By PTI
JAIPUR: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted opposition parties over dynasty politics, the Rajasthan Congress hit back on Saturday saying BJP leaders level such allegations to divert attention from real issues because their party has done nothing in the name of development.
Speaking to reporters at the PCC office here, Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra said that ‘parivarvaad’ exists in the BJP as the party has given tickets to the children of several of its leaders to contest elections.
In his virtual address to a meeting of BJP office-bearers in Jaipur on Friday, Modi kept up his attack on dynastic parties and said the BJP has to keep fighting them to save democracy and empower it. These parties exist to further family interests and have inflicted a lot of damage on the country, he said.
Dotasra said there is a difference between what the BJP says and does. “They level such allegations to divert attention from real issues because they have done nothing in the name of development. They have nothing to say, therefore they are diverting the attention of the public,” he said.
When a leader is with the Congress, the BJP levels allegations of dynastic politics against him. However, when the same leader leaves the Congress and joins the BJP, he becomes “24-carat gold” and the allegations of dynastic politics are dropped.
Dotasra said there are examples in the BJP that show that dynastic politics exists in the party. “Who gave the ticket to the daughter of Kiran Maheshwari? Who gave the ticket to the son of Vasundhara Raje? Who gave the ticket to the son of Rajnath Singh?” he asked.
An example of the BJP’s dynastic politics was seen in last year’s Rajasthan Assembly by-elections when the party fielded Kiran Maheshwari’s daughter Deepti Maheshwari from Rajsamand. Deepti Maheshwari emerged victorious. Kiran Maheshwari, who was the Rajsamand MLA, died due to coronavirus in November 2020. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also spoke in the same vein.
“They (BJP) have been saying this ever since they came to power. ‘Parivarvaad’ exists in their party. Look at where the sons and daughters of central ministers are going,” said Gehlot, who was also present at the PCC office. Unfortunately, he said, there is an atmosphere of tension, fear and riots in the country.
The BJP talks of Hindutva but development will happen when all are taken along. The youth and the elderly may feel good in the name of Hindu dharma but development will happen only when there is peace, harmony, brotherhood and non-violence.
Gehlot further claimed there is a “conspiracy” to forget former prime ministers and their contributions. “I am surprised. I think it does not happen in any country that you become the prime minister and the president and forget the old heritage. I am seeing this for the first time in the country. That is why I say time and again that no one knows in which direction the country is going,” he said.
On the occasion of the death anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, Gehlot highlighted his contributions to the field of telecommunication, women empowerment and empowerment of local bodies, among others.
