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  • Bharat Jodo Yatra resumes from Dausa after day’s break

    By PTI

    DAUSA: The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra resumed from here on Sunday after a day’s break with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and senior leader Sachin Pilot walking alongside the former Congress chief.

    The yatra resumed from Kalakho here around 8 AM. Several people lined up since early morning to greet the yatra. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Gandhi will address a rally in Alwar on Monday.

    The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari has traversed eight states — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and now, Rajasthan.

    It completed 100 days Friday.

    The yatra will enter Delhi on December 24, and after a break of about eight days, move on to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and finally, Jammu and Kashmir.

    It has seen participation from a cross-section of society, including film and TV celebrities such as Pooja Bhatt, Riya Sen, Sushant Singh, Swara Bhasker, Rashami Desai, Akanksha Puri and Amol Palekar.

    Besides participation from tinsel town celebrities, writers, military veterans, including former Navy chief admiral L Ramdas, Opposition leaders such as Shiv Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray and the NCP’s Supriya Sule, and former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, have also joined the march at various points.

    DAUSA: The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra resumed from here on Sunday after a day’s break with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and senior leader Sachin Pilot walking alongside the former Congress chief.

    The yatra resumed from Kalakho here around 8 AM. Several people lined up since early morning to greet the yatra. Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Gandhi will address a rally in Alwar on Monday.

    The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari has traversed eight states — Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and now, Rajasthan.

    It completed 100 days Friday.

    The yatra will enter Delhi on December 24, and after a break of about eight days, move on to Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and finally, Jammu and Kashmir.

    It has seen participation from a cross-section of society, including film and TV celebrities such as Pooja Bhatt, Riya Sen, Sushant Singh, Swara Bhasker, Rashami Desai, Akanksha Puri and Amol Palekar.

    Besides participation from tinsel town celebrities, writers, military veterans, including former Navy chief admiral L Ramdas, Opposition leaders such as Shiv Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray and the NCP’s Supriya Sule, and former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, have also joined the march at various points.

  • Everything will be resolved smoothly: Venugopal on Gehlot-Pilot tussle

    By PTI

    DAUSA: Amid an ongoing power tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his bete noire Sachin Pilot, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal on Friday said “everything will be resolved smoothly” and the party is very much united in the state.

    In an interview with PTI, Venugopal also exuded confidence that the Congress would win the Rajasthan assembly polls next year and return to power.

    His remarks come after a major row erupted last month following Gehlot’s comments that Pilot is a ‘gaddar’ (traitor) and cannot replace him.

    The remarks drew a sharp response from Pilot who had said it was unbecoming of Gehlot’s stature to use that kind of language and that such “mud-slinging” would not help at a time the focus should be on the yatra.

    Asked about the row and whether the differences between Gehlot and Pilot would be resolved, Venugopal, who is participating in the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, said, “Everything will be resolved smoothly.”

    ” The party is very much united and working together, the AICC general secretary organisation said. We will win definitely, our chances are very bright,” he said referring to the Rajasthan Assembly polls next year.

    The escalation of the Gehlot-Pilot rift just ahead of the entry of yatra into the desert state had put the party in a spot but Venugopal’s visit to the state last week calmed tempers and in a show of unity both Pilot and Gehlot posed for the cameras along with the AICC general secretary.

    Talking about the yatra completing 100 days, Venugopal Friday said there is tremendous momentum for the foot march and people have been welcoming it everywhere.

    “The issues raised by this yatra are not political issues, they are issues concerning the people. The issue of unemployment, the entire youth of the country is disappointed, price rise is at its peak and the central government is misusing agencies to target people,” Venugopal said.

    The BJP’s divisive politics only for winning elections has created a big division in this country and at such a time the Congress is undertaking this massive yatra to unite people, he said.

    Asked if the yatra would yield electoral gains, Venugopal said this is not aimed at an electoral impact, but added that in the field, the yatra will definitely have an impact.

    “This yatra has electrified our entire cadre. Our workers are now charged. We are going for a massive follow up programme from January 26 onwards from booth level upwards. This will certainly have an impact on the coming elections,” he said.

    The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari has traversed eight states —  Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and now, Rajasthan.

    It has seen participation from a cross-section of society, including film and TV celebrities such as Pooja Bhatt, Riya Sen, Sushant Singh, Swara Bhasker, Rashami Desai, Akanksha Puri and Amol Palekar.

    Besides participation from tinsel town celebrities, writers, military veterans, including former Navy chief admiral L Ramdas, Opposition leaders such as Shiv Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray and the NCP’s Supriya Sule, and former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, have also joined the march at various points.

