News Analysis India

Tag: Rajasthan

  • If it were in my control, I would make rapists parade in public: Rajasthan CM

    By PTI

    UDAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has said if it were in his hands, he would have come up with severe punishments for rapists and gangsters to set a strict precedent.

    Gehlot was interacting with reporters during his Udaipur visit on Thursday when he made the remark.

    He said if needed, the identity of those held in the bribery case by the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) in the state will be revealed to set a stricter precedent for others.

    “If it were in my control, I would take the rapists and gangsters to markets and make them parade in public,” he said, adding, “However, this cannot be done.”

    Gehlot said the apex court has prohibited handcuffing but it used to make the person feel guilty. Now policemen arrest a person accused in a criminal case by holding hands. The Congress leader said respecting the judiciary is the duty of all.

    “Judiciary does its work and we do our work. Respecting it is our duty,” he said.

    He was answering a question about the ACB order that was issued by the officiating DG ACB on Wednesday.

    “The intention of the government is the same, zero tolerance against corruption and therefore the media and public should not mind it,” he said.

    “I believe that the order was issued on technical ground, on the basis of a Supreme Court judgment. It has come out in the media that the SC decision was for some other purpose, I will get it examined and if needed, the order will be withdrawn. It is not a big deal,” he said.

    Opposition BJP has targeted the state government over the order, questioning its intention.

    While praising the work being done by the bureau, the CM said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders cannot appreciate the good.

    The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Rajasthan on Wednesday asked its officials not to reveal names and photos of those accused in bribery cases until they are convicted by the court.

    In an order issued shortly after he assumed additional charge as the ACB chief, Hemant Priyadarshy said only the rank or designation, and the department of the accused should be shared with the media.

    The officer has argued that there is a legal ground behind the order and it was issued according to the guidelines of the apex court.

    UDAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has said if it were in his hands, he would have come up with severe punishments for rapists and gangsters to set a strict precedent.

    Gehlot was interacting with reporters during his Udaipur visit on Thursday when he made the remark.

    He said if needed, the identity of those held in the bribery case by the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) in the state will be revealed to set a stricter precedent for others.

    “If it were in my control, I would take the rapists and gangsters to markets and make them parade in public,” he said, adding, “However, this cannot be done.”

    Gehlot said the apex court has prohibited handcuffing but it used to make the person feel guilty. Now policemen arrest a person accused in a criminal case by holding hands. The Congress leader said respecting the judiciary is the duty of all.

    “Judiciary does its work and we do our work. Respecting it is our duty,” he said.

    He was answering a question about the ACB order that was issued by the officiating DG ACB on Wednesday.

    “The intention of the government is the same, zero tolerance against corruption and therefore the media and public should not mind it,” he said.

    “I believe that the order was issued on technical ground, on the basis of a Supreme Court judgment. It has come out in the media that the SC decision was for some other purpose, I will get it examined and if needed, the order will be withdrawn. It is not a big deal,” he said.

    Opposition BJP has targeted the state government over the order, questioning its intention.

    While praising the work being done by the bureau, the CM said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders cannot appreciate the good.

    The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Rajasthan on Wednesday asked its officials not to reveal names and photos of those accused in bribery cases until they are convicted by the court.

    In an order issued shortly after he assumed additional charge as the ACB chief, Hemant Priyadarshy said only the rank or designation, and the department of the accused should be shared with the media.

    The officer has argued that there is a legal ground behind the order and it was issued according to the guidelines of the apex court.

  • Rajasthan’s medical colleges face cadaver shortage, seek nod to acquire unclaimed bodies

    By PTI

    KOTA: Medical college authorities have sought the Rajasthan government’s permission to claim bodies of the destitute and those abandoned in shelter homes amid a crippling shortage of cadavers for students.

    Medical colleges in Kota and Jhalawar are grappling with a severe shortage of cadavers, being forced to manage practical studies by grouping students together.

    Government Medical College – Kota is conducting practical classes for its 250 students with 8 to 10 cadavers.

    Government Medical College – Jhalawar, on the other hand, has only six cadavers for its 200 students.

    This practice, however, runs contrary to the Medical Council of India — now the National Medical Commission — guidelines of one cadaver for 10 students.

    Cadavers are human bodies used by medical students, physicians and other scientists to study anatomy, identify disease sites and determine causes of death.

    Most state-run medical colleges in Rajasthan and across India rely on donations for cadavers.

    Accepting the shortage of cadavers, Government Medical College – Jhalawar Dean Shiv Bhagwan Sharma said he wrote to the state government two months ago to request permission for claiming bodies from shelter homes.

    Manoj Sharma, nodal officer of the body donation programme at Government Medical College – Jhalawar, said almost all colleges across the state, including private ones, were facing the cadaver shortage.

    However, SMS Medical College — the biggest hospital in the state — in Jaipur and RNT Medical College in Udaipur are exceptions.

    Udaipur’s location on the border with Gujarat enables it to acquire cadavers for students, he said.

    Dean Sharma proposed coordinating with shelter homes to claim bodies of the destitute and abandoned people who die of natural causes, he said.

    However, the state government is yet to respond to the proposal.

    Sharma asserted that the situation was the same across medical colleges in the state, depriving the students of the opportunity to get a better insight into human anatomy.

    Bharatpur-based NGO Apna Ghar, which provides shelter homes to the destitute and the abandoned, proposed to send bodies to medical studies and wrote to the state government for permission, he added.

    NGO representative Veerpal Singh said about 40 to 50 people died of natural causes in shelter homes every month and it would be fair if the bodies were used for medical studies to benefit hundreds of students. Singh said he had sought consent from the state government for the proposal.

    Green activist Brijesh Vijayvergeya said around five to six quintals of wood were required to perform during last rites.

    Vijayvergeya said donating a body will not only benefit the students but also the environment by conserving forests.

    Arushi Jain, the Anatomy department head at the Government Medical College, Kota, said only 39 bodies had been donated to the medical college since 2010.

    The utility of a body for medical studies is beyond imagination and it is significant for students, she said.

    Gopal Sharma, head of the Anatomy department at Government Medical College – Jhalawar, said campaigns were underway to generate awareness among people about donating bodies.

