The Hindu : Other States / Rajasthan News : Vasundhara has disappointed people: Gehlot

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 03, 2005

Other States

Other States - Rajasthan

Vasundhara has disappointed people: Gehlot

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, JAN. 2. The Congress general secretary, Ashok Gehlot, has accused the Rajasthan Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje, of insensitivity. "I am greatly surprised at her not being in the State now when a natural calamity of such a magnitude has taken place in the country. It is unbecoming of her to be holidaying now," he said referring to Ms.Raje's sojourn in Dehra Dun for the New Year.

"Ms.Raje has disappointed the people of the State. In her first year in power itself the people here have ceased to expect anything from her," Mr.Gehlot, who met mediapersons informally on New Year's Day here, said. "This is the height of indiscipline as far as highly placed persons in public life are concerned," he added.

"It is unfortunate that Rajasthan, apart from the token gestures, is not showing adequate interest in mobilising relief and rehabilitation. The State Government could have sent at least one of its Ministers to the affected areas besides sending a team of doctors and senior officials," Mr.Gehlot said talking about relief activities in the tsunami affected places.

However in the office of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the State president, Lalit Kishore Chaturvedi today defended Ms.Raje's trip to the hills. "It is not for merry making that she is in Dehra Dun. It is an annual get-together for her family. She is constantly in touch with the developments in Rajasthan," Mr.Chaturvedi said.

Mr.Gehlot on his part said during the previous Government in Rajasthan headed by him, Ministers and senior officials along with truck loads of relief material, had been despatched to the earth quake hit areas of Gujarat and the flood affected parts of Orissa. "I myself had gone to Orissa to oversee the relief work," he pointed out.

"Once the Chief Minister shows the way the tempo is created. With this kind of behaviour from the Chief Minister what response can be expected from the donors and the people at large towards relief? It is all a matter of sentiments," Mr.Gehlot said.

"I am at a loss as to who will make her realise her responsibilities. Since she is a democratically elected Chief Minister it is for her to discipline her activities," Mr.Gehlot said, even as he observed that the Bharatiya Janata Party was seemingly wary of provoking its women leaders after the experience with Uma Bharti.

Mr.Gehlot also charged Ms.Raje with insensitivity in dealing with the farmers' issue in the Phase 1 area of the Indira Gandhi Canal Project. "Even when finally she visited the affected areas in Ghadsana in Sriganganagar last fortnight, Ms.Raje did not care to go to the families of those killed in police action during the agitation," he pointed out.

The former Chief Minister accused the State Government of trying to divide the farmers on the issue of irrigation water. "The Government should take the farmers into confidence instead of creating divisions between those in the Phase I and Phase II areas of the Indira Gandhi Canal Project," Mr.Gehlot said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

News Update

Stories in this Section

Vasundhara has disappointed people: Gehlot

Norms for opening colleges relaxed

Experts warn against use of banned drug