    DAUSA: Amid an ongoing power tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his bete noire Sachin Pilot, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal on Friday said “everything will be resolved smoothly” and the party is very much united in the state.

    In an interview with PTI, Venugopal also exuded confidence that the Congress would win the Rajasthan assembly polls next year and return to power.

    His remarks come after a major row erupted last month following Gehlot’s comments that Pilot is a ‘gaddar’ (traitor) and cannot replace him.

    The remarks drew a sharp response from Pilot who had said it was unbecoming of Gehlot’s stature to use that kind of language and that such “mud-slinging” would not help at a time the focus should be on the yatra.

    Asked about the row and whether the differences between Gehlot and Pilot would be resolved, Venugopal, who is participating in the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, said, “Everything will be resolved smoothly.”

    ” The party is very much united and working together, the AICC general secretary organisation said. We will win definitely, our chances are very bright,” he said referring to the Rajasthan Assembly polls next year.

    The escalation of the Gehlot-Pilot rift just ahead of the entry of yatra into the desert state had put the party in a spot but Venugopal’s visit to the state last week calmed tempers and in a show of unity both Pilot and Gehlot posed for the cameras along with the AICC general secretary.

    Talking about the yatra completing 100 days, Venugopal Friday said there is tremendous momentum for the foot march and people have been welcoming it everywhere.

    “The issues raised by this yatra are not political issues, they are issues concerning the people. The issue of unemployment, the entire youth of the country is disappointed, price rise is at its peak and the central government is misusing agencies to target people,” Venugopal said.

    The BJP’s divisive politics only for winning elections has created a big division in this country and at such a time the Congress is undertaking this massive yatra to unite people, he said.

    Asked if the yatra would yield electoral gains, Venugopal said this is not aimed at an electoral impact, but added that in the field, the yatra will definitely have an impact.

    “This yatra has electrified our entire cadre. Our workers are now charged. We are going for a massive follow up programme from January 26 onwards from booth level upwards. This will certainly have an impact on the coming elections,” he said.

    The yatra, which was launched on September 7 in Kanyakumari has traversed eight states —  Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and now, Rajasthan.

    It has seen participation from a cross-section of society, including film and TV celebrities such as Pooja Bhatt, Riya Sen, Sushant Singh, Swara Bhasker, Rashami Desai, Akanksha Puri and Amol Palekar.

    Besides participation from tinsel town celebrities, writers, military veterans, including former Navy chief admiral L Ramdas, Opposition leaders such as Shiv Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray and the NCP’s Supriya Sule, and former RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, have also joined the march at various points.

  • Singer Sunidhi Chauhan to perform at Rajasthan Congress gala

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR:  The Congress is in a celebratory mood in Rajasthan, ahead of two milestones for the party this month the completion of four years of the Ashok Gehlot government in the state as well as 100 days of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Congress will hold a grand celebration in Jaipur on Friday to mark the occasions. Rahul will attend the colourful programme as the chief guest on December 16, the eve of completion of Gehlot’s four years in office. 

    A performance by singer Sunidhi Chauhan will also be a part of the event to be held at Jaipur’s Albert Hall, AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Tuesday. Besides Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, state party in-charge Sukhjinder Randhawa, former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasara, all the major state leaders will be present at the programme.

    The event will also mark 100 days of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started from Kanyakumari on September 7 and has so far covered Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The march will conclude in Jammu and Kashmir in February 2023. 

    “The Yatra will complete 100 days on December 16 and it will be a milestone,’’ Ramesh said at a press conference on Tuesday. The occasion will be observed through a glittering Bharat Jodo Concert. Rahul will also address a press conference in Dausa that afternoon.

    New Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Congress MLAs from the state will also join Rahul’s yatra on Friday. According to Ramesh, a public meeting will also be held in Alwar on December 19. The Congress government will complete four years of its term in Rajasthan on December 17. A range of programmes will be held from December 17 to December 28 to publicise the achievements of the Gehlot government. The chief minister will also hold a press conference on Saturday to mark the occasion, during which he will present an account of the achievements of his tenure.

    A four-day exhibition will also be organised at Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur, in which the work done by all the government departments and their progress will be showcased.  Also on display will be the various public welfare schemes launched by the government, including the Old Pension Scheme and the Chief Minister Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme. There will also be direct communication with the beneficiaries and the ambitious programme to provide smartphones to needy women will finally be launched during these celebrations. 

