News Analysis India

Tag: Rajasthan

  • Message of CM face from ‘Jan Ashirwad Yatra’ of Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR: The ‘Jan Aashirwad Yatra’ by Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav has heated up the internal politics of the Rajasthan BJP. 

    Although Vasundhara Raje has been included in the posters for the yatra, she and her entire faction continue to remain missing from action. In contrast, the anti-Vasundhara lobby is being seen prominently in promoting the yatra. This has set off strong speculation that Yadav is now trying to establish himself as a potential CM face in the state. 

    Interestingly, a former MLA from the anti-Vasundhara lobby has advised Raje to move to the central stage and allow a new leader to emerge as BJP’s CM face for the next elections in Rajasthan. 

    On the second day of his Yatra on Friday, Yadav entered Ajmer district where he was greeted with much enthusiasm. Yadav, who was recently inducted into the Modi cabinet, had studied in Ajmer and still has strong links in the district.

    Making scathing attacks on the Congress government in the state, Yadav asked party workers to work with a commitment to form a BJP government in 2003 with a three-fourth majority. “We could not form the government in Rajasthan 2018. We lost with a narrow margin but it caused a huge loss to the people of Rajasthan. But now people are ready to vote out the Congress party.” 

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    The mission of the three-day Yatra is the Assembly elections in 2023 but with Bhupendra Yadav becoming the face rather than other MPs such as Gajendra Shekhawat or Arjun Ram Meghwal, questions are being asked whether the party wants to position him as a new CM face of the party in the state. 

    Yadav who is considered close to Home Minister Amit Shah and PM Narendra Modi, is also a major strategist of the party. BJP sources said that Bhupendra Yadav’s Yatra carries a deeper political statement. While on the surface it does not appear to be so, political circles in the desert state have suddenly started resonating with the show of power that is coming out as a result of this Yatra. While hordes of people gathered to welcome Yadav during the yatra, senior leaders of the party too were seen welcoming him. Besides, many MPs and MLAs along with stalwarts such as Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Satish Poonia, Rajendra Rathore, and Gulab Chand Kataria are seen to be very active during the Yatra. 

    Except for Raje loyalists, all the major BJP leaders are being seen in this Yatra. While Raje, a two-time CM, has been established as the face of the party in the state, the BJP’s central leadership has tried to sideline her for the past two years.

    After he was made a Union Minister, Bhupendra Yadav has emerged as a possible CM face for the BJP. With the party choosing him to be face of the ‘Jan Aashirwad Yatra’, many in the BJP say the party is now trying to promote him. However, Yadav himself has denied that he is a CM contender. “I am not a claimant to the CM post. These speculations are baseless. There are many leaders in the state BJP from whom I still learn even today,” said Yadav 

    Interestingly, a former BJP MLA from Alwar district, Gyandev Ahuja has made some important comments about Vasundhara Raje’s future. He said: “Raje has been the Chief Minister of Rajasthan twice. Now she should leave the state of her own will and go to the Centre. Raje should give chance to other people in the state by becoming a minister at the Centre and should work under the national leadership.” 

    Besides Vasundhara Raje, the Rajasthan BJP already has several leaders who are keen to become the CM face. Among them are Union Ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Arjun Meghwal, former Union minister Rajyavardhan Singh, current BJP state chief Satish Poonia and the current Leader of the Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly, Gulab Chand Kataria. While the ultimate decision will be made in 2023, the ‘Jan Aashirwad Yatra’ has certainly made Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav as a potential CM face for Rajasthan.

  • Congress kept democracy intact during its 70-year rule: Gehlot

    He said it was very easy to ask what the Congress did during its 70 years in power. In these 70 years, the Congress kept the country and democracy intact and further strengthened them.

  • Rajasthan CM approves draft of scheme to provide financial support to youngsters in urban areas

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot approved the draft of the Indira Gandhi Urban Credit Card Scheme, 2021 on Monday for providing financial support to street vendors, youngsters employed in the service sector and those looking for self-employment.

    There are schemes such as MGNREGA to provide employment opportunities in rural areas, but there is no such scheme for urban areas, an official statement issued here said.

