in the CM constituency, over 100 villages get water through tankers, Pilot said.
In the name of Resurgent Rajasthan, crores were spent; 470 MoUs worth Rs 3.38 lakh crore were inked, of which 200 were dropped and 78 are stuck between the government and investors, or pending in court, he alleged. “On the remaining 192 proposals, only Rs 10125 crore was spent, which is disappointing.”
Reacting to the charges, BJP spokesperson Mukesh Pareek said the Congress has no right to talk of scams and corruption for which they were known. He said the Congress lost people’s mandate in last assembly and Lok Sabha polls because of corruption.
“All the allegations are baseless. The Congress for last five years did not even hold an agitation over people’s issues or scams. If they have proof, why didn’t they approach court?” Pareek asked. “With elections nearing, they (Congress) are spreading lies. It would have been better had they played the positive role of an opposition.”
Meanwhile, AICC chief Rahul Gandhi will visit Rajasthan on November 26. He will visit Brahma temple in Pushkar and Dargah in Ajmer, and address public meetings at Pokhran (Jaisalmer), Jalore and Jodhpur, Pilot said.
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