    KOTA: Medical college authorities have sought the Rajasthan government’s permission to claim bodies of the destitute and those abandoned in shelter homes amid a crippling shortage of cadavers for students.

    Medical colleges in Kota and Jhalawar are grappling with a severe shortage of cadavers, being forced to manage practical studies by grouping students together.

    Government Medical College – Kota is conducting practical classes for its 250 students with 8 to 10 cadavers.

    Government Medical College – Jhalawar, on the other hand, has only six cadavers for its 200 students.

    This practice, however, runs contrary to the Medical Council of India — now the National Medical Commission — guidelines of one cadaver for 10 students.

    Cadavers are human bodies used by medical students, physicians and other scientists to study anatomy, identify disease sites and determine causes of death.

    Most state-run medical colleges in Rajasthan and across India rely on donations for cadavers.

    Accepting the shortage of cadavers, Government Medical College – Jhalawar Dean Shiv Bhagwan Sharma said he wrote to the state government two months ago to request permission for claiming bodies from shelter homes.

    Manoj Sharma, nodal officer of the body donation programme at Government Medical College – Jhalawar, said almost all colleges across the state, including private ones, were facing the cadaver shortage.

    However, SMS Medical College — the biggest hospital in the state — in Jaipur and RNT Medical College in Udaipur are exceptions.

    Udaipur’s location on the border with Gujarat enables it to acquire cadavers for students, he said.

    Dean Sharma proposed coordinating with shelter homes to claim bodies of the destitute and abandoned people who die of natural causes, he said.

    However, the state government is yet to respond to the proposal.

    Sharma asserted that the situation was the same across medical colleges in the state, depriving the students of the opportunity to get a better insight into human anatomy.

    Bharatpur-based NGO Apna Ghar, which provides shelter homes to the destitute and the abandoned, proposed to send bodies to medical studies and wrote to the state government for permission, he added.

    NGO representative Veerpal Singh said about 40 to 50 people died of natural causes in shelter homes every month and it would be fair if the bodies were used for medical studies to benefit hundreds of students. Singh said he had sought consent from the state government for the proposal.

    Green activist Brijesh Vijayvergeya said around five to six quintals of wood were required to perform during last rites.

    Vijayvergeya said donating a body will not only benefit the students but also the environment by conserving forests.

    Arushi Jain, the Anatomy department head at the Government Medical College, Kota, said only 39 bodies had been donated to the medical college since 2010.

    The utility of a body for medical studies is beyond imagination and it is significant for students, she said.

    Gopal Sharma, head of the Anatomy department at Government Medical College – Jhalawar, said campaigns were underway to generate awareness among people about donating bodies.

  • 44 held in Rajasthan for leaking second-grade teacher recruitment exam paper

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: At least 44 people, including 37 students and seven experts, were arrested in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district in connection with the paper leak a few hours before the 2nd-grade teacher recruitment examination was to begin across the state on Saturday, police said.

    The general knowledge examination for teacher recruitment to be conducted by the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) has been cancelled now.

    Among those arrested include the alleged mastermind of the paper leak, Suresh Vishnoi, a resident of Jodhpur, police said.

    Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has announced the cancellation of the examination.

    The Opposition BJP, while targeting the government over the issue, demanded strict action against those who leaked the paper.

    Acting on a tip-off that the paper has been leaked and a private bus carrying the candidates was coming to Udaipur, police teams stopped a vehicle at an intersection in Bekariya police station circle in the morning, Udaipur Superintendent of Police Vikas Sharma said.

    He said the candidates travelling in the bus were having the leaked examination paper in their possession.

    “The suspected bus was stopped. At least 37 candidates were found with the leaked paper and seven others including experts and invigilators were found with other equipment. All of them hail from Jalore district and they have been arrested,” Sharma said.

    He said preliminary investigation revealed that the mastermind had taken Rs 10 lakh to make the paper available to them.

    More arrested are expected in the matter, the SP said.

    Udaipur Police in the past few days has arrested three persons who tried to appear in the teacher recruitment examination as dummy candidates.

    Chief Minister Gehlot said on Saturday that the general knowledge exam for teacher recruitment in the state was cancelled as a precautionary measure so that injustice does not happen to the youths.

    “Today, on December 24, from 9 to 11 am, the general knowledge test for teacher recruitment has been cancelled as a precaution so that no injustice is done to any hardworking youths,” he tweeted.

    Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Gulab Chand Kataria said Saturday’s incident is a shame on the government and a matter of sadness.

    He said it was also disturbing for the students who had prepared hard for the examination.

    He questioned how this network that leaks papers for money is able to operate in the state.

    There is a huge nexus involved in the crime as eight papers have already got leaked and Saturday’s incident was the 9th, Kataria said.

    BJP national general secretary and Rajasthan in-charge Arun Singh said, “There is anger among youths. The cancellation of first shift paper of Rajasthan Senior Teacher Recruitment Exam 2022 is another proof of CM Ashok Gehlot’s failure. Fearless paper mafia dominates the entire examination system, future of youth is bleak.”

    Other BJP leaders, including Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and state president Satish Poonia, has targeted the Congress government for its failure in tackling the paper leak mafia.

    JAIPUR: At least 44 people, including 37 students and seven experts, were arrested in Rajasthan’s Udaipur district in connection with the paper leak a few hours before the 2nd-grade teacher recruitment examination was to begin across the state on Saturday, police said.

    The general knowledge examination for teacher recruitment to be conducted by the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) has been cancelled now.

    Among those arrested include the alleged mastermind of the paper leak, Suresh Vishnoi, a resident of Jodhpur, police said.

    Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has announced the cancellation of the examination.

    The Opposition BJP, while targeting the government over the issue, demanded strict action against those who leaked the paper.

    Acting on a tip-off that the paper has been leaked and a private bus carrying the candidates was coming to Udaipur, police teams stopped a vehicle at an intersection in Bekariya police station circle in the morning, Udaipur Superintendent of Police Vikas Sharma said.

    He said the candidates travelling in the bus were having the leaked examination paper in their possession.

