Express News Service
JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government has suspended Jaipur Heritage Municipal Corporation Mayor Munesh Gurjar following her husband’s arrest in a bribery case related to the issuance of land deeds, a development she termed a “political conspiracy against her and her family.
The suspension of the Mayor of Jaipur Municipal Corporation (Heritage) by the Gehlot government has sparked a furore in the ruling Congress just four months before the Rajasthan elections.
Munesh Gurjar was suspended late on Saturday night after her husband was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau while allegedly taking a bribe of 2 lakhs from some touts. A number of government files were also recovered from the house of the Mayor and there are chances that she too could soon be arrested. The Mayor’s husband, however, claims that they have been trapped in a conspiracy hatched by a minister in the Gehlot government and the issue has triggered a major controversy for the Congress.
JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government’s decision to suspend Mayor Munesh Gurjar has shocked many as she belongs to the ruling Congress only. It is notable that the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Mayor’s husband Sushil Gurjar and his two touts red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 2 lakh for issuing a lease. During this, more than 41 lakh cash has also been recovered from Gurjar’s house. Only after this strict action was taken against Munesh. It is now believed that the ACB team may soon interrogate Mayor Munesh as well.
In response to the action against Munesh Gurjar and her husband, big questions are now being raised on the role of Cabinet Minister Pratap Singh Khachariawas. Sushil Gurjar issued a statement after ACB’s action saying, ‘All this is happening at the behest of a big Congress leader. We have been framed.’ However, no leader has been named Sushil Gurjar though he says that everyone knows the big Congress leader who trapped him and he’ll reveal his name when the time comes.
On the other hand, after the suspension, Munesh Gurjar also made a big attack on Minister Pratap Singh Khachariawas, raising many questions. Gurjar said, “We did all the work that the minister told us. If he is genuine, then get him and my call details checked. The truth will come in front of everyone.” Along with this, Munesh also said ‘I am not afraid. I have full faith in the judiciary. Rumours are being spread that we demanded money from a relative of the CM. While there is no such thing. People are making fabricated allegations. There should be facts and evidence to accuse anyone.”
It is worth noting that despite being from the same party, the bitter rhetoric between Khachariyawas and Munesh Gurjar had been in the headlines some weeks ago. Experts say that earlier the relationship between Khachariawas and the Gurjars was friendly and cordial, but due to some reasons, an air of enmity now exists between them.
At the same time, Minister Pratapsingh Khachariawas said, “Gurjar has betrayed him. The party and the man who brought them here, both of them betrayed the same man. Both of them did not think about the image of the party and that leader. There can be no greater sin than this.”
Khachariawas further said in his statement, “I want the recording made by ACP to be made public so that the general public also knows how these people were indulging in corruption.” Khachariyawas added further that “We had made Congress mayor for the welfare of the people. It was not made for corruption and theft. At present, the Rajasthan ACB team is probing the entire matter. In such a situation, if these people are found guilty in the investigation, then not only suspension but also dismissal action will be taken against them.”
The ACB crackdown on Sushil Gurjar has given the BJP another big issue to target the Gehlot government, which is already mired in corruption charges after the Red Diary issue was raised by sacked minister Rajendra Gudha. Jaipur Rural MP and BJP’s national spokesperson Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore has released a video message on this issue. In this video, he says that it is “tough to understand whether CM Ashok Gehlot has bandaged his both toes or his eyes. That another scam of loot and lies has come to the fore. In the bribery case, the ACB team has arrested two touts, including the mayor’s husband.”
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also reacted to the action taken against Munesh Gurjar and her husband. He said, “The Chief Minister or the Home Minister does not interfere in the ACB in Rajasthan. I am the Home Minister myself, but the ACB does not need permission nor does it need to come to me for any matter. In Rajasthan, big people including collector, SP, RPSC member, and mayor’s husband have been arrested.”
Comparing Rajasthan with Uttar Pradesh, Gehlot taunted that no officer was arrested there because they seek permission from the Chief Minister and the CM there does not give permission.
JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government has suspended Jaipur Heritage Municipal Corporation Mayor Munesh Gurjar following her husband’s arrest in a bribery case related to the issuance of land deeds, a development she termed a “political conspiracy against her and her family.
The suspension of the Mayor of Jaipur Municipal Corporation (Heritage) by the Gehlot government has sparked a furore in the ruling Congress just four months before the Rajasthan elections.
Munesh Gurjar was suspended late on Saturday night after her husband was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau while allegedly taking a bribe of 2 lakhs from some touts. A number of government files were also recovered from the house of the Mayor and there are chances that she too could soon be arrested. The Mayor’s husband, however, claims that they have been trapped in a conspiracy hatched by a minister in the Gehlot government and the issue has triggered a major controversy for the Congress.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government’s decision to suspend Mayor Munesh Gurjar has shocked many as she belongs to the ruling Congress only. It is notable that the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Mayor’s husband Sushil Gurjar and his two touts red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 2 lakh for issuing a lease. During this, more than 41 lakh cash has also been recovered from Gurjar’s house. Only after this strict action was taken against Munesh. It is now believed that the ACB team may soon interrogate Mayor Munesh as well.
In response to the action against Munesh Gurjar and her husband, big questions are now being raised on the role of Cabinet Minister Pratap Singh Khachariawas. Sushil Gurjar issued a statement after ACB’s action saying, ‘All this is happening at the behest of a big Congress leader. We have been framed.’ However, no leader has been named Sushil Gurjar though he says that everyone knows the big Congress leader who trapped him and he’ll reveal his name when the time comes.
On the other hand, after the suspension, Munesh Gurjar also made a big attack on Minister Pratap Singh Khachariawas, raising many questions. Gurjar said, “We did all the work that the minister told us. If he is genuine, then get him and my call details checked. The truth will come in front of everyone.” Along with this, Munesh also said ‘I am not afraid. I have full faith in the judiciary. Rumours are being spread that we demanded money from a relative of the CM. While there is no such thing. People are making fabricated allegations. There should be facts and evidence to accuse anyone.”
It is worth noting that despite being from the same party, the bitter rhetoric between Khachariyawas and Munesh Gurjar had been in the headlines some weeks ago. Experts say that earlier the relationship between Khachariawas and the Gurjars was friendly and cordial, but due to some reasons, an air of enmity now exists between them.
At the same time, Minister Pratapsingh Khachariawas said, “Gurjar has betrayed him. The party and the man who brought them here, both of them betrayed the same man. Both of them did not think about the image of the party and that leader. There can be no greater sin than this.”
Khachariawas further said in his statement, “I want the recording made by ACP to be made public so that the general public also knows how these people were indulging in corruption.” Khachariyawas added further that “We had made Congress mayor for the welfare of the people. It was not made for corruption and theft. At present, the Rajasthan ACB team is probing the entire matter. In such a situation, if these people are found guilty in the investigation, then not only suspension but also dismissal action will be taken against them.”
The ACB crackdown on Sushil Gurjar has given the BJP another big issue to target the Gehlot government, which is already mired in corruption charges after the Red Diary issue was raised by sacked minister Rajendra Gudha. Jaipur Rural MP and BJP’s national spokesperson Colonel Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore has released a video message on this issue. In this video, he says that it is “tough to understand whether CM Ashok Gehlot has bandaged his both toes or his eyes. That another scam of loot and lies has come to the fore. In the bribery case, the ACB team has arrested two touts, including the mayor’s husband.”
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also reacted to the action taken against Munesh Gurjar and her husband. He said, “The Chief Minister or the Home Minister does not interfere in the ACB in Rajasthan. I am the Home Minister myself, but the ACB does not need permission nor does it need to come to me for any matter. In Rajasthan, big people including collector, SP, RPSC member, and mayor’s husband have been arrested.”
Comparing Rajasthan with Uttar Pradesh, Gehlot taunted that no officer was arrested there because they seek permission from the Chief Minister and the CM there does not give permission.
