News Analysis India

Tag: ashok gehlot

  • Ashok Gehlot urges PM Narendra Modi to restart stalled railway projects involving Rajasthan

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to restart Rajasthan’s stalled railway projects on priority. He said around 42 per cent of New Rewari-New Madar section of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (WDFC) crosses Rajasthan on way to Gujarat.

    While speaking on the occasion of digital inauguration of the WDFC by PM Modi, Gehlot thanked him for routing the major part of the WDFC through Rajasthan and expressed the state government’s commitment to the project.

    “It is a big challenge how the Delhi–Mumbai industrial corridor is made and developed along Delhi-Mumbai Freight Corridor,” Gehlot said. On the occasion, Gehlot also said that several railway projects involving Rajasthan were sanctioned and even started but were later stalled due to some reasons.

    He urged the PM to restart wok on them on priority. “We have demanded that a railway station should be made in Bhiwadi town as it has a Japanese investment zone, first of its kind in India, with around 6,521 industrial units,” he said.

    Gehlot said projects such as Sarmathura-Gangapur via Karauli railway line were inaugurated but closed. Similarly, work on Pushkar-Merta road railway line and Chauth ka Barwada to Ajmer via Tonk railway line has been stalled.

    “The state had 50 per cent partnership in the Banswara-Dungarpur-Ratlam project, benefitting the tribal area adjoining Gujarat. The state has given around Rs 250 crore. The work had started but later due to some reasons, it was stopped. I urge the PM to resume work on those projects on priority,” said the CM “But as the state is not in a sound position, the entire expenditure now has to be borne by the railways,” he added.

    He said the Memu coach factory in Bhilwara too was sanctioned and inaugurated but later stopped. “Oil and Gas is there in Jaisalmer and Barmer. Country’s 20 per cent oil is supplied from Barmer. Now, the refinery work has also started. For the last 40 years, there has been a demand for a rail line to connect Mundra-Kandla port with Jaisalmer-Barmer which is justified as per future needs,” said Gehlot.

    Gehlot said though the gauge conversion of Loharu-Sikar-Reengus rail line has been completed, no train is being run on this line.

    Welcoming the PM for giving major part of the WDFC to Rajasthan, the CM said the state is committed for the project. It is a big challenge how the Delhi–Mumbai industrial corridor be made and developed along Delhi-Mumbai Freight Corridor, Gehlot said.

  • Assam Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has been given the responsibility of Assam

    Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has been given an important responsibility in view of Assam elections. The national leadership has made him a senior observer for the Assam assembly elections. Chief Minister Baghel will discharge his role as observer for election campaigning, management and coordination and will report to AICC.

    Actually, the list of senior observers has been released by the All India Congress Committee for the assembly elections to be held in five states today. Along with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is also included in the list released. At the same time, many senior Congress leaders have also been given responsibilities.

  • ‘New COVID strain spreading in India’: Rajasthan CM Gehlot urges Centre to rethink revival of UK flights

    Express News Service
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has asked the Centre to rethink the plan to resume flights from the UK.

    Gehlot reminded the Centre that India was late in banning international flights in early 2020 when COVID-19 had started spreading which ultimately led to a huge crisis in the country. 

    In Sri Ganganagar district, 3 people of one family who had returned from the UK on December 18 have been confirmed to be infected with the new coronavirus strain in the UK. They are currently being treated at a government hospital in the district. 

    In a tweet, Gehlot remarked: “Cases of the new strain of coronavirus emerging in the UK are rising rapidly in India is a matter of great concern. The GoI must rethink the earlier decision to revive flights from the UK from January 7. In January 2020, if we had banned international flights when COVID-19 had started spreading, we may not have seen the critical situation that we now see in the country.” 

    In a second tweet, Gehlot asserted: “The GoI must ensure that the revival of flights from the UK does not create the kind of crisis that the new Corona strain does not lead to the same crisis as in the past.”   

    Dozens of countries have put in place travel restrictions to and from the UK owing to the new and more contagious variant of the novel coronavirus reported in Britain. 

    Due to the new strain of novel coronavirus in the UK, Britain has issued “stay at home” orders and the entire country is now in lockdown.

  • Farm laws protest: Rajasthan CM Gehlot questions long breaks between each meeting

    By ANI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said that the central government should regularly talk to farmers, accept their demands to revoke the new farm laws and not make it a prestige issue.

    “Why is the central government taking four days in between every meeting with the farmers? The farmers have clarified that central government must withdraw new agricultural laws. In this cold weather, the government should talk to farmers daily and must accept their demands,” Gehlot tweeted.