    “The suspected bus was stopped. At least 37 candidates were found with the leaked paper and seven others including experts and invigilators were found with other equipment. All of them hail from Jalore district and they have been arrested,” Sharma said.

    He said preliminary investigation revealed that the mastermind had taken Rs 10 lakh to make the paper available to them.

    More arrested are expected in the matter, the SP said.

    Udaipur Police in the past few days has arrested three persons who tried to appear in the teacher recruitment examination as dummy candidates.

    Chief Minister Gehlot said on Saturday that the general knowledge exam for teacher recruitment in the state was cancelled as a precautionary measure so that injustice does not happen to the youths.

    “Today, on December 24, from 9 to 11 am, the general knowledge test for teacher recruitment has been cancelled as a precaution so that no injustice is done to any hardworking youths,” he tweeted.

    Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan Assembly Gulab Chand Kataria said Saturday’s incident is a shame on the government and a matter of sadness.

    He said it was also disturbing for the students who had prepared hard for the examination.

    He questioned how this network that leaks papers for money is able to operate in the state.

    There is a huge nexus involved in the crime as eight papers have already got leaked and Saturday’s incident was the 9th, Kataria said.

    BJP national general secretary and Rajasthan in-charge Arun Singh said, “There is anger among youths. The cancellation of first shift paper of Rajasthan Senior Teacher Recruitment Exam 2022 is another proof of CM Ashok Gehlot’s failure. Fearless paper mafia dominates the entire examination system, future of youth is bleak.”

    Other BJP leaders, including Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and state president Satish Poonia, has targeted the Congress government for its failure in tackling the paper leak mafia.

  • Yoga, zumba classes, mental wellness in focus as student suicides shake Kota

    By PTI

    KOTA (Rajasthan): From Yoga sessions and zumba classes to 24X7 helplines and mental wellness workshops, coaching institutes in Kota say they take multiple steps to help students tackle the anxiety of preparing for competitive exams.

    The coaching hub is back in focus after three students died last week — two of them were found hanging at their hostel rooms, and the third one allegedly consumed a poisonous substance.

    Prominent coaching institute Allen, which currently has over 1.5 lakh students in its various medical (NEET) and engineering (JEE) entrance preparatory courses, runs special programmes such as “Tum Hoge Kamyab” (you will succeed) and “Wings of Wisdom”, besides regular yoga sessions and zumba classes, for the mental wellbeing of its students.

    “We have a dedicated helpline which works round the clock and over 50 concerned calls from students or parents are addressed daily through it,” said Dr Harish Sharma, Principal Counsellor and Student-Behaviour Expert at Allen.

    “For every 10 students we have a supervising student who is called a buddy. The job of the buddy is to keep a check on the mental health of the group and inform the teachers if there are any symptoms or signs like someone is not eating properly for a few days, not coming out of room or attending classes or not talking to his or her parents,” he told PTI.

    He said professional counsellors available at the institute are roped in once the teachers have an idea that any student is going through some difficulties.

    “However, in certain cases where we realise that mere counselling will not help and the child needs proper treatment, we inform the parents to take the child with them for sometime and work on their mental health,” he added.

    The coaching behemoth also organises counselling sessions for parents to sensitise them about how to keep in touch with their child, without creating any pressure on them.

    “It is a very thin line,” Sharma said.

    “If parents do not keep in touch with their wards, it’s obvious they will not notice any change in their behaviour and will not know when their child needs help. On the other hand, if parents keep in constant touch, they often add to the burden and stress of students by reminding them of their struggles in sending the child to Kota or add the burden of their expectations.”

    ALSO READ | Kota suicides: Human Rights body affirms need to ‘regulate private coaching institutes’

    Typically, for students the day begins as early as 5.30 am with their first classes at 7 am.

    Coaching institutes have put in place a mechanism to let parents know if their child has attended the class.

    As soon students leave their hostel, they are supposed to mark an ‘exit’ using the biometric attendance system which automatically sends a message to the parents that the child is out of their accommodation.

    A similar message is sent to parents when the child enters the coaching institute.

    At Resonance, another prominent coaching institution, every student has a mentor to help him or her deal with academic and non-academic issues.

    “We encourage students to not only discuss their academic concerns but also non-academic issues which are causing stress or anxiety.

    Yoga sessions and concentration exercises are also among the activities that are encouraged among the students,” said RK Agarwal, the institute’s Managing Director and Academic Head.

    Notwithstanding such measures, students sometimes get trapped in the cycle of depression with multiple factor contributing to it.

    According to police and district administration records, at least 14 students studying in coaching centres in the city committed suicide this year.

    No student suicide was reported in 2021 when the coaching centres here were shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic and students attended online classes from their homes.

    The number stood at 18 in 2019 and 20 in 2020.

    Of the three students who died last week, NEET aspirant Ankush Anand (18) from and JEE aspirant Ujjwal Kumar (17) — both from Bihar — were found hanging from ceiling fans in their respective rooms at their paying guest (PG) accommodation on December 12, according to police.

    The third student, Pranav Verma (17), a NEET aspirant from Madhya Pradesh, allegedly consumed a poisonous substance in his hostel on December 11.

    In the current year, a record 2 lakh students are enrolled and studying in various coaching institutions in Kota.

    Naveen Mittal, the President of Kota Hostel Association, said similar measures are in place at the hostels too to help students cope with stress and anxiety.

    “Since each student lives in a single room accommodation to help them study better, it is not possible for the peers to always keep a check manually but we ensure that wardens regularly talk to the students,” he said.

    “Special fun zones have been created in the hostels for students’ recreation. Meditation sessions are also regularly conducted,” he said.

    (If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation – 04424640050 (available 24×7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences’ helpline – 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)

    KOTA (Rajasthan): From Yoga sessions and zumba classes to 24X7 helplines and mental wellness workshops, coaching institutes in Kota say they take multiple steps to help students tackle the anxiety of preparing for competitive exams.

    The coaching hub is back in focus after three students died last week — two of them were found hanging at their hostel rooms, and the third one allegedly consumed a poisonous substance.

    Prominent coaching institute Allen, which currently has over 1.5 lakh students in its various medical (NEET) and engineering (JEE) entrance preparatory courses, runs special programmes such as “Tum Hoge Kamyab” (you will succeed) and “Wings of Wisdom”, besides regular yoga sessions and zumba classes, for the mental wellbeing of its students.

