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Audio clip of Vasundhara Raje went viral; hints at her floating a new party

Vasundhara raje

A purported audio clip of Vasundhara Raje has gone viral on Friday, after a 22-year-old resignation letter penned by Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia went viral recently. In the audio clip, the former Chief Minister can be heard recognising the members of ‘Vasundhara Raje Samarthak Manch’ as her own people.

Raje can also be heard in the clip directing the forum’s district president Tarachand Sharma to continue running the platform.

The audio clip established that Raje is directly associated with the activities of the Manch. Inside political circles, this leakage of the audio-file is being seen as a retaliatory move by Vasundhra’s critics. Such critics are from the people in RSS lobby who are angry that a 22-year-old letter of Poonia was leaked last week to embarrass the state BJP president.

Also See: Arguments over Central Vista project

The infighting in the Rajasthan BJP is being linked to the leakage of the Vasundhara Raje audio clip. Over the past several months, Vasundhara loyalists have formed the ‘Manch’. They have also demanded that Raje be declared as the party’s chief ministerial face for the 2023 elections.

The ‘Vasundhara Raje Samarthak Manch’ is a platform being run on social media for the past few months demanding Raje to be announced as the CM face for 2023. But, up till now, only the followers of Raje were seen voicing their opinions on social media. In this regard, the latest audio clip has raised questions about whether Raje herself is backing this platform.

At the beginning of 2021, many eyebrows were raised when the list of presidents of this forum was announced for each district of the state. That gave rise to speculation that Raje is floating her own political party.

Over the next few months, Raje was silent over the doubts. That had put an end to the discussions. But, her followers still continue to declare her as the CM face for the 2023 elections.

Also Read: Students who lost their parents to Covid19 will get free coaching and accommodation in Kota

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Raje continued doing philanthropic work through this forum. It has been running an entity parallel to the state BJP unit.

Upon the release of this audio clip, silent whispers in the political corridors are once again hinting at Raje planning to go solo in the upcoming Assembly elections.

There has been no response from the Raje camp. District president Tarachand Sharma has said that Raje was speaking about continuing the philanthropic work, and there is nothing more to it.

A few days after a three-page resignation letter written by Poonia 22 years back went viral on social media, the audio clip has gone viral. Satish Poonia is presently in Delhi holding discussions with senior party leaders on a range of issues concerning the party in Rajasthan.

Ever since the appointment of Poonia as the state BJP President, factionalism is running deep into the saffron party in Rajasthan. It is evinced as Raje’s posters were removed from state BJP headquarters.

Raje has been maintaining a distance with the party office. She has even stayed away from the campaign for the recent bypolls.

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Students who lost their parents to Covid19 will get free coaching and accommodation in Kota

Kota

News of relief comes for students who are studying at Kota, especially those whose families have been struck by the pandemic.

Lok Sabha speaker, Om Birla took the initiative of helping the students by bringing onboard the coaching institutes of Kota. Mr. Birla said on Wednesday that students who are preparing for medical and engineering entrance exams and have lost their parents or earning member of the family to Covid-19 will be provided free coaching and accommodation in Kota, Rajasthan.

Om Birla is the MP from Kota, which is a major coaching hub for competitive examination preparations in the country. He held a meeting with the directors of coaching institutes in the city and requested them to come forward to help the needy in these challenging times, his office said in a statement.

At his request, the institutes agreed to provide free coaching, accommodation and food to students from across the country who have lost their parents or earning member of the family due to Covid-19, the statement said.

Director of Allen Career Institute, Naveen Maheshwari announced that the institute will set up a relief fund of ₹50 lakh to help the families affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Maheshwari made this announcement during the meeting with Birla, who thanked the coaching institutes for their noble gesture. Birla said that during these challenging times it is important that the society comes together and helps each other.

In 2003, Om Birla had won his first assembly elections contesting from Kota South. As the BJP candidate for the Kota constituency Om Birla was elected to the 16th & 17th Lok Sabha.

In the 16th Lok Sabha, he was a member of the Standing Committee on Energy and Consultative Committee for the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

On June 19, 2019 Om Birla was elected as the Speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha, The Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam parties had moved notices for Birla and urged him to be impartial as presiding officer of the Lower House.

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A record single-day jump in Covid19 deaths seen by Rajasthan

covid raj

With a total of 121 more people succumbing to the viral disease on Tuesday as well as 16,089 fresh cases, Rajasthan recorded the highest single-day rise in its Covid-19 death toll. According to an official report, with the fresh cases, the state’s cumulative tally has climbed to 5,46,964 and the death toll stands at 3,806.

Also See: New mutants of Coronavirus

The official report also said that the number of active cases has also increased to 1,55,182.  Among the fresh cases include Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra.

He tweeted, “After showing the initial symptoms, my Covid test report is positive today. On the advice of doctors, I have isolated myself at the Sikar residence. I request all the people who have come in contact with me for the last few days to get the test done.”

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has wished him a speedy recovery. GS Dotasra has tested positive for the second time.

Also Read: Issues faced by India in dealing with Covid 19 resurge- Is it too late to contain the Second Wave

Among the districts in the state, which reported deaths were Jodhpur (22), Jaipur (21), Udaipur (14), Bikaner (8), Kota and Sikar (6 each), Pali and Alwar (5 each), Ajmer, Barmer and Sirohi (4 each).

