Rajasthan Congress slams BJP govts at Centre, state over ‘vote chori’, misrule

Bundi, Aug 28 (PTI) Rajasthan Congress leaders led by party president Govind Singh Dotasra on Thursday attacked the BJP governments at the Centre and in the state over alleged “vote chori”, while accusing Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma of neglecting farmers and flood-affected people.

Dotasra, along with the leader of the opposition, Tika Ram Jully, were addressing a Kisan Lalkar Rally here organised by the party's district committee to protest against the installation of smart electricity meters and alleged lack of compensation to farmers who suffered crop damage.

"They speak of farmers' welfare with assurance of double-income during elections, but actually, farmers' income has been reduced by half," Jully said.

"The state government is wasting Rs. 3,200 crores on Rajasthan Mandapam in Jaipur, whereas this money should have been spent on constructing school buildings and infrastructure," he added.

Both the leaders claimed that the chief minister has so far not toured the state's flood-hit villages or families of the seven children killed in the Jhalawar school roof collapse, while "flying in helicopters on public money".

Jully alleged that the central and state BJP governments came to power through "vote chori" and cited alleged irregularities in elections in Jaipur Rural, Alwar, and Kota-Bundi. He also criticised the alleged delays in holding civic body polls, and the "removal" of Congress heads from local bodies.

"The state government is yet to announce compensation for the flood-hit people of Bundi district... It has money for Adani and Ambani but not for the poor," Jully said.

Dotasra said at least 80 people died in rain-related incidents across the state while crops and cattle were lost, yet the chief minister neither visited the affected families nor expressed sympathy.

"This is not a sarkar but a circus... Seven innocent children lost their lives in a government school building collapse in Jhalawar, but the state chief minister did not visit the aggrieved families," he said. PTI COR RHL