Rajasthan Crisis: CM Gehlot Says Will Protest Outside PM's Residence If Required, BJP Demands His Resignation

Gehlot, while speaking to the MLAs supporting his government in Rajasthan, said that Congress MLAs hold a sit-in outside the prime minister's home to settle the crisis in the state.

Ashok Gehlot along with senior Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala (L), Avinash Pandey (2nd from L) and Ajay Maken (R) speaks to media, outside a hotel in Jaipur. (Image: PTI)

Jaipur: On the backdrop of ongoing political crisis in Rajasthan, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said that his government would also approach President Ram Nath Kovind if needed to press for an Assembly session. While speaking at the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting at Fairmont Hotel in Jaipur, Gehlot said: “We will go Rashtrapati Bhawan to meet the President and, if required, we will stage a protest outside the Prime Minister’s residence.” Gehlot, while speaking to the MLAs supporting his government in Rajasthan, said that Congress MLAs hold a sit-in outside the prime minister's home to settle the crisis in the state. He also told the MLAs that they may have to stay put there longer. "The chief minister asked us to remain prepared to stay longer at the hotel. If required, he said, we would go to meet the President and would also hold a dharna outside the prime minister's residence," a party leader told news agency PTI. Gehlot's statement came a day after Congress MLAs on Friday had squatted on the lawns of the Raj Bhawan for several hours, demanding that Governor Kalraj Mishra should summon a session of the Vidhan Sabha so that they can prove their majority. Gehlot alleged that the Governor was under pressure from above not to summon a session, hinting that the BJP government at the Centre was involved in the tussle for power in the state. It was also reported that the Congress party will hold protests outside Raj Bhavan's across India in order to express their disagreement with Rajasthan Governor's delay over calling an Assembly session in the state. Congress' Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan, KC Venugopal took to Twitter on Saturday and said that the party will hold an online campaign 'Speak up for Democracy' on July 26. He added that all Pradesh Congress Committees will hold protests in front of Raj Bhavans across India on July 27.

Following this, the PCCs will hold protests in front of Raj Bhavans across the country against this naked murder of democracy & subverting institutions on Monday, the 27th of July, 2020. Join this mass movement to save our democracy & Constitution.

— K C Venugopal (@kcvenugopalmp) July 25, 2020

Reacting to Gehlot's statement, Rajasthan BJP has submitted memorandum to Governor stating that Chief Minister's threat suggesting gherao of Raj Bhawan and expressing an inability of ensuring security is a clear violation under IPC section 124. Meanwhile, Supreme Court will hear the petition filed by Rajasthan Speaker against the rebel MLAs pertaining to former deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot's camp on Monday at 11 am.