IANS Interview: CM Bhajanlal Sharma confident of BJP scoring hat-trick in Rajasthan

Making a scathing attack on the former

Jaipur, May 31 (IANS): Making a scathing attack on the former Congress government in Rajasthan for operating from hotels for months, leaving lakhs of youths in the doldrums with paper leak cases, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma accused the former Gehlot government of sheltering criminals and also held it responsible for the current power and water woes in the state. The CM, in an exclusive interview to IANS, accused the Congress of nepotism and said that former CM Ashok Gehlot camping in Jalore, Amethi and Raebareli proves how deep the roots of nepotism have gone.

The CM, speaking on the Robert Vadra case, said that no one will be spared no matter how powerful he or she is if they have done wrong. He said that bulldozer action against the corrupt and criminals will continue in Rajasthan who thrived under the Gehlot government and affirmed that the paper leak mafia will go behind the bars.

Excerpts from the interview:

IANS: Amidst the intense heat wave, there is a power and water crisis. What do you have to say in this matter?

Bhajanlal Sharma: The former Congress government’s gross mismanagement during its five-year rule is spelling trouble for the state at present. The previous state government was operating from within the confines of five star hotels for many months and hence it failed to provide good governance and was rejected by the people. Rajasthan is synonymous with sizzling summers. However, ignoring this fact, the Congress government in 2022-23 took power from different states in August and September and signed a MoU for its return.

Now, we are facing issues because 1.67 lakh units of power are being returned to these states which is creating a demand-supply imbalance in the state. Besides returning these many units, we are also supplying regular power to the people.

Further, the Jal Jeevan Mission, aiming to address the water woes in the state, was also not implemented on time by the previous government. The project was about to get completed in 2023, however, the Congress government failed to implement it. In fact, they misused the Jal Jeevan Mission funds; the Congress has a tendency to mismanage things.

IANS: How is the BJP govt rectifying these errors?

Bhajanlal Sharma: We have signed MoUs worth Rs 1.60 lakh crore to boost energy production, strengthen the energy transmission system in the state and establish new projects for the production of thermal and renewable energy. In the next two years, each citizen of Rajasthan, including farmers, will get smooth power supply and Rajasthan will become a power surplus state. We have also implemented the Eastern Rajasthan canal project and signed an agreement with the Haryana government to share the excess water flowing from its Hathnikund barrage, especially during the rainy days.

IANS: Will the BJP be able to score a hat-trick in the LS polls in Rajasthan?

Bhajanlal Sharma: The BJP won all the seats in the 2014 and 2019 General Elections and we will win all the seats in 2024 too.

IANS: You campaigned in different states during the LS polls. How do you see the people’s perception?

Bhajanlal Sharma: I can say that ‘June chaar, 400 paar’ will be a reality, People have huge trust in the leadership of PM Modi as they have seen a rising India after 2014. They know that the Prime Minister delivers on his promises. They have confidence in his policies as they have seen them being implemented. Be it welfare schemes for the poor, development schemes, border security or freedom from terrorism and Naxalism. They have seen the rising stature of India globally. So, I can say that ‘June chaar, 400 paar’ will be a reality.

IANS: PM Modi at an election rally in Rajasthan said that people had just seen the trailer of the Bhajanlal government, and the complete picture is yet to come. Your comments…

Bhajanlal Sharma: The people of Rajasthan trusted the BJP and gave it a big mandate in the Assembly polls. Soon after coming to power, we fulfilled 40-45 per cent of our poll promises. The ERCP has been implemented, the accused in the paper leak case of the Sub-Inspector exam have been sent behind bars. Now, we will meet the expectations of the people and our government will work towards fulfilling the rest of the commitments made in our election manifesto. That is why the PM said that it was just the trailer. By fulfilling the remaining promises, Rajasthan will touch new heights.

IANS: What will be the core issues for focus after the model code of conduct is lifted? The unemployment rate is the second highest in Rajasthan. Any special plans?