    JAIPUR:  The Congress is in a celebratory mood in Rajasthan, ahead of two milestones for the party this month the completion of four years of the Ashok Gehlot government in the state as well as 100 days of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. The Congress will hold a grand celebration in Jaipur on Friday to mark the occasions. Rahul will attend the colourful programme as the chief guest on December 16, the eve of completion of Gehlot’s four years in office. 

    A performance by singer Sunidhi Chauhan will also be a part of the event to be held at Jaipur’s Albert Hall, AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Tuesday. Besides Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, state party in-charge Sukhjinder Randhawa, former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and PCC chief Govind Singh Dotasara, all the major state leaders will be present at the programme.

    The event will also mark 100 days of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, which started from Kanyakumari on September 7 and has so far covered Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The march will conclude in Jammu and Kashmir in February 2023. 

    “The Yatra will complete 100 days on December 16 and it will be a milestone,’’ Ramesh said at a press conference on Tuesday. The occasion will be observed through a glittering Bharat Jodo Concert. Rahul will also address a press conference in Dausa that afternoon.

    New Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Congress MLAs from the state will also join Rahul’s yatra on Friday. According to Ramesh, a public meeting will also be held in Alwar on December 19. The Congress government will complete four years of its term in Rajasthan on December 17. A range of programmes will be held from December 17 to December 28 to publicise the achievements of the Gehlot government. The chief minister will also hold a press conference on Saturday to mark the occasion, during which he will present an account of the achievements of his tenure.

    A four-day exhibition will also be organised at Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur, in which the work done by all the government departments and their progress will be showcased.  Also on display will be the various public welfare schemes launched by the government, including the Old Pension Scheme and the Chief Minister Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme. There will also be direct communication with the beneficiaries and the ambitious programme to provide smartphones to needy women will finally be launched during these celebrations. 

  • Gehlot welcomes SC’s observation on National Food Security Act

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court’s recent observation that it is the central government’s duty to ensure that foodgrains reach the last man under the National Food Security Act.

    He said the Rajasthan government has been demanding that the Centre expand the scope of the NFSA on the basis of the current population.

    “It is our culture that nobody goes to sleep empty stomach,” the Supreme Court said on December 6 and asked the central government to see to it that foodgrains under the NFSA reach the last man.

    The court was hearing on its own a public interest matter related to the plight of migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdowns.

    Sharing a news report on the court hearing on Twitter, Gehlot said, “We welcome this comment of the Supreme Court.

    It has been our constant demand from the Centre that the scope of the National Food Security Act be expanded on the basis of the current population. It is the responsibility of every government to provide food to all citizens.

    “The Rajasthan government provided food to all during the pandemic with the resolve that “no one should sleep hungry”, he said.

    “Even today there are about 900 Indira Rasoi operating in the state where a full meal is available for Rs 8 in which the state government gives a subsidy of Rs 17 per plate,” the chief minister said.

    The government notified the NFSA on September 10, 2013 with the objective of providing food and nutritional security by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life with dignity.

    The Act provides for coverage of up to 75 per cent of the rural population and 50 per cent of the urban population for receiving subsidised foodgrains under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court’s recent observation that it is the central government’s duty to ensure that foodgrains reach the last man under the National Food Security Act.

    He said the Rajasthan government has been demanding that the Centre expand the scope of the NFSA on the basis of the current population.

    “It is our culture that nobody goes to sleep empty stomach,” the Supreme Court said on December 6 and asked the central government to see to it that foodgrains under the NFSA reach the last man.

    The court was hearing on its own a public interest matter related to the plight of migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdowns.

    Sharing a news report on the court hearing on Twitter, Gehlot said, “We welcome this comment of the Supreme Court.

    It has been our constant demand from the Centre that the scope of the National Food Security Act be expanded on the basis of the current population. It is the responsibility of every government to provide food to all citizens.

    “The Rajasthan government provided food to all during the pandemic with the resolve that “no one should sleep hungry”, he said.

    “Even today there are about 900 Indira Rasoi operating in the state where a full meal is available for Rs 8 in which the state government gives a subsidy of Rs 17 per plate,” the chief minister said.

    The government notified the NFSA on September 10, 2013 with the objective of providing food and nutritional security by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life with dignity.

    The Act provides for coverage of up to 75 per cent of the rural population and 50 per cent of the urban population for receiving subsidised foodgrains under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).

  • Congress plenary session to be held in Raipur in second half of Feb 2023: Sources

    Kharge's election as the Congress president will be ratified at the party's plenary session where the process of formation of the Congress Working Committee will also be finalised.

  • Both leaders assets to Congress, says Rahul Gandhi on Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot

    By PTI

    INDORE: Amid the power tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Monday said both the leaders are assets to the party.