    “We have a dedicated helpline which works round the clock and over 50 concerned calls from students or parents are addressed daily through it,” said Dr Harish Sharma, Principal Counsellor and Student-Behaviour Expert at Allen.

    “For every 10 students we have a supervising student who is called a buddy. The job of the buddy is to keep a check on the mental health of the group and inform the teachers if there are any symptoms or signs like someone is not eating properly for a few days, not coming out of room or attending classes or not talking to his or her parents,” he told PTI.

    He said professional counsellors available at the institute are roped in once the teachers have an idea that any student is going through some difficulties.

    “However, in certain cases where we realise that mere counselling will not help and the child needs proper treatment, we inform the parents to take the child with them for sometime and work on their mental health,” he added.

    The coaching behemoth also organises counselling sessions for parents to sensitise them about how to keep in touch with their child, without creating any pressure on them.

    “It is a very thin line,” Sharma said.

    “If parents do not keep in touch with their wards, it’s obvious they will not notice any change in their behaviour and will not know when their child needs help. On the other hand, if parents keep in constant touch, they often add to the burden and stress of students by reminding them of their struggles in sending the child to Kota or add the burden of their expectations.”

    ALSO READ | Kota suicides: Human Rights body affirms need to ‘regulate private coaching institutes’

    Typically, for students the day begins as early as 5.30 am with their first classes at 7 am.

    Coaching institutes have put in place a mechanism to let parents know if their child has attended the class.

    As soon students leave their hostel, they are supposed to mark an ‘exit’ using the biometric attendance system which automatically sends a message to the parents that the child is out of their accommodation.

    A similar message is sent to parents when the child enters the coaching institute.

    At Resonance, another prominent coaching institution, every student has a mentor to help him or her deal with academic and non-academic issues.

    “We encourage students to not only discuss their academic concerns but also non-academic issues which are causing stress or anxiety.

    Yoga sessions and concentration exercises are also among the activities that are encouraged among the students,” said RK Agarwal, the institute’s Managing Director and Academic Head.

    Notwithstanding such measures, students sometimes get trapped in the cycle of depression with multiple factor contributing to it.

    According to police and district administration records, at least 14 students studying in coaching centres in the city committed suicide this year.

    No student suicide was reported in 2021 when the coaching centres here were shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic and students attended online classes from their homes.

    The number stood at 18 in 2019 and 20 in 2020.

    Of the three students who died last week, NEET aspirant Ankush Anand (18) from and JEE aspirant Ujjwal Kumar (17) — both from Bihar — were found hanging from ceiling fans in their respective rooms at their paying guest (PG) accommodation on December 12, according to police.

    The third student, Pranav Verma (17), a NEET aspirant from Madhya Pradesh, allegedly consumed a poisonous substance in his hostel on December 11.

    In the current year, a record 2 lakh students are enrolled and studying in various coaching institutions in Kota.

    Naveen Mittal, the President of Kota Hostel Association, said similar measures are in place at the hostels too to help students cope with stress and anxiety.

    “Since each student lives in a single room accommodation to help them study better, it is not possible for the peers to always keep a check manually but we ensure that wardens regularly talk to the students,” he said.

    “Special fun zones have been created in the hostels for students’ recreation. Meditation sessions are also regularly conducted,” he said.

    (If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation – 04424640050 (available 24×7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences’ helpline – 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)

  • Police arrest Jaipur man who killed aunt, dumped body parts near highway

    By Online Desk

    JAIPUR: A CCTV video grab showing a 32-year-old man Anuj Sharma pushing a heavy suitcase along with the discovery of blood stains in his bathroom has led to his arrest in a sensational case from Jaipur.

    According to Vidhyanagar Police, Anuj Sharma, alias Achintya Govind Das, allegedly killed his elderly aunt Saroj Sharma (65) by hitting her with a hammer on the head as “she was very controlling.” Her body was then allegedly chopped into 10 pieces, eight of which have been recovered.

    Anjuj had been associated with ‘Hare Krishna’ movement for the last seven-eight years.

    However, a spokesperson of the organisation in Jaipur said he was not active for the past one year after the death of his mother due to COVID-19.

    Saroj Sharma was the wife of his father’s elder brother and had been living with them after the death of her husband in 1995.

    He has been sent to police remand till December 20.

    He had initially tried to mislead the police, officials said. He told the police on the night of December 11 that his aunt had gone to the temple in the morning and was missing since then.

    During the probe, it was found that his statements were misleading, following which his activities were monitored. In CCTV footage, he was seen leaving his house with a suitcase. A relative had seen him cleaning blood stains near the kitchen of the house, police said.

    “During the police interrogation, some blood stains were found in the house, and on questioning, the accused said that it was caused by a nosebleed due to the cold weather,” DCP North Parish Deshmukh told ANI.

    Anuj is a BTech graduate and has worked at a private firm. He has been out of work for eight years and is part of a religious group, claimed police. He was reportedly financially dependent on his aunt.

    On December 11, Anuj Sharma’s father had gone to Indore and the accused and the victim were alone in the house, police said.

    The police alleged that Anuj confessed that his aunt used to dominate him since childhood. On December 11, he asked her permission for going to Delhi for a ‘Hare Krishna’ event, and she refused. He could not control his anger and hit her on the head with a hammer, police said.

    Anuj then allegedly dragged his aunt’s body to the bathroom where he chopped it into pieces with a marble cutter bought from a local market, police said. He then packed the body parts in a suitcase and a bucket and dumped them in a forest area located near the Jaipur-Sikar highway.

    Further investigation into the case is underway.

    (With PTI, ANI inputs)

    JAIPUR: A CCTV video grab showing a 32-year-old man Anuj Sharma pushing a heavy suitcase along with the discovery of blood stains in his bathroom has led to his arrest in a sensational case from Jaipur.

    According to Vidhyanagar Police, Anuj Sharma, alias Achintya Govind Das, allegedly killed his elderly aunt Saroj Sharma (65) by hitting her with a hammer on the head as “she was very controlling.” Her body was then allegedly chopped into 10 pieces, eight of which have been recovered.