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Prominent INC leader Sachin Pilot castigated the centre over the farm laws-collapsing talks indicate failure of BJP to grasp Farmers’ plight

Sachin-pilot

The farmers’ protests got another vocal backer and supporter in Rajasthan from the top echelon of INC. Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot on Saturday alleged that the continuous failure of negotiations between the Centre and the farmers has revealed the BJP’s lack of understanding towards the rights of tillers.

“By rejecting the demands of farmers and suppressing the call of justice, the central government has hurt the dignity and democratic system of the country,” the Congress leader said in a tweet.

“The continuous failure of negotiations between the central government and the farmers has revealed BJP’s lack of understanding towards farming and the rights of tillers,” Pilot tweeted. This shows that Pilot is focussing the attention on the failure of the BJP to grasp the plight of the farmers and respect their rights.

Also See: Overview of the Farmers’ unions in the protests

Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several Delhi border points since November 28, demanding a repeal of the three farm laws and asking for a legal guarantee on minimum support price (MSP) for their crops. Various other support groups and farmer-unions from other parts of the country like Maharashtra, TN, and MP are also present at the Delhi borders. Some farmers from Karnataka are also on the way to meet the farmers camping at the Delhi border, especially for participation in the January 26 tractor rally.

Also See: An overview of Farmers’ protests-role of Charan Singh

Enacted in September last year, the three laws have been projected by the Centre as major reforms in the agriculture sector that will remove middlemen and allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the country. But, many experts have suspicions that the laws have purportedly been designed to specifically help the two corporate houses- Adani and Ambani while destroying the Mandi (wholesale market) support system for farmers.  It has also been reported (The Associate Times) that the Biden administration may go for stringent actions against the Ambani and Adani houses using the Magnitsky Act 2012 in the context of the farmers’ protests, as the response by GOI is being observed to be violating the human rights of the farmers. The protesting farmers have also expressed their apprehension that the new laws would pave the way for eliminating the safety cushion of MSP, leaving them at the mercy of big corporates.

Also Read: Components of the farm laws- their harmful impacts on Agriculture

There are points in the laws that raise serious issues, like the contracts can be terminated anytime and that there would be the creation of a new spawn of middlemen who would be controlled by the government. There is also the proposition of removal of the involvement of judiciary from the grievance redressal system of the farmers. All these make the protests justified. Hence, the support from Sachin Pilot comes as a morale booster for the protesting farmers.

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Delhi cooch & Chakka jam-Unions of farmers from Rajasthan are set to join the farmers’ protests at the Delhi border

Delhi cooch & Chakka jam

Farmers’ unions from Rajasthan have given a call for Delhi Cooch and are set to join the already protesting farmers at the Delhi borders.

The Haryana Border areas along the Alwar district of Rajasthan have been converted into a cantonment after the announcement of Chakka jam. Central Reserve Police Force and Paramilitary Force have been deployed on the highways. Alert has been issued to farmers on the announcement of the Delhi chalo march. Jawans have been deployed along the border in Haryana.

Farmers from Punjab and Rajasthan have given a call for Delhi Cooch. More farmers from these states are expected to join protesting farmers who have camped on the Delhi borders. There have been 5 rounds of talks between farmers and government so far, and all have remained inconclusive. The farmers then said that they will intensify the agitation.

On Saturday, under the leadership of Rampal Jat, national president of Rajasthan Kisan Mahapanchayat, 51 farmers’ associations of Rajasthan will also reach Shahjahanpur where they will gather before travelling to Delhi.

Rampal Jat said that preparations have been made to reach Shahjahanpur for the Delhi Cooch. The farmers are hurt by the central government’s indifference to the farmers and have announced to come out on Saturday for Delhi Cooch.

NDA ally Hanuman Beniwal, Amaram Chaudhary, Jat Mahasabha State President Rajaram Meal and heads of other organizations will also reach Delhi. Here, in the wake of the farmers’ announcement of Delhi Cooch, the Haryana Police Administration, which has been deliberately trying to prevent the farmers from entering the Haryana border, has called a contingent of two CISF and one RAF on the highway border. In addition, a troop of Haryana Police has also been posted on the border.

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Ashok Gehlot planning to go for floor test soon; despite the return of Sachin Pilot camp

Ashok Gehlot will opt for a floor test in the upcoming assembly session despite an announcement by 19 disgruntled Congress MLAs, whose rebellion jeopardized the government’s stability last month, with At least three party leaders told about the development on Wednesday.

Even though the 19 MLAs, including the now sacked Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, have returned to the Congress, the party feels that the only way to send a message of unity after a sharp month is a floor test. This triggered political uncertainty in the western state.

A Congress leader, requesting anonymity, said, “No doubt, a floor test is the only solution and we can go for it at any opportune time. We will prove our majority on the floor of the House.”

A three-member All India Congress Committee panel constituted to look into the grievances of Pilot and rebel MLAs is likely to submit its report by then.

The Rajasthan crisis seemed to end after a meeting between Pilot and former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday.

With the return of Pilot, the Congress alone has 107 MLAs in the 200-member Assembly, with a simple majority of 101.

Another Congress official, who is monitoring the developments in Rajasthan, said that the government can transfer the confidence vote in the assembly at any time.

A third congressman said that a floor test was important to prove a point.

The BJP said that calling on a floor test was an “internal issue” of the Congress.

Political analyst Narayan Bareth said that the Congress does not want to take any risk.

Despite the truss, there are signs of resentment among a section in Congress.

The MLAs who supported Gehlot expressed their anger at the Congress Legislature Party meeting in Jaisalmer over the return of Pilot and his supporters.

A party leader present at the meeting said that a large section of legislators were vocal against Pilot, and questioned how the Congress could withdraw dissidents after threatening the government.