    Addressing a press conference near Indore, Gandhi, the Lok Sabha member from Wayanad in Kerala, also said the decision to contest again from Amethi would be taken after one or one-and-a-half years.

    “At present, my focus is on the Bharat Jodo Yatra,” he said.

    Union minister Smriti Irani had defeated Rahul Gandhi in his family’s bastion Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

    To a query on different statements being given by Rajasthan leaders Gehlot and Pilot amid their power tussle, he said, “It will not affect the yatra and both the leaders are assets to the Congress party.”

    Gehlot on Thursday told NDTV that Pilot is a ‘gaddar’ (traitor) who cannot replace him as he had revolted against Congress in 2020 and tried to topple the state government, drawing a sharp response from his former deputy who said such “mud-slinging” would not help.

    Some reporters also asked Gandhi whether he would like to contest again from Amethi if given an opportunity, as the road to power in Delhi goes via Uttar Pradesh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also contested from Varanasi in UP.

    To this, Gandhi said, “I don’t want to give any headline to the media as at present my focus is on the Bharat Jodo Yatra. See, once again these are all attempts to distract from the main idea. You want newspapers to say tomorrow whether I will contest from Amethi or not,” Gandhi said.

    “I want the newspapers to write about the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the ideas and philosophy behind the yatra,” he said.

    “The answer to your question will come may be in a year or year-and-a-half,” he said.

    To a query on plans for solving the unemployment problem in the country, Gandhi said the main problem at present is that the entire wealth of the nation is confined in the hands of three-four industrialists.

    The Congress will focus on creating small scale enterprises to generate more employment opportunities in the country, he said.

    “I want the government to participate in education and health care and pump in more money in these sectors,” Gandhi said.

    The government should sense the voice of the people, he added.

    ALSO READ | Fighting Narendra Modi and RSS, but don’t harbor hate for them in my heart: Rahul Gandhi

    Gandhi also said his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra, a mass contact initiative, was raising the voice of the nation.

    He claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were not hearing the voice of the public and running the country by their “rigid structure”.

    The country should be run by the people’s sentiments, he said.

    On attacks over his attire and looks during the yatra, Gandhi said, “The problem with the BJP is that its spends thousands of crore to tarnish my image. But, the amount of money it would spend on tarnishing my image, I would get the same amount of strength as truth cannot be hidden. Personal attacks come as you fight against a big power. This shows that I am on the right path. The BJP’s personal attacks on me are my guru, which have taught me the right path,” he said.

    “I am gradually understanding the ideology of the BJP and the RSS,” he said.

    On the issue of Uniform Civil Code, he said, “Our direction is clear and their (BJP) direction is clear, and we are doing our work.”

    Gandhi also said he had made a detailed planning of the yatra earlier.

    But it did not materialise due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other reasons, he added.

    INDORE: Amid the power tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Monday said both the leaders are assets to the party.

    Addressing a press conference near Indore, Gandhi, the Lok Sabha member from Wayanad in Kerala, also said the decision to contest again from Amethi would be taken after one or one-and-a-half years.

    “At present, my focus is on the Bharat Jodo Yatra,” he said.

    Union minister Smriti Irani had defeated Rahul Gandhi in his family’s bastion Amethi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

    To a query on different statements being given by Rajasthan leaders Gehlot and Pilot amid their power tussle, he said, “It will not affect the yatra and both the leaders are assets to the Congress party.”

    Gehlot on Thursday told NDTV that Pilot is a ‘gaddar’ (traitor) who cannot replace him as he had revolted against Congress in 2020 and tried to topple the state government, drawing a sharp response from his former deputy who said such “mud-slinging” would not help.

    Some reporters also asked Gandhi whether he would like to contest again from Amethi if given an opportunity, as the road to power in Delhi goes via Uttar Pradesh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also contested from Varanasi in UP.

    To this, Gandhi said, “I don’t want to give any headline to the media as at present my focus is on the Bharat Jodo Yatra. See, once again these are all attempts to distract from the main idea. You want newspapers to say tomorrow whether I will contest from Amethi or not,” Gandhi said.

    “I want the newspapers to write about the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the ideas and philosophy behind the yatra,” he said.

    “The answer to your question will come may be in a year or year-and-a-half,” he said.

    To a query on plans for solving the unemployment problem in the country, Gandhi said the main problem at present is that the entire wealth of the nation is confined in the hands of three-four industrialists.

    The Congress will focus on creating small scale enterprises to generate more employment opportunities in the country, he said.