    Anjuj had been associated with ‘Hare Krishna’ movement for the last seven-eight years.

    However, a spokesperson of the organisation in Jaipur said he was not active for the past one year after the death of his mother due to COVID-19.

    Saroj Sharma was the wife of his father’s elder brother and had been living with them after the death of her husband in 1995.

    He has been sent to police remand till December 20.

    He had initially tried to mislead the police, officials said. He told the police on the night of December 11 that his aunt had gone to the temple in the morning and was missing since then.

    During the probe, it was found that his statements were misleading, following which his activities were monitored. In CCTV footage, he was seen leaving his house with a suitcase. A relative had seen him cleaning blood stains near the kitchen of the house, police said.

    “During the police interrogation, some blood stains were found in the house, and on questioning, the accused said that it was caused by a nosebleed due to the cold weather,” DCP North Parish Deshmukh told ANI.

    Anuj is a BTech graduate and has worked at a private firm. He has been out of work for eight years and is part of a religious group, claimed police. He was reportedly financially dependent on his aunt.

    On December 11, Anuj Sharma’s father had gone to Indore and the accused and the victim were alone in the house, police said.

    The police alleged that Anuj confessed that his aunt used to dominate him since childhood. On December 11, he asked her permission for going to Delhi for a ‘Hare Krishna’ event, and she refused. He could not control his anger and hit her on the head with a hammer, police said.

    Anuj then allegedly dragged his aunt’s body to the bathroom where he chopped it into pieces with a marble cutter bought from a local market, police said. He then packed the body parts in a suitcase and a bucket and dumped them in a forest area located near the Jaipur-Sikar highway.

    Further investigation into the case is underway.

    (With PTI, ANI inputs)

  • Congress’s ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ resumes from Rajasthan’s Bundi

    By PTI

    JAIPUR:  Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumed the Rajasthan leg of the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ from Gudli village in Bundi district on Saturday morning.

    Gandhi had taken a day’s break from the yatra on Friday to celebrate his mother Sonia Gandhi’s birthday. He flew back to Gudli village to resume the yatra.

    Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who had reached Ranthambore on Thursday, were not accompanying him in the yatra on Saturday. However, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and several other party leaders and workers accompanied Rahul Gandhi.

    On the 94th day, the yatra is likely to cover 30 km from Gudli village in Keshoraipatan assembly constituency in Bundi district represented by BJP MLA Chandrakanta Meghwal.

    Rahul Gandhi stopped for a tea break at a roadside dhaba near Hastinapur village on the way to Arneta. He stopped for around 15 minutes for tea and refreshment after covering nearly 12 km. After tea, the yatra left for its next halt at Arneta in Kapren. Lunch break is scheduled at Arneta.

    The yatra will start its afternoon leg at 3.30 pm. It is slated to reach Balapura Chouraha at 6.30 pm with night stay at Kodkya, near Bajdali railway crossing.

    As the yatra reached Sunwasa village, the participants were welcomed with Sanskrit verses recited by the pupils of a Ved Vidyalaya.

    Hundreds of people from others districts of the state also reached Gudli on Friday night and early Saturday morning to join the yatra.

    Pukhraj Mehra (65), a retired Nayab Tehsildar from Jodhpur, along with his five or six companions reached Bundi on Friday night and joined the yatra.

    “I had the opportunity to have a close look at Rahul Gandhi even though I was out of the security circle,” said Mehra, who marched for around five kilometres.

    This is the first time that the yatra, which began from Kanyakumari on September 8, has entered a Congress-ruled state.

    The yatra is scheduled to cover a distance of 500 km — passing through Jhalawar, Kota, Bundi, Sawai Madhopur, Dausa and Alwar districts — in 17 days before entering Haryana on December 21.

    JAIPUR:  Congress leader Rahul Gandhi resumed the Rajasthan leg of the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ from Gudli village in Bundi district on Saturday morning.

    Gandhi had taken a day’s break from the yatra on Friday to celebrate his mother Sonia Gandhi’s birthday. He flew back to Gudli village to resume the yatra.

    Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who had reached Ranthambore on Thursday, were not accompanying him in the yatra on Saturday. However, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and several other party leaders and workers accompanied Rahul Gandhi.

    On the 94th day, the yatra is likely to cover 30 km from Gudli village in Keshoraipatan assembly constituency in Bundi district represented by BJP MLA Chandrakanta Meghwal.

    Rahul Gandhi stopped for a tea break at a roadside dhaba near Hastinapur village on the way to Arneta. He stopped for around 15 minutes for tea and refreshment after covering nearly 12 km. After tea, the yatra left for its next halt at Arneta in Kapren. Lunch break is scheduled at Arneta.

    The yatra will start its afternoon leg at 3.30 pm. It is slated to reach Balapura Chouraha at 6.30 pm with night stay at Kodkya, near Bajdali railway crossing.

    As the yatra reached Sunwasa village, the participants were welcomed with Sanskrit verses recited by the pupils of a Ved Vidyalaya.

    Hundreds of people from others districts of the state also reached Gudli on Friday night and early Saturday morning to join the yatra.

    Pukhraj Mehra (65), a retired Nayab Tehsildar from Jodhpur, along with his five or six companions reached Bundi on Friday night and joined the yatra.

    “I had the opportunity to have a close look at Rahul Gandhi even though I was out of the security circle,” said Mehra, who marched for around five kilometres.

    This is the first time that the yatra, which began from Kanyakumari on September 8, has entered a Congress-ruled state.

    The yatra is scheduled to cover a distance of 500 km — passing through Jhalawar, Kota, Bundi, Sawai Madhopur, Dausa and Alwar districts — in 17 days before entering Haryana on December 21.

  • Five killed, 49 injured in cooking gas cylinder blast in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur

    By PTI

    JODHPUR: Five people were killed and 49 injured after a cooking gas cylinder exploded in a house in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur where guests had gathered for a wedding, police said on Friday.

    A portion of the house in Shergarh sub-division’s Bhungra village also collapsed due to the impact of the blast that occurred on Thursday afternoon, they said.