Bhajanlal Sharma: Just wait and watch. We will take major action to eradicate corruption and crime. There will be big ticket projects aimed at generating new jobs. We are looking at tourism, manufacturing and mining among other sectors, to script a strong growth story and to create new jobs.

IANS: Tourists from across the globe want to see Rajasthan’s culture. Any plans for rural tourism?

Bhajanlal Sharma: Tourism is on the Rajasthan government’s priority list and rural tourism is a significant factor in this. We will be promoting our ‘gaon ki haveli and gaon ka ghar’ to showcase the culture of rural tourism. The government also aims to promote religious tourism. We have plans to bring in a Krishna circuit on the lines of the Ram circuit under which the Rajasthan and the UP governments will work together to promote the Braj area which stretches to Rajasthan and UP. Special circuits will be curated to boost religious tourism, wildlife tourism and rural tourism. Braj bhoomi, bagad area, temples like Tripura Sundari, sites like Sita Abhyaranya, Saat mataon ka mandir, Sariska and other such places will be promoted and special circuits will be made based on tourist interest.

IANS: Any special plans to promote sports culture?

Bhajanlal Sharma: Sports is yet another area which will be promoted by the government. Rajasthan;s youths have a strong interest in sports. Many sports talents have emerged from the Shekhawati area and so we are planning to boost the sports culture in the state. Wait for a few months and you will see the results coming in.

IANS: How do you plan to take forward the Central govt schemes which failed to take off during the Gehlot govt’s tenure?

Bhajanlal Sharma: We have seen that many farmers were deprived of the benefits of Kisaan Samman Nidhi as the Gehlot govt did not include the names of many farmers in the beneficiary list due to which they were deprived of getting funds in their account. We added the names of such 63000 farmers in the list. Central govt schemes like the Jal Jeevan Mission were not completed on time, It was supposed to be completed in 2023, The Ayushman Bharat Scheme was not implemented properly, they were casual in implementing Central schemes and now we will ensure that these ambitious schemes are implemented on the ground

IANS: The Gehlot-Pilot groups clashed for five years? Do you think the state suffered due to it?,

Bhajanlal Sharma: The Congress has a tendency of making people suffer. Their government worked for months from hotels. It is important to be responsible towards people in a democracy. This is a sacrosanct rule, However the last govt’s mismanagement was seen in water and power, they did not do the work they were expected to do and hence were ousted. In Rajasthan, our govt took decisions which were pending since decades.

IANS: The Robert Vadra land scam case is under jurisdiction. The ED is probing the case. Will there be tough action against him?

Bhajanlal Sharma: If someone has done wrong, no matter who he is and how prominent he or she is, it wont be tolerated and the guilty will be punished,

IANS: Do you think the case slowed down during the Gehlot tenure?

Bhajanlal Sharma: The Congress is known for following the policy of nepotism and it is a proven fact, it has been protecting those doing wrong. This has been going on for years. Even in present conditions, Gehlot camped in Jalore ( from where his son contested as a LS candidate on a Congress ticket) and Raebareli (known as a Gandhi family seat) and this is a clear example of nepotism.

IANS: The Rajasthan govt is making news for bulldozer action. Will it continue? How will the state get rid of a criminal state tag?

Bhajanlal Sharma: Our government will continue punishing those who have done wrong,. We will fulfill all those promises which we made to the public like punishing the corrupt and criminals. The land mafia, mining mafia, and gangsters were thriving here. Crime has already been controlled and we will continue to check the criminals.

IANS: Several trainee SIs were arrested in the paper leak case. Will this trend continue against the other paper leak mafia?

Bhajanlal Sharma: We have told the people that we will not spare such people, those who have betrayed the trust of our youth,. We have formed a SIT, which has started its work, and I still say if someone has done wrong, they will definitely go behind the bars, and we will not spare anyone… During the investigation, the SIT found how papers were being leaked and how dummy candidates were roped in to take the test instead of the original candidates. So we had to deliver justice.

IANS: There was a lot of discussion on Lal dairy. Will more pages be opened in future?

Bhajanlal Sharma: Sure, more pages will be opened. Just wait and have patience, more details will be coming.

–IANS

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