Express News Service
JAIPUR: Former Deputy CM of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot has hit back at CM Ashok Gehlot’s camp which has been targeting him over the past week for the political turmoil that took place in the state two years ago.
Linking the attacks with the recent statement of Rahul Gandhi, Pilot says nobody needs to get too worried about the praise from Rahul Gandhi for his (Pilot) patience. He said that Gehlot is “old, experienced and like his father so he does not take his words otherwise.”
On Sunday state UDH Minister had attacked Pilot and a day before, CM Gehlot had also indirectly linked Pilot with Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat over the conspiracy to topple his government.
After remaining silent for several days Sachin Pilot finally hit back at CM Ashok Gehlot and his supporters who have been targeting him ever since Rahul Gandhi indirectly praised him last week.
On Monday, Pilot who went on a tour to Tonk said, “Rahul Gandhi while addressing an event in Delhi, had praised my patience level. If a leader like Rahul is appreciating my patience level then I think no one should unnecessarily get disturbed by his statement.”
Expressing his views on Rajasthan chief minister’s statement, Sachin Pilot further added, “I believe that Rahul Gandhi has praised my patience. In the past, Ashok Gehlot had said many things about me like useless and worthless, However, I don’t take his statements otherwise as he is experienced, senior, and like a father. He speaks but I do not react.”
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remark last week that “Congress party teaches patience”, during which he referred to Sachin Pilot, has triggered fresh controversy between the Gehlot and Pilot camp in Rajasthan over the political turmoil that took two years back due to the revolt of Sachin Pilot and 18 other MLAs
Sharing the experience of his recent ED grilling with party workers at the AICC headquarters in Delhi on Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi had said, “The ED officials asked me about the patience with which I answered their questions…I’m in Congress since 2004, patience is inculcated in us and every leader of the party understands this.”
He then said, “Congress party teaches patience. I am working since 2004, Sachin Pilot is sitting here, Siddaramaiah Ji is here.”
The former Congress chief’s remarks had triggered speculations over the change of party leadership in Rajasthan. After this, on Saturday, CM Ashok Gehlot had targeted Sachin Pilot along with Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat over the revolt two years ago to bring down his government on the issue of giving notice to the Union Minister in connection with the ‘legislator’ purchase charges. CM Gehlot had said that Gajendra Singh and Sachin Pilot must have met during the conspiracy to topple the government. Gehlot said in Sikar district that “everyone knows what you did during the conspiracy to bring down the government. Now you are taking the name of Sachin Pilot and saying that he made a mistake. This proves that you had hatched a conspiracy with them (the Pilot group).” Union Minister Shekhawat had said in a public meeting in Chomu on the 19th June that Sachin Pilot missed the chance to repeat a Madhya Pradesh-like revolt in Rajasthan.
On Sunday, UDH minister Shanti Dhariwal, who is close to Gehlot and held the number two position in the government, further heated the controversy over Gehlot’s statement by remarking, “what has the Chief Minister said wrong? We believe the same, we have seen it ourselves.”
Experts believe that the Gehlot camp constantly wants to remind that Pilot had tried to topple his own party’s government while being the Deputy Chief Minister and party president and Pilot is also deliberately escaping and not giving any direct reply on it. Next year elections are to take place in the state but it is clear that the efforts of unity among Congress leaders have been scuttled due to the tussle between the two camps.
