Ashok Gehlot accuses Rajasthan government of patronising liquor, land and sand mafia

On Saturday, senior Congress party leader Ashok Gehlot has accused the Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on the issue of corruption and alleged that the state government led by her patronised liquor, land and sand mafia.

Ashok Gehlot is the Congress general secretary, who is contesting December 7 elections from Jodhpur’s Sardarpura seat. Currently, he is campaigning in the Mewar region for the party.

Mr Gehlot told reporters in Udiapur, “No government in Rajasthan had ever patronised any mafia but the Vasundhara Raje government did that. Land, liquor and sand mafia flourished in her rule in connivance with officers and I blame that money has reached up to the top level.”

The former Rajasthan chief minister claimed, “(Vasundhara) Raje bowed before the party president but never met people in five years. Instead of bowing before (Amit) Shah, she should have taken care of the people of Rajasthan who gave such a huge mandate in 2013 elections, but she betrayed them.

During the campaign, Mr Gehlot alleged that the BJP government in five years only worked to weaken schemes launched by former Congress government and stalled various important projects in the state.

He pointed out saying, “During the Congress government rule, there were 25 lakh people engaged in MGNREGA works, but now the number has reduced to just 2.5 lakh.”

Mr Gehlot has also alleged that the government spent crores of rupees on Resurgent Rajasthan and insisted that the government should disclose how much investment was made in the state in five years.

in 2015, the Resurgent Rajasthan summit was held to attract investment in the state.

Mr Gehlot also added that the Ram temple was just an election issue for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

He alleged that, “The BJP uses the name of Lord Ram during elections only. They have no genuine intention and they have been exposed before public now.”

On Saturday, Mr Gehlot is scheduled to address a public rally in Chittorgarh, Bagore in Bhilwara, Ramsar in Nasirabad (Ajmer).

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