'With What Face We Ask People For Votes': Sachin Pilot After Skipping Congress' One-To-One MLA Meetings

Targeting Ashok Gehlot and former CM Vasundhara Raje, Sachin Pilot said that the promises made to the public by them have not been fulfilled till date.

Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Sachin Pilot, again took a swipe at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Monday, and said that the promises made to the public by them have not been fulfilled till date so in such a situation, with what face will we go to the people and ask for votes.

Due to his scheduled public events in Jhunjhunu and Jaipur, Pilot also skipped a meeting with All India Congress Committee in-charge for Rajasthan Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra. Addressing a gathering after the unveiling of a martyr's statue at Tiba village in Jhunjhunu district on Monday, Pilot said, "In such a situation, with what face will we go to the people and ask for votes during the elections," as quoted by the news agency IANS.

"If I protest, I do it openly but I never lose control over the language. The words that come out of my mouth are not taken back. I have always protested ideologically, politically and administratively, taken to the streets, staged dharnas, gone to jail, held fast, but I never used wrong words.

"Vasundhara Raje was the Chief Minister of Rajasthan. She is elder to me, but whenever there was a political confrontation, it used to be on equal front. We defeated her, but I have never used abusive words or bad language, nor will I do it in the future," Pilot said, as quoted by IANS. The Congress leader also said that he never crosses the limit while delivering speeches.

"My values from childhood taught me to respect the elders. I have always respected the elders. I have neither compromised with the issues, principles and promises made by me before, nor will I do so in the future.

"Whatever issues I have raised, I have given them in writing. We cannot compromise with corruption. The youth of this state want clean politics. I fasted for a day demanding an inquiry into the corruption of the BJP rule. A week has passed, but no action has been taken," Pilot said.

The Congress leader also said that action which should have been taken against the corruption under the BJP rule was not taken. "Investigate those who rob the people of the state and send them to jail. We will have to fulfil the promises we made to the people. People trusted our words and voted for us," Pilot said, as quoted by IANS

Pilot Targets Gehlot Again, Renews Demand For Probe Into 'BJP Corruption'

Pilot renewed his demand for a probe into alleged corruption during the term of the previous BJP government and he criticised the Gehlot government for "inaction" in "corruption cases" at a time when the party is gearing up for the assembly polls.

Addressing a gathering in Jhunjhunu on Monday, the dissident leader stuck to his position. He had gone to unveil the statue of Pulwama attack martyr Sheo Ram Gurjar. "I am asking for action even today. It's been a week now but no action has been taken," as quoted by PTI. Pilot said, repeating his demand for "an inquiry against those involved in corruption".

"Action should be taken if the evidence is found. It is the responsibility of all of us to give Rajasthan clean politics," Pilot said. He also said he will not compromise on the issue of corruption. The three are holding separate meetings with all Rajasthan Congress MLAs in the run-up to the polls. Monday was the turn of the MLAs from the Ajmer division, under which Pilot's Tonk constituency falls.

In Jhunjhunu's Khetri town, Pilot told reporters that an investigation should be carried out as soon as possible because the entire Congress, including Rahul Gandhi, has been fighting "corruption" by the BJP government at the Centre. "In Rajasthan, elections are seven months away. You want an effective and transparent inquiry into all those scandals that broke out when the BJP was in power, and I think we should do it as soon as possible," Pilot said.

"Be it Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh or UP, we have always exposed the BJP's corruption," he said.

Replying to a question over the inflation relief programme announced by Gehlot, Pilot said he welcomed such relief schemes. "But in politics credibility and what you say are also important. When we go to the polls seven months later, we will be told you made the allegations -- either you were lying or you didn't have enough courage (to follow through)," he said.

Pilot also called for amending rules to help war widows get jobs easily. The youth of Jhunjhunu work hard and join the armed forces to guard the borders, he said. "For them and their families, if we have to amend rules and regulations, give some relaxation and even if we have to amend the law, we should not hesitate," he added.

Referring to a recent protest by widows of three soldiers killed in the 2019 Pulwama attack, Pilot said, "Accepting their demands was a different story but we should have listened to them. It is our responsibility to hear their out and this is what I have done," he said.

The Pulwama widows were demanding a change in rules so that their relatives and not just children can get government jobs on compassionate grounds. Their other demands included the construction of roads and the installation of statues of the slain soldiers in their villages.