    Some of the injured sustained 80 to 100 per cent burns, according to officials.

    Guests had gathered at the house of bridegroom Surendra Singh and food was being prepared for them.

    A cooking gas cylinder kept in the store room of the house caught fire following a leak and exploded, said Jodhpur (Rural) Superintendent of Police (SP) Anil Kayal.

    Other guests and villagers rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. Two children, Ratan Singh (5) and Khushboo (4), died on the spot. All the injured were rushed to the MG Hospital, Kayal said.

    District Collector Himanshu Gupta said 54 people were injured in the blast and five of them died.

    Superintendent of MG Hospital Raj Shree Behra said over a dozen injured brought to the hospital have sustained 80-100 per cent burns and are in serious condition.

    Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and Union minister and Jodhpur MP Gajendra Singh Shekhawat expressed their condolences over the loss of lives in the incident.

    They directed officials to provide the best possible treatment to the injured.

    JODHPUR: Five people were killed and 49 injured after a cooking gas cylinder exploded in a house in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur where guests had gathered for a wedding, police said on Friday.

    A portion of the house in Shergarh sub-division’s Bhungra village also collapsed due to the impact of the blast that occurred on Thursday afternoon, they said.

    Some of the injured sustained 80 to 100 per cent burns, according to officials.

    Guests had gathered at the house of bridegroom Surendra Singh and food was being prepared for them.

    A cooking gas cylinder kept in the store room of the house caught fire following a leak and exploded, said Jodhpur (Rural) Superintendent of Police (SP) Anil Kayal.

    Other guests and villagers rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. Two children, Ratan Singh (5) and Khushboo (4), died on the spot. All the injured were rushed to the MG Hospital, Kayal said.

    District Collector Himanshu Gupta said 54 people were injured in the blast and five of them died.

    Superintendent of MG Hospital Raj Shree Behra said over a dozen injured brought to the hospital have sustained 80-100 per cent burns and are in serious condition.

    Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, and Union minister and Jodhpur MP Gajendra Singh Shekhawat expressed their condolences over the loss of lives in the incident.

    They directed officials to provide the best possible treatment to the injured.

  • Rajasthan Congress gets HC jolt during Bharat Jodo Yatra

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR: Even as Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra entered its second day in Rajasthan on Tuesday, the Congress received a jolt with the High Court issuing a notice to the Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi over the resignations of 91 party MLAs on September 25.

    A division bench of Justices MM Srivastava and VK Bhavani gave the order on a PIL filed by BJP leader Rajendra Singh Rathore, since the Speaker has not yet taken any decision on the issue. The petition said if an MLA submits his resignation under Rule 173 of the Legislative Assembly Procedure, the Speaker has no option but to accept the resignation and can only examine whether the resignation is voluntary and genuine or not.

    The petition also said that it is possible that such a huge number of MLAs may have been forced to give their resignations or their signatures were forged, and the government has lost confidence in the House due to the resignation of MLAs. “The court has issued a two weeks’ notice after the hearing,” Rathore said.

    “The Speaker and the secretary of the Assembly will have to present why they have not yet decided on these resignations even after a lapse of 70 days,” he added. Meanwhile, Rahul faced pro-Modi slogans when his rally passed in front of the office of Lok Sabha MP Dushyant Singh, the son of former Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje in Jhalawar district, which is the BJP leader’s bastion.

    Rahul shook hands with the BJP workers and also asked Sachin Pilot and Ramlal Jat, who were walking along, to greet them. The Congress leaders waved at the crowd, and even blew a few flying kisses towards them, which led to a burst of clapping from the onlookers. This, the Congress said, is a reflection of the kind of politics Rahul wants to promote through his Yatra. Rahul also said on the social media that the purpose of his Yatra is to counter the politics of hatred that is being spread in the country.

    “Neither malice, nor irritation, nor anger — there is none of these in the heart of any of our Yatris. There is something to unite India, sympathy for the problems of Indians and love for all countrymen…,” he posted. Meanwhile, amid continuing internal tussle in the Congress in Rajasthan, senior Punjab leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has been appointed as the state on-charge in place of Ajay Maken, who resigned a few weeks ago. Randhawa has also been nominated as a member of the Congress Steering Committee. In the last two-and-a-half years, two state in-charges have resigned in Rajasthan, but the Gehlot-Pilot dispute remains unresolved.

    JAIPUR: Even as Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra entered its second day in Rajasthan on Tuesday, the Congress received a jolt with the High Court issuing a notice to the Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi over the resignations of 91 party MLAs on September 25.

    A division bench of Justices MM Srivastava and VK Bhavani gave the order on a PIL filed by BJP leader Rajendra Singh Rathore, since the Speaker has not yet taken any decision on the issue. The petition said if an MLA submits his resignation under Rule 173 of the Legislative Assembly Procedure, the Speaker has no option but to accept the resignation and can only examine whether the resignation is voluntary and genuine or not.

    The petition also said that it is possible that such a huge number of MLAs may have been forced to give their resignations or their signatures were forged, and the government has lost confidence in the House due to the resignation of MLAs. “The court has issued a two weeks’ notice after the hearing,” Rathore said.

    “The Speaker and the secretary of the Assembly will have to present why they have not yet decided on these resignations even after a lapse of 70 days,” he added. Meanwhile, Rahul faced pro-Modi slogans when his rally passed in front of the office of Lok Sabha MP Dushyant Singh, the son of former Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje in Jhalawar district, which is the BJP leader’s bastion.

    Rahul shook hands with the BJP workers and also asked Sachin Pilot and Ramlal Jat, who were walking along, to greet them. The Congress leaders waved at the crowd, and even blew a few flying kisses towards them, which led to a burst of clapping from the onlookers. This, the Congress said, is a reflection of the kind of politics Rahul wants to promote through his Yatra. Rahul also said on the social media that the purpose of his Yatra is to counter the politics of hatred that is being spread in the country.