    Gehlot had announced in this year’s budget that a scheme would be launched to generate employment and self-employment opportunities, and to cater to the daily needs of youngsters in urban areas affected due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The scheme will provide financial support to street vendors, hairdressers, rickshaw-pullers, carpenters, potters, cobblers, masons, tailors, washermen, painters, electricians and plumbers.

    The beneficiaries will be given interest-free loans of up to Rs 50,000 without any guarantee.

    A total of five lakh beneficiaries living within the limits of urban local bodies will be covered under the scheme, the statement said.

    The Department of Local Self Government will implement the scheme in the state.

    The moratorium period of the loan is three months and the repayment period 12 months.

    The district collectors will be the nodal officers for an effective implementation and a review of the scheme.

    In another decision, the chief minister gave relaxations in 38 appointments made on compassionate grounds.

    In the last two-and-a-half years, the state government has given relaxations in 875 cases and a total of 3,304 dependents of those who died while serving the government have been given appointments on compassionate grounds, the statement said.

  • Rajasthan Madarsa Act: High Court notice to Centre, state government

    By PTI

    JODHPUR: The High Court here issued a notice to the Centre and Rajasthan government, asking them to file a reply within four weeks over a PIL seeking the abolition of the state’s Madarsa Board Act, 2020.

    The notice has also been issued to central and state education boards as well as the Rajasthan minorities commission.

    Terming it against the federal spirit of the country, Mukesh Jain had moved the HC, seeking the abolition of the Act.

    In his petition, he said the Act violated the basic spirit of the Indian Constitution, which terms India as a secular republic.

    This Act promotes a specific religion and in any secular nation, no government can attempt to promote a single religion, the petition said.

    Jain further said it was not a prerogative of the state to introduce such an Act.

    Hence, it must be repealed as no other minority religion has been taken care of in this Act, the petitioner said.

    Jain said there is a universal education policy in the country and all institutions, including madarsas are included in it.

    He termed it unlawful to provide buildings and other resources to madarsas for educational purposes.

    Allowing the petition, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty and Justice Vineet Kumar Mathur issued notices to the Union and state governments, state Madarsa Board, minorities commission, CBSE and the RBSE, seeking reply in four weeks.

  • Twitter blocked account of Rajasthan Congress: Govind Singh Dotasra

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Twitter has blocked the account of the Rajasthan Congress, said party’s state unit president Govind Singh Dotasra here on Thursday.

    The development comes close on the heels of the blocking of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Twitter account after he shared pictures of the family of a nine-year-old girl who was allegedly raped and murdered in Delhi last week.

    The Congress alleged on Thursday that its official Twitter handle as well as that of a large number of party leaders and workers have been blocked by the microblogging website.

    “The official twitter account of the PCC, Rajasthan, has been blocked,” Dotasra told reporters.

    Party source said the account was locked due to a tweet condemning the blocking of Rahul Gandhi’s account.

    Dotasra tweeted, saying there is an undeclared emergency-like situation in the country.

    “The BJP’s fascist government has given up democratic values. But remember, you will not be able to crush the fight for truth and justice by closing Twitter accounts of Rahul Gandhi and thousands of Congress leaders and workers” he tweeted.

  • Parliament march by Rahul Gandhi most significant for democracy: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Accusing the central government of undermining democracy, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said the march by Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders outside Parliament was of great significance.

    “They protested against the abrupt end to the Monsoon Session, how opposition MPs were manhandled in Rajya Sabha & how opposition was not allowed to raise people’s issues in Parliament,” Gehlot tweeted.

    “Under NDA, every day is a new low as they continue to undermine parliamentary democracy,” he added.

    Leaders of several opposition parties on Thursday marched in protest against the government on several issues, including Pegasus, farm laws, and alleged manhandling of their MPs in Rajya Sabha, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saying the voice of people was crushed in Parliament and democracy was “murdered”.

  • Schools for classes 9-12, other educational institutes to reopen in Rajasthan from September 1

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Schools for classes 9 to 12, universities, colleges and coaching institutes will reopen in Rajasthan from September 1, according to a state government notification issued on Thursday.

