Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has slammed the Narendra Modi government over price rise and several other issues related to the state. The CM said that all the 25 Lok Sabha MPs elected by people of Rajasthan could not do anything to solve the problems the voters are facing. Talking to journalists, Gehlot said that if these MPs had built pressure on the central government, there would be no water and power crisis in the state. He said that fuel prices are rising after the end of elections. The CM said that people, who are facing problems due to price rise, would teach the BJP-led central government a befitting lesson in next polls. Talking to media persons, the Rajasthan CM shared his views on various issues. Excerpts:
Q: You presented a separate agriculture budget where agriculture fairs are the priority. Can you share some more details?
A: Agriculture is a priority area. It should be a priority in the country. Since Rajasthan is drought prone, our focus is always on agriculture. Our focus has been on how to conserve farms’ water in farms and villages’ water in villages only. The Jal Jeevan Mission is already going on. If there is no source of water, the houses will go without water. Every person should save water. There used to be overhead tanks to store rainwater in the past. Our government waived farmers’ loans worth Rs 14,000 crore. Around 20 lakh farmers got benefits. After the power bill waiver, there is no electricity bill for around five and a half lakh farmers. We have given them grants of Rs 1000 each.
Q: With the Centre not allegedly giving Rajasthan its fair share of grants, how will you deal with the water scarcity problem in the state?
A: This is exactly what I have said. I have told the opposition leaders to come along to meet the PM over this problem. I have urged them to get the ERCP scheme, which is for 13 districts, declared a national scheme so that it could be completed. The PM had assured that he would do it but it was not done. If there are 16 national projects, what is the problem if another is added to this list. People are facing a water crisis. We will go ahead with our programme to deal with this situation.
Q: Have the 25 Lok Sabha MPs elected by people of Rajasthan done anything to mitigate this problem?
A: I think they met the Prime Minister yesterday. The meeting might be part of their party’s programme. They should raise their voice in the meeting. These 25 MPs keep making meaningless statements. Their tweets without facts hardly carry any meaningful message. They should at least highlight the problems of people of Rajasthan. Water, power, coal, etc., are the issues they should raise. Now people are repenting of electing these representatives for Lok Sabha. Even if they have won in four states, the situation will never remain the same in future, as in democracy nothing is certain. Indira Gandhi had lost elections despite nuclear bomb test in 1974 and liberation of Bangladesh to split Pakistan in 1974. Unemployment and price rise have made life miserable. The youth will realise that the BJP is misguiding and misleading them by raising issues like Hinduism and nationalism. It is all for votes. Are we all not nationalists who are living in this country? Petrol and diesel prices were not raised for 125 days due to elections. But well on the predicted lines, the fuel prices were hiked.