    “Neither malice, nor irritation, nor anger — there is none of these in the heart of any of our Yatris. There is something to unite India, sympathy for the problems of Indians and love for all countrymen…,” he posted. Meanwhile, amid continuing internal tussle in the Congress in Rajasthan, senior Punjab leader Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa has been appointed as the state on-charge in place of Ajay Maken, who resigned a few weeks ago. Randhawa has also been nominated as a member of the Congress Steering Committee. In the last two-and-a-half years, two state in-charges have resigned in Rajasthan, but the Gehlot-Pilot dispute remains unresolved.

  • Bharat Jodo Yatra set to enter Rajasthan this evening; party workers to accord grand welcome 

    By PTI

    JHALAWAR: The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra is all set to enter Congress-ruled Rajasthan Sunday evening amid excitement among party workers and a well-coordinated attempt to paper over differences between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot.

    Gandhi and his fellow yatris will be given a grand reception at Chanwli Chauraha, approximately 40-km from Jhalawar city, in the traditional Rajasthani culture when they enter the state from the Hindi-heartland state of Madhya Pradesh.

    Chanwli is the last village sharing border with Madhya Pradesh’s Agar-Malwa district.

    Local villagers have already swelled up at the venue.

    They have rolled out green carpet, set up a stage, and arranged drums and DJ systems to give their leader and his companions on the 3570-km yatra a grand welcome.

    A large number of party workers carrying party flags have reached the venue.

    Roads leading to the venue are lined on both sides with welcome hoardings, and banners of Chief Minister Gehot and his former deputy Pilot.

    Posters of local leaders have also been put up.

    The administration has made tight security arrangements with police personnel from different areas pulled in to cover the entire venue.

    The yatra will enter the state at Jhalawar, a BJP stronghold, and is scheduled to cover a distance of 500 km in 17 days.

    This is the first time that the yatra, which began from Kanyakumari on September 8, is entering a Congress-ruled state.

    Ahead of the yatra entering their state, Gehlot and Pilot, who have differences and have been in a tug of war for the CM’s post, presented a united face.

    Dismissing apprehensions that the infighting may affect the Yatra’s Rajasthan leg, Pilot on Sunday told PTI that the party’s state unit is “fully united” and focussed on ensuring that the Yatra is even more successful than it has been in other states.

    The yatra will only add to the efforts towards the next election in 12 months’ time, the former Rajasthan deputy chief minister said.

    The Gehlot government has also pacified Gurjar leader Vijay Singh Bainsla, who had threatened to disrupt the yatra over his pending demand regarding reservation and other issues with the state government, by holding a series of meetings on the issues recently.

    Bainsla has withdrawn his protest against the yatra.

    State Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra said all preparations have been completed in Jhalawar.

    “We all are ready to welcome the Bharat Jodo Yatra today. All preparations have been completed. It will be a historic yatra in the state. Besides party workers, there is great enthusiasm among the people of the state for this yatra,” he said.

    Jhalawar is a BJP stronghold having the influence of former chief minister Vasundhara Raje.  She represents Jhalrapatan assembly constituency of Jhalawar.

    All four assembly constituencies in this district are with the BJP and Raje’s son Dushyant Singh is MP from the Jhalawar Lok Sabha seat.

    A day before the entry of the yatra, Pilot had issued a video on his social media platforms to welcome Gandhi.

    “Entire Rajasthan is ready to join Rahul ji’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. Are you coming?” Pilot said in the video.

    The video showed him tying shoelaces, stretching his body, fixing his spectacles and running as more people joined him.

    According to the officials’ plan, Gandhi will start the Rajasthan leg of the yatra on Monday at 6 am from Kali Talai.

    He will reach the Bali Borda chauraha at 10 am after covering a distance of 14 km.

    After lunch, the yatra will resume from Nahardi at 3.30 pm and will reach Chandrabhaga Chauraha at 6.30 pm.

    The Congress leader will have a corner meeting at Chandrabhaga chauraha in the evening.

    The night stay will be in the sports complex of Jhalawar.

    Gandhi will cover nearly 500 km in the state traversing through Jhalawar, Kota, Bundi, Sawai Madhopur, Dausa and Alwar districts before entering Haryana on December 21.

    Gandhi is scheduled to hold a dialogue with farmers at Lalsot in Dausa on December 15 and address a public rally in Alwar’s Malakheda on December 19.

    JHALAWAR: The Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra is all set to enter Congress-ruled Rajasthan Sunday evening amid excitement among party workers and a well-coordinated attempt to paper over differences between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his former deputy Sachin Pilot.

    Gandhi and his fellow yatris will be given a grand reception at Chanwli Chauraha, approximately 40-km from Jhalawar city, in the traditional Rajasthani culture when they enter the state from the Hindi-heartland state of Madhya Pradesh.

    Chanwli is the last village sharing border with Madhya Pradesh’s Agar-Malwa district.

    Local villagers have already swelled up at the venue.

    They have rolled out green carpet, set up a stage, and arranged drums and DJ systems to give their leader and his companions on the 3570-km yatra a grand welcome.

    A large number of party workers carrying party flags have reached the venue.

    Roads leading to the venue are lined on both sides with welcome hoardings, and banners of Chief Minister Gehot and his former deputy Pilot.

    Posters of local leaders have also been put up.

    The administration has made tight security arrangements with police personnel from different areas pulled in to cover the entire venue.

    The yatra will enter the state at Jhalawar, a BJP stronghold, and is scheduled to cover a distance of 500 km in 17 days.

    This is the first time that the yatra, which began from Kanyakumari on September 8, is entering a Congress-ruled state.

    Ahead of the yatra entering their state, Gehlot and Pilot, who have differences and have been in a tug of war for the CM’s post, presented a united face.

    Dismissing apprehensions that the infighting may affect the Yatra’s Rajasthan leg, Pilot on Sunday told PTI that the party’s state unit is “fully united” and focussed on ensuring that the Yatra is even more successful than it has been in other states.

    The yatra will only add to the efforts towards the next election in 12 months’ time, the former Rajasthan deputy chief minister said.

    The Gehlot government has also pacified Gurjar leader Vijay Singh Bainsla, who had threatened to disrupt the yatra over his pending demand regarding reservation and other issues with the state government, by holding a series of meetings on the issues recently.

    Bainsla has withdrawn his protest against the yatra.

    State Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra said all preparations have been completed in Jhalawar.

