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An appeal for restraint to check ‘malicious campaign’

Special Correspondent

Former Rajasthan Governor and UPA Presidential candidate Pratibha Patil (left) and Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat.

JAIPUR: The current acrimony over the Presidential election involving two leaders of Rajasthani background has prompted Shri Pratap Foundation, a powerful social organisation of the Rajput community here, to come out with an appeal for restraint. The prospects of getting one of them elected as President of the country were bright but the “malicious campaign” was quite unbecoming of the post as well as the persons involved, it said.

“The allegations being levelled are a disgrace. This is not only the feeling of our community but also of every common citizen in Rajasthan,” said Mahavir Singh Sarwari, spokesperson of Sri Pratap Foundation, talking to newspersons here.

“It is a foregone conclusion that one of the two main contestants, Pratibha Patil and Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, would be the next President of the country. Should we speak so disrespectfully about the person who would be holding the topmost Constitutional post in the country? What would be his/her image in the eyes of the world’s nations once the election gets over,” Mr. Sarwari asked.

In fact, Mr. Sarwari too belongs to Sikar district in Rajasthan’s Shekhawati region with which both Ms. Patil and Shekhawat are associated.

The convener of the Foundation, Bhagwan Singh Rolsabsar, too belongs to Sikar. Sri Pratap Foundation, which came out into the open in the past in connection with the agitation over reservation to Rajputs, has some past association with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party here though it claims neutrality in politics.

When pointed out that it was the National Democratic Alliance which has so far been indulging in mudslinging against Ms. Patil, Mr. Sarwari said there were reports about the other side too getting ready with similar “damaging” details on its opponent.

“It appeared in the local newspapers that the other group is collecting material for the counter-attack,” he observed.

“Most of these allegations likely to be levelled against Mr. Shekhawat, including the one about his suspension as constable for allegedly taking bribe, are already known and have been answered to,” Mr. Sarwari observed.

“An occasion for the community and the State to rejoice has been rendered vicious by mudslinging,” he said.

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