    EDITORIAL | Help farmers build viable cooperatives

    “If a government has to withdraw a law according to public sentiments, it is welcomed in democracy. The central government should not make it a prestige issue. Farmers are our food providers, and it is the moral duty of the government to accept their demands,” he added.

    His statement comes after the eighth round of talks when the Centre could not reach any “solution” as the farmer unions remained “adamant” over repeal of three farm laws, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said on Monday.

    ALSO READ | Talks fail again on repeal pitch, next meet on Friday

    However, the minister said he is “hopeful” that a conclusion will be found in the next round of talks scheduled on January 8.

    With concerns that farm laws would weaken the MSP and mandi systems and leave the farmers at the mercy of big corporates, farmers have been protesting at different borders of the national capital for over a month against the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

  • Reconstitution of Congress’ state unit has to be done in next two months: Former Rajasthan Deputy CM Sachin Pilot

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Sunday said political appointments and reconstitution of the party’s state unit will be done within the time fixed by the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

    The work has to be completed in the next two months and the party high command is holding discussions on it, he said.

    “The AICC has been saying that be it political appointments or reconstitution of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC), the work will be completed within the stipulated time frame. The work has to be completed in the next two months,” the former deputy chief minister told reporters.

    Pilot reached Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s residence in the evening to attend the dinner the latter arranged for the party leaders.

    Pilot said the assembly elections are due in three years, so it should be ensured that Congress workers get suitable representation in the government so that the party is able to face future challenges.

  • People stand with protesting farmers, PM Narendra Modi’s misconception will be cleared: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday said that the “misconception” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah will get cleared as people of the country were with the farmers protesting in Delhi against the farm laws passed by the Centre.

    He said it is “height of insensitivity” of the Centre that even after 39 days of farmers protest, it is not paying any heed.

    The government believes that farmers will get tired and the issue will gradually meet an end.

    “Farmers are sensible that they are protesting peacefully. The feelings of people in six lakh villages are with the protesting farmers. Misconception of Modi ji and Shah ji will get cleared in the times to come,” Gehlot said here.

    The Congress organised a day-long protest on Sunday in support of farmers against the farm laws.

    Congress leader and former deputy CM Sachin Pilot also joined the protest organised by state Congress at Shaheed Smarak here.

    CM Gehlot said the Centre does not have the right to decide the fate of farmers.

    He said the “fascist” government at the Centre does not believe in democracy and wants to destroy the country.

    They are working to divide Hindu and Muslims and their intention is not right, Gehlot said.

    He said that this time the government has messed up with farmers, who are wise enough and no one is instigating them.

    The situation is serious so Congress wants to give a message that each party worker is with farmers and will join the protests with them if it is necessitated, he added.

    Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra said the Central government was not paying heed to farmers as it was working to give benefit to the big industrialists.

    He said the NDA government in its previous term had to withdraw a land acquisition bill owing to protests and in the same manner the government will have to take back the farm laws.

    Dotasra said the party will keep supporting farmers untill the new laws are not taken back.

    Congress leader Pilot said the Centre enacted the farm laws in an “autocratic manner”.

    The CM advocated that farmers should get more than the fair price for their produce.

    The Centre should withdraw the farm laws and if supporting farmers is politics, then Congress will continue to do it.

  • Gehlot, Pilot seen together for first time since tussle leading Congress protests against farm laws in Jaipur

    Express News Service
    JAIPUR: Congress workers in Rajasthan led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasara and former deputy CM Sachin Pilot staged a dharna at Jaipur’s Shaheed Smarak on Sunday demanding the repeal of new agriculture laws.

    The dharna was also organised to protest against Governor Kalraj Mishra failing to forward the three amendment bills passed by the state assembly to counter the Centre’s farm laws to President Ramnath Kovind for approval.

    As the Rajasthan Congress launched an all-out agitation against the farm laws, it also became the first time since the Gehlot-Pilot tussle erupted in July-August last year that both the leaders were seen together at a public protest meet.

    Addressing the meeting, CM Gehlot lashed out at the Modi government which he called ‘an irresponsible and insensitive’ government.

    ALSO READ: Rains, waterlogging cause inconvenience to farmers protesting at Delhi borders 

    Gehlot asserted, “for the past 39 days farmers have been sitting out in the open in this biting cold and 36 farmers have died during this agitation. But the Modi government has crossed all limits of insensitivity and is refusing to listen to the demands of farmers.”

