Rajasthan: Congress leader Sachin Pilot confronts party over corruption, anti-party allegations

The dissident leader of Rajasthan Congress Sachin Pilot is now openly confronting the party. Days after a day-long fast on the inaction of the Ashok Gehlot government on the alleged corruption cases of previous Vasundhara Raje rule, Pilot has raised questions on terming his fast an anti-party activity and said that he raised the issue of corruption during the previous Raje government, how it can be an anti-party activity?

Instead, he recalled the incident of September 25 last year and said that insulting senior leaders of the party and disobeying the orders of party president Sonia Gandhi was an anti-party activity.

No action even after my day-long fast, says Pilot

Talking to the media in Jaipur on Sunday Pilot said, "I raised the issue of corruption during the previous Raje government, how it can be an anty-party activity? We had not asked for votes to raid Patwaris. We promised to expose the corruption of the Raje government. The government has not taken action even after two weeks of my day-long fast which was in the interest of the party."

Terming the mass resignations of Gehlot faction MLAs on September 25 last year a rebel act against the then Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Pilot said, "whatever happened on September 25 is in front of everyone. Sonia Gandhi's orders were openly disobeyed, and Kharge and Maken Saheb were insulted. That was an anti-party activity which caused damage to the party and the government."

Sachin Pilot also questioned the inaction of the party on the incident and said that the process of action started, then stopped, questions will be raised on that too. "The party issued show cause notices, but what action was taken, this question is bound to arise," said Pilot.

Informed Kamal Nath, Venugopal about my stand: Pilot

Talking about his meetings with senior party leaders in Delhi after his fast, Sachin said that he had met with Kamal Nath and Venugopal and told them about the background of the fast. I have given my suggestions about the direction of the party in future and what we can do because we have the ability to smoke out the BJP,’ said Pilot.

Taking a jibe at party in-charge Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Pilot said, "our in-charge Randhawa Sahib is a serious and sensible person. Randhawa is giving all the other reports, so he should also report that there are many allegations against our ministers and MLAs which may hurt the image of the party and the government. Taking cognizance of that too, it should be conveyed to Kharge sahib and AICC leaders so that action can be taken."

Sachin also demanded a probe on the minister Mahesh Joshi in the alleged suicide case of Ramprasad, who accused Joshi of abetment to suicide. Pilot said that the statement given before the death is valid in the court. There should be an inquiry.