    “I want the government to participate in education and health care and pump in more money in these sectors,” Gandhi said.

    The government should sense the voice of the people, he added.

    ALSO READ | Fighting Narendra Modi and RSS, but don’t harbor hate for them in my heart: Rahul Gandhi

    Gandhi also said his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra, a mass contact initiative, was raising the voice of the nation.

    He claimed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were not hearing the voice of the public and running the country by their “rigid structure”.

    The country should be run by the people’s sentiments, he said.

    On attacks over his attire and looks during the yatra, Gandhi said, “The problem with the BJP is that its spends thousands of crore to tarnish my image. But, the amount of money it would spend on tarnishing my image, I would get the same amount of strength as truth cannot be hidden. Personal attacks come as you fight against a big power. This shows that I am on the right path. The BJP’s personal attacks on me are my guru, which have taught me the right path,” he said.

    “I am gradually understanding the ideology of the BJP and the RSS,” he said.

    On the issue of Uniform Civil Code, he said, “Our direction is clear and their (BJP) direction is clear, and we are doing our work.”

    Gandhi also said he had made a detailed planning of the yatra earlier.

    But it did not materialise due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other reasons, he added.

  • BJP chief Nadda to launch ‘Jan Aakrosh Yatra’ against Rajasthan govt on Dec 1

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: BJP chief J P Nadda will on December 1 launch the party’s ‘Jan Aakrosh Yatra’ in Congress-ruled Rajasthan to corner the state government on issues related to farmers and governance.

    Nadda will flag off 51 ‘Jan Aakrosh Raths’ at Jaipur that will travel to different assembly constituencies across the state, BJP state president Satish Poonia told reporters at a press conference here.

    The rath yatras in all 200 assembly constituencies will start from December 3 and 4. The objective of the movement is to corner the state government on its fourth anniversary, he said.

    The Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government is completing four years on December 17.

    Attacking the government, Poonia alleged that the people of the state are fed up with the Congress rule due to its misgovernance and wanted a change in which the Jan Aakrosh movement will play a crucial role.

    Congress had promised loan waiver for farmers but in the last four years of its rule, they have been in distress and committed suicide, Poonia said, adding that lands of 9,000 farmers were attached by the Gehlot government.

    “Law and order have deteriorated under Congress rule and women are not safe. Even priests are being burnt alive,” he said.

    He said the BJP aims to reach out to two crore people across all assembly constituencies through the yatra.

    Each rath will have a box in which people can drop their complaints. Based on the complaints and feedback, the party will prepare its manifesto for the 2023 assembly elections, he said.

    In addition, nearly 20,000 nukkad nataks will be performed, and public meetings in each constituency will be held by party leaders.

    JAIPUR: BJP chief J P Nadda will on December 1 launch the party’s ‘Jan Aakrosh Yatra’ in Congress-ruled Rajasthan to corner the state government on issues related to farmers and governance.

    Nadda will flag off 51 ‘Jan Aakrosh Raths’ at Jaipur that will travel to different assembly constituencies across the state, BJP state president Satish Poonia told reporters at a press conference here.

    The rath yatras in all 200 assembly constituencies will start from December 3 and 4. The objective of the movement is to corner the state government on its fourth anniversary, he said.

    The Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government is completing four years on December 17.

    Attacking the government, Poonia alleged that the people of the state are fed up with the Congress rule due to its misgovernance and wanted a change in which the Jan Aakrosh movement will play a crucial role.

    Congress had promised loan waiver for farmers but in the last four years of its rule, they have been in distress and committed suicide, Poonia said, adding that lands of 9,000 farmers were attached by the Gehlot government.

    “Law and order have deteriorated under Congress rule and women are not safe. Even priests are being burnt alive,” he said.

    He said the BJP aims to reach out to two crore people across all assembly constituencies through the yatra.

    Each rath will have a box in which people can drop their complaints. Based on the complaints and feedback, the party will prepare its manifesto for the 2023 assembly elections, he said.

    In addition, nearly 20,000 nukkad nataks will be performed, and public meetings in each constituency will be held by party leaders.

  • Gehlot-Pilot tussle: Won’t shy away from taking ‘tough decisions’, says Congress

    By PTI

    INDORE: Amid the power tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said if needed, the party will not shy away from taking “tough decisions” to strengthen the organisation in that state.

    For the Congress, its organisation in Rajasthan is most important, Ramesh, the party’s general secretary in charge of communications, told reporters in Indore during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

    Gehlot on Thursday told NDTV that Pilot is a ‘gaddar’ (traitor) and cannot replace him, drawing a sharp response from his former deputy who said such “mud-slinging” would not help, in an escalation of their rift days ahead of the entry of Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ into the desert state.