    “We all are ready to welcome the Bharat Jodo Yatra today. All preparations have been completed. It will be a historic yatra in the state. Besides party workers, there is great enthusiasm among the people of the state for this yatra,” he said.

    Jhalawar is a BJP stronghold having the influence of former chief minister Vasundhara Raje.  She represents Jhalrapatan assembly constituency of Jhalawar.

    All four assembly constituencies in this district are with the BJP and Raje’s son Dushyant Singh is MP from the Jhalawar Lok Sabha seat.

    A day before the entry of the yatra, Pilot had issued a video on his social media platforms to welcome Gandhi.

    “Entire Rajasthan is ready to join Rahul ji’s Bharat Jodo Yatra. Are you coming?” Pilot said in the video.

    The video showed him tying shoelaces, stretching his body, fixing his spectacles and running as more people joined him.

    According to the officials’ plan, Gandhi will start the Rajasthan leg of the yatra on Monday at 6 am from Kali Talai.

    He will reach the Bali Borda chauraha at 10 am after covering a distance of 14 km.

    After lunch, the yatra will resume from Nahardi at 3.30 pm and will reach Chandrabhaga Chauraha at 6.30 pm.

    The Congress leader will have a corner meeting at Chandrabhaga chauraha in the evening.

    The night stay will be in the sports complex of Jhalawar.

    Gandhi will cover nearly 500 km in the state traversing through Jhalawar, Kota, Bundi, Sawai Madhopur, Dausa and Alwar districts before entering Haryana on December 21.

    Gandhi is scheduled to hold a dialogue with farmers at Lalsot in Dausa on December 15 and address a public rally in Alwar’s Malakheda on December 19.

  • Sonia Gandhi will march with son Rahul in Rajasthan on her birthday, Dec 9 

    Express News Service

    JAIPUR: Former Congress President Sonia Gandhi will march with her son on her birthday on December 9. She will be joined by her daughter Priyanka Gandhi and other family members at the Kota-leg of the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra. 

    The Yatra will enter the state capital Rajasthan from Jhalawar on December 4. Jhalawar is considered the bastion of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. The march will then reach Kota, the parliamentary segment represented by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. 

    Caught unawares ☺️ pic.twitter.com/9x1Tij1JDC
    — Sonia Gandhi (@SoniaGandhi_FC) October 7, 2022
    Ravindra Tyagi, the President of Kota City Congress Committee and Kota Convenor of this Yatra, said that “Sonia Gandhi’s program has been fixed. The party has started preparations for it. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, former PCC Chief Sachin Pilot and many other leaders including current PCC Chief Govind Singh Dotasara will also be camping in Kota division during this period.

    Congress leaders say that on December 9, Rahul Gandhi’s journey will start from Kota RTO (Regional Transport Office). Sonia Gandhi will accompany her son for a while.   

    Earlier, Sonia Gandhi had joined the yatra in Mandya in Karnataka. 

    The relevance of Sonia Gandhi’s presence in Rajasthan would be that it’s a Congress-ruled state where Assembly elections are due in December next year. The bitter feud between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, though for now patched up, is another reason that all eyes will be on the yatra in Rajasthan.

    पूरा राजस्थान राहुल जी की #BharatJodoYatra से जुड़ रहा है, क्या आप आ रहे हैं ? pic.twitter.com/4AG9PYIbqA
    — Sachin Pilot (@SachinPilot) December 3, 2022
    With the mediation of Congress General Secretary Organization KC Venugopal, the ongoing tussle between Gehlot and former Deputy CM Pilot has been buried for the timebeing.

    Pilot has released a video inviting the people of Rajasthan to join the Bharat Jodo Yatra.  In this video, he is seen running with children wearing Bharat Jodo Yatra T-shirts.  It can be seen in the video that where they stop, there is a poster of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra.  Standing under this big hoarding, Sachin Pilot gives the message, “the whole of Rajasthan is joining Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, are you coming?”

    The Yatra will cover a total of 521 km distance in Rajasthan. 

    JAIPUR: Former Congress President Sonia Gandhi will march with her son on her birthday on December 9. She will be joined by her daughter Priyanka Gandhi and other family members at the Kota-leg of the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra. 

    The Yatra will enter the state capital Rajasthan from Jhalawar on December 4. Jhalawar is considered the bastion of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. The march will then reach Kota, the parliamentary segment represented by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. 

    Caught unawares ☺️
     pic.twitter.com/9x1Tij1JDC
    — Sonia Gandhi (@SoniaGandhi_FC) October 7, 2022
    Ravindra Tyagi, the President of Kota City Congress Committee and Kota Convenor of this Yatra, said that “Sonia Gandhi’s program has been fixed. The party has started preparations for it. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, former PCC Chief Sachin Pilot and many other leaders including current PCC Chief Govind Singh Dotasara will also be camping in Kota division during this period.

    Congress leaders say that on December 9, Rahul Gandhi’s journey will start from Kota RTO (Regional Transport Office). Sonia Gandhi will accompany her son for a while.   

    Earlier, Sonia Gandhi had joined the yatra in Mandya in Karnataka. 

    The relevance of Sonia Gandhi’s presence in Rajasthan would be that it’s a Congress-ruled state where Assembly elections are due in December next year. The bitter feud between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot, though for now patched up, is another reason that all eyes will be on the yatra in Rajasthan.

    पूरा राजस्थान राहुल जी की #BharatJodoYatra से जुड़ रहा है, क्या आप आ रहे हैं ? pic.twitter.com/4AG9PYIbqA
    — Sachin Pilot (@SachinPilot) December 3, 2022
    With the mediation of Congress General Secretary Organization KC Venugopal, the ongoing tussle between Gehlot and former Deputy CM Pilot has been buried for the timebeing.

    Pilot has released a video inviting the people of Rajasthan to join the Bharat Jodo Yatra.  In this video, he is seen running with children wearing Bharat Jodo Yatra T-shirts.  It can be seen in the video that where they stop, there is a poster of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra.  Standing under this big hoarding, Sachin Pilot gives the message, “the whole of Rajasthan is joining Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, are you coming?”

    The Yatra will cover a total of 521 km distance in Rajasthan.