    However, only 50 per cent of students will be allowed to attend classes in each session to maintain the COVID-19 protocol.

    Classes will be conducted in online mode only for students of classes 1 to 8.

    According to the notification, all government and private schools for classes 9 to 12, universities, colleges and coaching institutes will reopen from September 1 in Rajasthan.

    The educational institutes were closed due to lockdown in view of the second wave of the coronavirus in April this year.

    According to the guidelines issued by the Home department, all the teaching and non-teaching staff of coaching institutes should be fully vaccinated (completed both doses of COVID-19 vaccine) whereas the drivers and others providing transport facility to teaching and non teaching staff of school/colleges/ universities should get at least first dose of vaccine.

    The students who attend regular class will have to submit written consent from parents/guardians and no student will be forced to attend offline class.

    The facility of online classes will continue for those who do not attend the regular classes, the notification read.

    No morning assembly will be allowed in schools whereas all other guidelines related to COVID-19 for maintaining social distancing and hygiene will have to be followed, it said.

    The students will be allowed to enter the premises after screening for COVID-19.

    The state government had formed a ministerial committee for holding discussions about the reopening of schools.

    The committee recently submitted its report with recommendations to the chief minister following which the decision was taken.

  • Seven buried under debris of stone quarry in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara, five confirmed dead

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Five labourers were killed and two others are feared dead after debris of a quartz stone quarry fell on them in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara district on Wednesday, police said.

    The incident happened in Lachuda village falling under the Asind police station.

    Seven people, including three women, were buried under the debris.

    Five bodies, including of two women, were taken out.

    Two others are feared dead, Bhilwara Collector Shivprasad Nakate Madan said.

    He said illegal mining was being done at the site where the incident happened.

    A few days ago, four persons were arrested for illegal mining with machinery, he added.

  • Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot stresses on online delivery of citizen services

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Tuesday said that providing good governance and access to all the services of government departments with the use of information technology is the top priority of the state government.

    He directed officials to ensure online delivery of all types of citizen services.

    He asked all departments to share information of schemes and programs on the public information portal by October 2 this year.

    Rajasthan will be the first state to take such initiative for transparency and good governance using IT.

    Gehlot was addressing the review meeting of the Department of Information Technology and Communications through video conference at the Chief Minister’s residence on Tuesday evening.

    In a statement, Chief Minister said that in order to promote entrepreneurship among the youth and students of rural areas, incubation centres should be established at the educational division level and startup activities should be encouraged up to the school level.

    Gehlot said that the state government is giving priority to startup activities, but such programs are currently limited to big cities.

    He asked officials to start Rural I-Start program on the lines of I-Start and connect the students of English medium schools opened by the state government, women self-help groups in rural areas, innovators, rural entrepreneurs etc.

    The Chief Minister said that the complainants dialing on the 181 helpline contact portal should be satisfied in a better way and directed to ensure its effective monitoring.

    Gehlot said that the Department of Information Technology has played an important role in COVID management during the pandemic.

    He said that the department should document this work.

    Chief Secretary Niranjan Arya said that the use of information technology is becoming important for taking good governance to the grassroots level.

    People who are not able to take advantage of government schemes due to lack of information, there is a need to make them aware about the use of information technology.

    Principal Secretary, Information Technology Department, Alok Gupta said that during the last one-and-a-half year, more than 500 meetings were organised through video conference by the Chief Minister.

    About 6,500 meetings and interactions through VC from state capital to District and Village-Dhani level along with connecting migrant Rajasthanis and dignitaries settled in the country and abroad to ensure important information, guidelines and participation of all in COVID management.

    Principal Secretary, Finance, Akhil Arora said that it has been decided to give work orders up to Rs.15 lakh to the registered start-ups in the state for selected works in various departments without tender system.

    This will give a boost to start ups activities, he said.

  • Rajasthan government working to ensure welfare of tribal communities: CM Ashok Gehlot

    Ashok Gehlot said his government is working with a commitment to ensure the welfare of the state #39;s tribal communities.