Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot launched a fierce attack on the Central and state BJP governments during his visit to Udaipur on Thursday, saying that democracy is being silently murdered in the country and the Constitution is under threat.
He said this while speaking to the media at Maharana Pratap Airport in Dabok.“For the last 11 years, the country has been seeing growing polarisation, which will neither benefit the nation nor society. All religions and castes must walk together to strengthen democracy," said the former CM.
He further accused the government of misusing Central agencies like the ED, CBI, and Income Tax Department, while saying that institutions like the CVC, once respected during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh eras, have now become irrelevant.
Emphasising the role of the opposition, Gehlot remarked, “What is the ruling party without an opposition? In democracy, it is the opposition that raises the voice of the people -- and today, Rahul Gandhi is doing exactly that.”
Turning his focus to state issues, Gehlot accused the Rajasthan government of deliberately weakening the Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme (RGHS) by adding unnecessary conditions, making it difficult for the public to access benefits. “The scheme was appreciated nationwide, and now other states are adopting it.
Yet, in Rajasthan, instead of strengthening it, they've damaged it,” he said. Gehlot also alleged that the BJP government was halting development schemes initiated during Congress rule.“We carried forward Vasundhara Raje’s projects across all three of our terms. But now, the BJP is shutting down or delaying major projects.
The ERCP project, for which the Centre promised 90 per cent funding, still hasn’t received approval,” he added. He criticised the government for indulging in negative politics, saying, “They either shut down or keep pending any project launched previously. This harms the public.” Gehlot claimed growing dissatisfaction within the BJP’s ranks.
“Go to the ground and ask BJP MPs, MLAs, and workers how the government is functioning. You’ll get more criticism from them than from Congress leaders,” he said.Concluding his remarks, Gehlot urged the Chief Minister to focus on transparency and effective governance.
“I say this in the interest of the CM himself -- he should stop everything else and work transparently. Identify the flaws and fix them. When the opposition speaks, it’s echoing public sentiment. The government must listen and act.”Gehlot is currently on a three-day tour of the Udaipur division and was welcomed by Congress workers at Dabok Airport before departing for Chittorgarh.