Wrong to say Ashok Gehlot govt not acting against corruption: Pawan Khera on Sachin Pilot's remarks

NEW DELHI: A day after Congress leader Sachin Pilot launched a fresh attack on the Rajasthan government over corruption, the party on Monday sought to play down his remarks and said it is "wrong" to say that the Ashok Gehlot dispensation is not acting against graft.


Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said a probe against senior BJP leader from Rajasthan Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is on in the Sanjeevani scam and the Union minister has also filed a defamation case against chief minister Gehlot.

"A probe is underway on how the BJP conspired to topple our elected government in Rajasthan and tried to buy our MLAs," he told reporters here when asked about Pilot's remarks that the Congress government in Rajasthan was not against graft cases during the previous BJP government in the state.

"It is wrong to say that a probe is not on, as an investigation is being carried out and if anyone has a complaint, he should bring it to the notice of the AICC in-charge," Khera said.

The Congress spokesperson also said that more information will come out in the next few months on the probe against Shekhawat.

He said every aspect of the conspiracy to topple the Congress government in Rajasthan and the Sanjeevani scam will come out soon.

Asked if the party is also carrying out its own investigation, Khera said, "The investigating agencies are probing as it is their job to do so and not the organisation's. We do not have any spyware installed."

He said the party's organisation general secretary is in touch with everyone and he will talk to all those involved in the organisation.

Khera refused to talk further on issues raised by Pilot, saying he has nothing more to add to whatever has already been stated by the Congress.

The Congress has thrown its weight behind CM Ashok Gehlot and said his government has given the state a leadership position in governance in the country and it will seek a renewed mandate on the strength of its achievements as well as collective efforts of the organisation.

Pilot on Sunday alleged that the Ashok Gehlot-led government failed to investigate cases of alleged corruption during the BJP rule in Rajasthan and announced a day-long fast to press for action, in a sign of escalating tussle in the party's state unit ahead of assembly polls.

Without referring to Pilot's demand, the Congress issued a statement in Delhi that its government with Ashok Gehlot as chief minister has implemented schemes that have benefited people and the party will seek a renewed mandate later this year "on the strength of these landmark achievements and the collective efforts of our organisation".

All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of state Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa said it was "not appropriate" for Pilot to hold a press conference in this manner and that he should have raised the issue with him first.

The move by former deputy chief minister Pilot to open the new front against Gehlot amid the factional fighting is seen as an attempt to pressure the high command to resolve the leadership issue ahead of the assembly polls.

"No action was taken (by the Gehlot government) on the corruption by the previous Vasundhara Raje government. While in the Opposition, we promised an inquiry into the mines scam of Rs 45,000 crore,” Pilot had said, announcing a hunger strike on Tuesday.

He said he wrote to Gehlot last year on March 28 and November 2 on the issue but did not get any answer to his letters. PTI SKC SKC