Jaipur: Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Saturday referred to the party’s aggressive campaign in the Karnataka polls targeting the BJP over corruption to raise his old demand of exposing “scams” of the previous BJP government in Rajasthan, saying people will then “have faith that we do what we say”.
He said he has been raising this issue for the last one-and-a-half years.
“I had written letters for one-and-a-half years and I had urged for concrete action in the allegations of scams we had made during the BJP rule. I held a one-day fast in Jaipur too. I am repeatedly urging that strict action should be taken in this so that people have faith that we do what we say,” he told reporters in Barmer.
Pilot said the Congress is raising the corruption issue in Karnataka and so the scams of the former BJP government should also be highlighted in Rajasthan.
“We are accusing the BJP government in Karnataka of taking 40 per cent commission and people are believing it. That is why I say that time has come to expose the corruption that took place in Rajasthan during the BJP rule. We will have to live up to the commitment we had made,” he said.
The former Rajasthan deputy chief minister had last month sat on fast here, piling pressure on his own party by targeting the Ashok Gehlot government in the state for “inaction” in alleged cases of corruption when the BJP was in power.
Pilot also took a jibe at former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, saying “I never said that there is any collusion (between Gehlot and Raje). People are unnecessarily giving their clarification.”
Pilot said he just wants the truth to come out.
“Facts should be brought to the fore by getting the allegations made by us to be investigated by a sitting or retired judge of the high court,” he said.
A few days ago, Raje had rejected allegations of collusion with Gehlot as lie, saying milk and lemon juice never mix.
Earlier, while addressing a programme organised by Forest Minister Hemaram Chaudhary, Pilot said he will continue his fight against corruption even if “some people” do not like it.
“Corruption is like a termite which is making the country hollow,” he said, adding “We have to raise our voice against loot and corruption in the country and state.”
Gehlot and Pilot have been in a power tussle in the state since the Congress formed the government in December 2018.
Pilot once again targeted his party’s government in the state over the paper leak issue, saying the hard work put in by students goes in vain if an exam gets cancelled.
“Our children work hard for years, their parents pay for tuition to make them study… they give exams but the question paper gets leaked and the exam gets cancelled, don’t we feel sad?” he said.
In January, Pilot said when incidents of paper leaks are happening one after the other, accountability will have to be fixed.
He also backed the protest by women wrestlers at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, saying “Today, our girls are sitting at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, they have alleged exploitation… for how many more days will we not feel their pain?”
He further said people with good conduct and good thinking should enter politics and the voters should choose such leaders.
“Everything can change but there is a need to take steps. All dreams can come true but there is a need to take everyone along,” he added.
Pilot on this occasion inaugurated ‘Virendra Dham’ hostel and statue of minister Hemaram Chaudhary’s late son Virendra Chaudhary who died in 2015.
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