Jaipur, Nov 2 Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday praised the INDIA bloc’s protest in Delhi as an example of peaceful democratic agitation and accused the BJP of attempting to provoke the opposition.
He also targeted the state government over delay in irrigation projects and the alleged closure of Annapurna Rasoi kitchens in Bharatpur.
In a post on X, Gehlot said the ruling party should learn from the opposition how to conduct a disciplined and peaceful protest despite a massive gathering.
“The real strength of democracy lies not in the size of the crowd but in its restraint,” he said, praising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s leadership during the rally at Ramlila Maidan.
Gehlot claimed that while public anger over inflation, unemployment, corruption, paper leaks and alleged vote theft was growing, the opposition was channelling it towards peaceful democratic change.
He accused the BJP of trying to provoke the opposition by organising counter-protests on the same day and claimed that the country was prepared to remove the party from power through elections.
In another post on X, Gehlot alleged that the current Rajasthan government’s promise to bring water from Gandhi Sagar in Madhya Pradesh to Rajasthan’s border villages remained on paper, with neither an interstate agreement nor a detailed project report approved even after two years of coming to power.
He also questioned the progress of the Rs 33,000 crore Yamuna water project, claiming that land acquisition in Haryana, formation of a separate company, and approval of funds from the Centre remain pending.
Gehlot alleged that the government was spending money on publicity instead of starting work on the project.
In a separate post, the Congress leader claimed that 41 Annapurna Rasoi kitchens have been shut down in Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma’s home district of Bharatpur as grants of around Rs 3 crore remained unpaid for eight months.
He said the closure had affected daily-wage workers, rickshaw pullers and other needy people who depended on meals available for Rs 8.
“Changing the name of the scheme does not fill an empty plate,” Gehlot said, demanding an explanation from the government over the pending payments.
He accused the BJP government of failing to fulfil its promises and said people would hold it accountable in the 2028 Assembly elections.
(PTI News)