    Gehlot also said Pilot had revolted against Congress in 2020 and alleged that he tried to topple the state government. Pilot had hit back at Gehlot to say it was unbecoming of his stature to use the kind of language to attack him and make completely “false and baseless” allegations.ALSO READ | Congress deputes KC Venugopal to douse Rajasthan crisis

    Asked about the tussle between Gehlot and Pilot, Ramesh on Sunday said, “The organisation is most important for us. On the issue of Rajasthan, we will decide on a solution which will strengthen our organisation.”

    “For this, if we have to take tough decisions, we will take. If a compromise has to be made (between the factions of Gehlot and Pilot), then it will be done,” he said.

    Ramesh also said the Congress leadership is considering a proper solution to the Rajasthan issue.

    “But, I cannot fix any time frame for this solution. Only the Congress leadership will decide the time frame for it,” he said.

    Ramesh further said the Congress needs both Gehlot and Pilot. He also said the Rajasthan CM should not have used certain words in his interview.COLUMN | Ajay Maken ko gussa kyon aata hai and the many headaches of Sachin Pilot

    Speaking on the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, Ramesh said like other states, it would also be successful in Rajasthan.

    The foot march, a mass contact initiative of the Congress, started on September 7 at Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. It is currently underway in Madhya Pradesh. On December 4, the yatra will enter Rajasthan, where the Assembly elections are due next year.

    On the Bharatiya Janata Party’s promise of the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code in its manifesto for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls, Ramesh said, “The debate on the UCC should continue inside and outside Parliament.”

    “But, the BJP deliberately raises divisive issues during elections to polarise votes,” he alleged.

    Ramesh said the BJP has raised the issue of UCC to gain in the Gujarat Assembly elections, scheduled on December 1 and 5. “They (BJP) will forget the issue after the elections,” he claimed.ALSO READ | Experts warn against rush for ‘complex’ Uniform Civil Code

    The main contest in Gujarat is between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress, Ramesh asserted and claimed the Aam Aadmi Party’s “balloon” will burst after the results are declared.

    “The media has inflated this balloon. The AAP does not seem strong at the grassroots level in Gujarat,” he further claimed.

    INDORE: Amid the power tussle between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Sunday said if needed, the party will not shy away from taking “tough decisions” to strengthen the organisation in that state.

    For the Congress, its organisation in Rajasthan is most important, Ramesh, the party’s general secretary in charge of communications, told reporters in Indore during the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

    Gehlot on Thursday told NDTV that Pilot is a ‘gaddar’ (traitor) and cannot replace him, drawing a sharp response from his former deputy who said such “mud-slinging” would not help, in an escalation of their rift days ahead of the entry of Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ into the desert state.

    Gehlot also said Pilot had revolted against Congress in 2020 and alleged that he tried to topple the state government. Pilot had hit back at Gehlot to say it was unbecoming of his stature to use the kind of language to attack him and make completely “false and baseless” allegations.ALSO READ | Congress deputes KC Venugopal to douse Rajasthan crisis

    Asked about the tussle between Gehlot and Pilot, Ramesh on Sunday said, “The organisation is most important for us. On the issue of Rajasthan, we will decide on a solution which will strengthen our organisation.”

    “For this, if we have to take tough decisions, we will take. If a compromise has to be made (between the factions of Gehlot and Pilot), then it will be done,” he said.

    Ramesh also said the Congress leadership is considering a proper solution to the Rajasthan issue.

    “But, I cannot fix any time frame for this solution. Only the Congress leadership will decide the time frame for it,” he said.

    Ramesh further said the Congress needs both Gehlot and Pilot. He also said the Rajasthan CM should not have used certain words in his interview.COLUMN | Ajay Maken ko gussa kyon aata hai and the many headaches of Sachin Pilot

    Speaking on the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, Ramesh said like other states, it would also be successful in Rajasthan.

    The foot march, a mass contact initiative of the Congress, started on September 7 at Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. It is currently underway in Madhya Pradesh. On December 4, the yatra will enter Rajasthan, where the Assembly elections are due next year.

    On the Bharatiya Janata Party’s promise of the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code in its manifesto for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly polls, Ramesh said, “The debate on the UCC should continue inside and outside Parliament.”

    “But, the BJP deliberately raises divisive issues during elections to polarise votes,” he alleged.

