Jodhpur: Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot launched a scathing attack on the BJP Thursday, accusing the party of undermining constitutional values through alleged horse trading and toppling state govts. Gehlot questioned BJP’s legitimacy in celebrating Constitution Day while allegedly threatening democratic principles.Speaking on the third day of his stay in Jodhpur, Gehlot specifically named three Union cabinet ministers – Amit Shah, Dharmendra Pradhan and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat – claiming they were involved in unsuccessful attempts to overthrow his govt in Rajasthan.“They (Union ministers) toppled state govts in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra but failed in Rajasthan. They spent enormous sums of money in the process. I have proof,” Gehlot said.The former CM urged the public to speak up against threats to democratic institutions and practices, warning that the country’s future could be at risk if these continued to weaken under the current regime.Drawing parallels between the country’s present situation and the Emergency period of 1975-77, Gehlot claimed that India was currently under an “undeclared emergency.”“Journalists, historians and writers, etc, are being sent to jails and we do not know how many are in jails today. They hide the (death) numbers,” alleged Gehlot, mentioning the casualties due to stampede in the Mahakumbh Fair in Jan this year. “The official figure of casualties in the Kumbh was 35 but the media put it at 85, with proof,” he claimed, and added that BJP should be ashamed of celebrating ‘Constitution Day’.Gehlot criticised the current BJP govt in Rajasthan under Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, alleging administrative dysfunction and lack of accountability. “People’s grievances are going unheard. Govt officials have become so fearless that they challenge people to get them transferred,” he remarked, claiming that during his tenure officials were more accountable.Speaking to reporters in his hometown, Gehlot inspected various development projects initiated during his administration. Jodhpur: Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot launched a scathing attack on the BJP Thursday, accusing the party of undermining constitutional values through alleged horse trading and toppling state govts. Gehlot questioned BJP’s legitimacy in celebrating Constitution Day while allegedly threatening democratic principles.Speaking on the third day of his stay in Jodhpur, Gehlot specifically named three Union cabinet ministers – Amit Shah, Dharmendra Pradhan and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat – claiming they were involved in unsuccessful attempts to overthrow his govt in Rajasthan.“They (Union ministers) toppled state govts in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra but failed in Rajasthan. They spent enormous sums of money in the process. I have proof,” Gehlot said.The former CM urged the public to speak up against threats to democratic institutions and practices, warning that the country’s future could be at risk if these continued to weaken under the current regime.Drawing parallels between the country’s present situation and the Emergency period of 1975-77, Gehlot claimed that India was currently under an “undeclared emergency.”“Journalists, historians and writers, etc, are being sent to jails and we do not know how many are in jails today. They hide the (death) numbers,” alleged Gehlot, mentioning the casualties due to stampede in the Mahakumbh Fair in Jan this year. “The official figure of casualties in the Kumbh was 35 but the media put it at 85, with proof,” he claimed, and added that BJP should be ashamed of celebrating ‘Constitution Day’.Gehlot criticised the current BJP govt in Rajasthan under Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, alleging administrative dysfunction and lack of accountability. “People’s grievances are going unheard. Govt officials have become so fearless that they challenge people to get them transferred,” he remarked, claiming that during his tenure officials were more accountable.Speaking to reporters in his hometown, Gehlot inspected various development projects initiated during his administration.
