Alwar/Jaipur: Congress Saturday launched the ‘Aravalli Bachao Janjagran’ campaign across Rajasthan, drumming up local support from youth and tribal communities and submitting memoranda address to the President of India to distict administrations, opposing the Supreme Court’s acceptance of Union environment ministry’s proposal for a new 100-meter definition for the Aravallis. In Alwar, Rajasthan’s Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully criticised the Modi govt, repeating the Congress’ charge of “Chowkidar Chor hai” to assert that the those attempting to damage “Mother Aravalli” will have to face the “curse of Bhartrihari Baba”— a local deity. “This is a well-planned conspiracy to destroy Aravalli,” Jully said. He also alleged that a complaint lodged with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) six months ago about the mining mafia demanding a bribe of Rs 5 crore has remained unattended, despite the Union minister’s claim that only 0.19% of the Aravallis are being mined, and Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma’s assusrance that he will not allow any harm to come to the hill range. “The same complaint was also given to CBI, CID, and ACB, but even after five months have passed, investigation has not even started. This makes it clear that the govt is giving protection to the mining mafia,” Jully said. Congress MP Bhanwar Jitendra Singh, meanwhile, claimed the BJP govt will be compelled to withdraw its diktat on the Aravallis just as it was forced to do in the case of the three black laws against farmers. This ‘black law’ concerning Aravalli will also have to be retracted in the public interest, Singh said, emphasising that Congress will persist with this movement, involving every section and social organisation, until the govt relents.Congress state chief Govind Singh Dotasra also referred to the Aravallis as the lifeline of common people, and insisted that it cannot be put in danger for the “personal trade and ‘business’ of BJP leaders”. “The govt targeted the Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) first, and now the Aravalli. This is just the beginning against this “dumb, deaf and useless” govt; the end is yet to come,” he said. The Congress foot march saw the participation of youth and tribal communities. Youth danced to the slogans of ‘Aravalli Hamein Bachani Hai’, while tribal women protested through ‘Meenawati’ songs. Many youths expressed their support by painting ‘Aravalli Bachao’ on their foreheads and shaving their heads in solidarity with the ‘Save Aravalli’ campaign.Protests marches to ‘Save Aravallis’ were held across Rajasthan, including in Jaipur, where the City Congress organised a foot march from the state Congress headquarters to Shaheed Smarak and handed over a memorandum addressed to the President of India to the police commissioner.