    Ramesh said the BJP has raised the issue of UCC to gain in the Gujarat Assembly elections, scheduled on December 1 and 5. “They (BJP) will forget the issue after the elections,” he claimed.ALSO READ | Experts warn against rush for ‘complex’ Uniform Civil Code

    The main contest in Gujarat is between the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress, Ramesh asserted and claimed the Aam Aadmi Party’s “balloon” will burst after the results are declared.

    “The media has inflated this balloon. The AAP does not seem strong at the grassroots level in Gujarat,” he further claimed.

  • Gehlot calling Pilot traitor `unexpected’, crisis will be resolved by leadership: Congress

    By PTI

    SANAVAD: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday said Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot using the term “Gaddar” (traitor) for party colleague Sachin Pilot was “unexpected.”

    The party needs both the warring leaders and the crisis in the Rajasthan unit will be resolved keeping in mind the interests of the organization and not individuals, he added.

    Ramesh, the Congress’s media head, was speaking during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra here.

    Gehlot, in an interview with NDTV on Thursday, said Pilot was a “Gaddar” and cannot replace him as Rajasthan CM, drawing a sharp response from his former deputy who said such “mud-slinging” would not help.

    Gehlot also alleged that Pilot had rebelled against the Congress in 2020 and tried to topple the party’s government in Rajasthan.

    “Gehlot is a senior and experienced leader of the Congress. But the term used by him in an interview (for Pilot) is unexpected and even I am surprised,” Ramesh said.

    “The party needs both Gehlot and Pilot. There are some differences but we are not running away from this. The leadership will find an appropriate solution to the Rajasthan issue, but it will be done keeping in mind the party organization and not the individuals,” he further said.

    Ramesh also described Pilot as a “youthful, energetic, popular and charismatic leader.”

    In a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party, he said, “Congress leaders can speak from their heart without any fear because the party leadership does not take any decision like a dictator, and this is the difference between the Congress and BJP.”

    The tussle between Gehlot and Pilot has flared up at a time when the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra is poised to enter Rajasthan in a few days.COLUMN | Ajay Maken ko gussa kyon aata hai and the many headaches of Sachin Pilot

    SANAVAD: Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Friday said Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot using the term “Gaddar” (traitor) for party colleague Sachin Pilot was “unexpected.”

    The party needs both the warring leaders and the crisis in the Rajasthan unit will be resolved keeping in mind the interests of the organization and not individuals, he added.

    Ramesh, the Congress’s media head, was speaking during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra here.

    Gehlot, in an interview with NDTV on Thursday, said Pilot was a “Gaddar” and cannot replace him as Rajasthan CM, drawing a sharp response from his former deputy who said such “mud-slinging” would not help.

    Gehlot also alleged that Pilot had rebelled against the Congress in 2020 and tried to topple the party’s government in Rajasthan.

    “Gehlot is a senior and experienced leader of the Congress. But the term used by him in an interview (for Pilot) is unexpected and even I am surprised,” Ramesh said.

    “The party needs both Gehlot and Pilot. There are some differences but we are not running away from this. The leadership will find an appropriate solution to the Rajasthan issue, but it will be done keeping in mind the party organization and not the individuals,” he further said.

    Ramesh also described Pilot as a “youthful, energetic, popular and charismatic leader.”

    In a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party, he said, “Congress leaders can speak from their heart without any fear because the party leadership does not take any decision like a dictator, and this is the difference between the Congress and BJP.”

    The tussle between Gehlot and Pilot has flared up at a time when the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra is poised to enter Rajasthan in a few days.COLUMN | Ajay Maken ko gussa kyon aata hai and the many headaches of Sachin Pilot

  • Gurjar community’s complaints will be heard; Yatra will a success: Ashok Gehlot

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said that he will try to address Gurjar community’s complaints, after its leader Vijay Singh Bainsla threatened to disrupt Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in the state.

    Bainsla has been pressing the state government to resolve issues it has raised regarding OBC reservation, and has also demanded Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to make Sachin Pilot Rajasthan CM.

    Bainsla has said that the community had given its votes to Congress for a Gurjar CM in the state.

    Reacting to his demands, Gehlot said, “This is democracy and every one has the right to speak. We are ruling on the basis of the Constitution and the right to speak cannot be taken away. If there is any demand or suggestion, we will hear that and will try to address the complaints.”

    After a meeting of the party leaders to review the preparations of the yatra, the chief minister told reporters that the yatra will be held successfully in the state.

    “The atmosphere in the state is good, there is enthusiasm in the party workers. The objective of the yatra is to restore harmony and flag issues such as inflation and unemployment,” he said.

    Gehlot said that efforts were made to tarnish the image of Rahul Gandhi on social media in the past but now, through the yatra, a new image of him has emerged.