    Hitting out at the Centre, Gehlot added, “people who were nothing more than stooges of the British are asking us to account for the past 70 years.

    They want to turn India into a ‘Hindu Rashtra’ but we will not let that happen. Just as Americans have thrown out Trump, people in India will soon throw out this cruel government.”

    Speaking on this occasion, Sachin Pilot made a sharp attack on the BJP and RSS brand of nationalism. “Standing with farmers is real nationalism. Just wearing knickers and giving lectures from Nagpur is not nationalism,” Pilot asserted to much applause from the gathering.

    In addition, Pilot stated, “they are making false allegations that we are playing politics over the farm laws. But if supporting farmers is considered politics, we will definitely play politics to help farmers.”

    ALSO READ | ‘Every farmer-labourer a satyagrahi’: Rahul Gandhi compares current protests to Champaran agitation

    Besides Gehlot and Pilot, all ministers of the Rajasthan government, Congress MLAs and Congress workers participated in this Dharna in large numbers despite Covid-19 restrictions.

    The Rajasthan Congress will also launch a week-long ‘Kisan Bachao-Desh Bachao’ campaign on Tuesday under which ministers, party workers and public representatives will visit villages in the state demanding the rollback of the three contentious farm laws.

    To bridge the rift within the party, CM Gehlot has invited all Congress MLAs for dinner on Sunday night in which Pilot loyalists are also likely to be present.

    The ‘Kisan Bachao-Desh Bachao’ campaign could not only help to support protesting farmers but may also help to patch up the divide between the Gehlot and Pilot factions of the Rajasthan Congress.

  • BJP ignores Muslims but using them to topple Govt, says Ashok Gehlot

    Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday raised slogans against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for not giving tickets to Muslims during the elections and accused the BJP of using a Muslim leader to topple his government.

    Gehlot said, “The BJP does not give tickets to Muslims during elections, but they are used to topple the government.” The Congress leader on Tuesday criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address at the centenary celebrations of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).

    “I have seen how the Prime Minister had a sweet talk at the AMU. He talked about secularism and many good things. But, does he practice? There is a difference in his speech and action, ”Gehlot said, accusing the BJP of not giving tickets to people belonging to minority communities.

    Do they (BJP) give tickets to Muslims? Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and other states have so many seats, but they do not give tickets to Muslims. There is now a budding Zafar Islam which the BJP uses as a tool to topple the governments of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, ”claimed Gehlot.

  • Gehlot accuses BJP of misleading people by ‘jumlas’

    Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot accused the BJP on Thursday of governing and misleading people by ‘jumlas’ (rhetoric).

    Gehlot launched the attack at the BJP at a poll rally in Rajasthan ahead of the State Assembly elections.

    “The BJP Government had promised to deposit Rs 15 lakh in everyone’s bank account and bring black money. It was a ‘jumla’ and they are master in that. No one got the money,” Gehlot said.

    He accused Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje of not taking plight of people in the last five years.

    He alleged that the BJP government stalled and delayed various public welfare schemes, including a petroleum refinery in Pachpadra, the Banswara-Dungarpur rail route, Jaipur metro and irrigation projects in Hadoti region.

  • BJP’s popularity has declined, will be no surprise if it loses 2019 elections: Gehlot

    Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Monday said the popularity graph of the Narendra Modi government has fallen and it will not be a surprise if the BJP faces a drubbing in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

    He was speaking at a press conference at his residence here.

    “Only two faces are ruling the country…those of Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. But it will not be a surprise if they are trounced (in the 2019 general) elections,” the former Rajasthan chief minister said.

    He said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also knows well that it will lose the upcoming Assembly elections in Rajasthan, which is why party president Amit Shah is using Modi’s name and not chief minister Vasundhara Raje’s to seek votes.

    “They (BJP) have understood that seeking votes in the name of Vasundhara Raje will only lead to defeat. Therefore they are seeking votes in the name of Modi. But that time has passed, the (popularity) graph (of the Modi government) has rapidly come down,” Gehlot said.

    “What Amit Shah and Vasundhara Raje are saying is a bundle of lies and people know it,” he added.

    The Congress leader also demanded answers from the BJP on the Rafale fighter jets deal and on the huge rise in the turnover of the company of Shah’s son.

    “They are not replying (to questions) about the Rafale deal and rather pushing forward IAF officers (for statements). They should also respond on the matter of (assets of company of) Amit Shah’s son,” he said.

    Speaking about the proposed ‘mahagathbandhan’ (grand alliance) of opposition parties to stop the juggernaut of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, Gehlot said it was necessary that all of them come on one platform.