Rajasthan CM Sharma accuses previous Cong govt of announcing 'hollow' schemes, corruption

Jaipur, Feb 7 (PTI) Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Friday accused the previous Congress government in the state of announcing "hollow" schemes and indulging in corruption.

The chief minister was replying on the motion of thanks to the governor's address in the Assembly amid disruptions and sloganeering by the Congress members who demanded a reply on the alleged phone-tapping of Cabinet minister Kirodi Lal Meena.

Leader of Opposition and Congress MP Tika Ram Jully did not address the House before the chief minister's reply as he was leading the protest.

Sharma said people in the Congress talk about only one family whom they revere like god.

"I am pained that Tika Ram Jully was not allowed to speak in the House. The Congress gave the same treatment to Jully as it once gave to Bhimrao Ambedkar," Sharma said.

The Congress hatched a conspiracy to not let the leader of the opposition, who comes from a deprived community, speak, he added.

"The Congress looted the country for 70 years. Whenever elections are near, they start working on a policy of loot and lies. It launches schemes in the name of Mahatma Gandhi but does nothing on it," the chief minister alleged.

Sharma also claimed the previous Congress government (in Rajasthan) made 4,138 announcements in five years but did not fulfil 1,921 of them.

"The previous Congress government opened English medium schools in the name of Mahatma Gandhi but betrayed students as there were no staff, teachers or infrastructure," Sharma said.

The present BJP government will provide teachers in both Hindi and English medium schools, he said.

Sharma also accused the Congress of spreading anarchy for five years during its tenure when "corruption was at its peak".

The image of the state was maligned due to paper leaks in government recruitment exams, coal purchase scam, and (corruption in) Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), he said.

"Those who indulged in corruption will not be spared. The government will secure the future of the youths. We will fulfil all the promises made in our manifesto, including giving jobs to the youths," Sharma said.

The government has fulfilled 55 per cent of the promises made in the manifesto within one year of its rule, he claimed.

The refinery in Pachpadra will start operating in 2025 for which Rs 10,000 crore worth of investment has come through the Rising Rajasthan Summit last month, he said.

The government is constantly reviewing the investment proposals made during the summit, Sharma added. Addressing the protesting Congress members, Sharma said 40 per cent of those raising slogans today will not win the elections next time, as they cannot listen to the voice of a common farmer.

On the memorandum of agreement (MoA) signed with the Madhya Pradesh government for the revised Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP), now Ram Jal Setu, Sharma said those seeking to see the MoA can find it on the Central Water Commission's website.

Stating that the Congress will not return to power in Rajasthan for the next 25-30 years, the chief minister said the party's MLAs are pained due to three-four reasons, including its defeat in the Assembly bypolls in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Hitting out at the formation of new districts during the Congress rule in Rajasthan, Sharma said, "The party will not hesitate to promise plots on moon for its political benefit. During Congress rule, even a panchayat was made a district." The previous Congress government formed 17 districts just a few days ahead of the election code of conduct came into effect for political mileage, Sharma said.

"And wherever new districts were announced, people rejected the Congress. The BJP government checked the parameters for reconstitution of the districts keeping the benefit of the people in mind," Sharma said.

The motion of thanks was passed by voice vote after the chief minister's reply. PTI AG ARI