    Gehlot also attacked the BJP, calling them “fascists.” He said people running the central government do not like criticism and treat anyone who criticises them as “anti-national.”

    “They speak with shamelessness — do not take the name of former prime ministers. This is a fascist thought,” he said, as he spoke about the contributions of former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi in the making of the country.

    ALSO READ | Pilot distances himself from Gurjar leader’s demand, says Congress yatra will be successful

    On the issue of anomalies in OBC reservation raised by former minister Harish Chaudhary, Gehlot said that the issue will be discussed in the cabinet and will be resolved.

    He also said that it was a technical matter and those raising it should not make it an issue related to caste.

    Chaudhary, a Congress MLA from Baitu in Barmer, has agitated several times under the banner of OBC Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti to remove the discrepancies in OBC reservation.

    Gehlot said that the anomaly was created by the former BJP government, but it will be taken care of.

    Pradesh Congress Committee chief Govind Singh Dotasra said the party had detailed discussions on the yatra in its state coordination committee.

    He said that a committee has been formed with 15 coordinators to look after the arrangements of the yatra.

    These coordinators also attended the meeting.

    Senior Congress leader and state in-charge Ajay Maken skipped the meeting.

    COLUMN | Ajay Maken ko gussa kyon aata hai and the many headaches of Sachin Pilot

    Maken had recently written to party president Mallikarjun Kharge expressing his unwillingness to continue as the party in-charge, citing the September 25 incident, when a separate meeting of MLAs was held at the residence of parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal, due to which the Congress Legislature Party meeting could not take place.

    Party sources said that Maken is unhappy that no action has been taken against Dhariwal, chief whip Mahesh Joshi, and Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) chairman Dharmendra Rathore, despite notices served on them.

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday said that he will try to address Gurjar community’s complaints, after its leader Vijay Singh Bainsla threatened to disrupt Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra in the state.

    Bainsla has been pressing the state government to resolve issues it has raised regarding OBC reservation, and has also demanded Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to make Sachin Pilot Rajasthan CM.

    Bainsla has said that the community had given its votes to Congress for a Gurjar CM in the state.

    Reacting to his demands, Gehlot said, “This is democracy and every one has the right to speak. We are ruling on the basis of the Constitution and the right to speak cannot be taken away. If there is any demand or suggestion, we will hear that and will try to address the complaints.”

    After a meeting of the party leaders to review the preparations of the yatra, the chief minister told reporters that the yatra will be held successfully in the state.

    “The atmosphere in the state is good, there is enthusiasm in the party workers. The objective of the yatra is to restore harmony and flag issues such as inflation and unemployment,” he said.

    Gehlot said that efforts were made to tarnish the image of Rahul Gandhi on social media in the past but now, through the yatra, a new image of him has emerged.

    Gehlot also attacked the BJP, calling them “fascists.” He said people running the central government do not like criticism and treat anyone who criticises them as “anti-national.”

    “They speak with shamelessness — do not take the name of former prime ministers. This is a fascist thought,” he said, as he spoke about the contributions of former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi in the making of the country.

    ALSO READ | Pilot distances himself from Gurjar leader’s demand, says Congress yatra will be successful

    On the issue of anomalies in OBC reservation raised by former minister Harish Chaudhary, Gehlot said that the issue will be discussed in the cabinet and will be resolved.

    He also said that it was a technical matter and those raising it should not make it an issue related to caste.

    Chaudhary, a Congress MLA from Baitu in Barmer, has agitated several times under the banner of OBC Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti to remove the discrepancies in OBC reservation.

    Gehlot said that the anomaly was created by the former BJP government, but it will be taken care of.

    Pradesh Congress Committee chief Govind Singh Dotasra said the party had detailed discussions on the yatra in its state coordination committee.

    He said that a committee has been formed with 15 coordinators to look after the arrangements of the yatra.

    These coordinators also attended the meeting.

    Senior Congress leader and state in-charge Ajay Maken skipped the meeting.

    COLUMN | Ajay Maken ko gussa kyon aata hai and the many headaches of Sachin Pilot

    Maken had recently written to party president Mallikarjun Kharge expressing his unwillingness to continue as the party in-charge, citing the September 25 incident, when a separate meeting of MLAs was held at the residence of parliamentary affairs minister Shanti Dhariwal, due to which the Congress Legislature Party meeting could not take place.

    Party sources said that Maken is unhappy that no action has been taken against Dhariwal, chief whip Mahesh Joshi, and Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) chairman Dharmendra Rathore, despite notices served on them.