Jaipur, June 24: Govind Singh Dotasra, the President of the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee, dismissed allegations made by Agriculture Minister Kirori Lal Meena on Wednesday. Dotasra accused Meena and the BJP government of attempting to divert public attention from alleged fertilizer and seed scams within the agriculture department.
During a press conference at the state Congress headquarters, Dotasra stated that before making accusations against others, Minister Meena should ensure a fair investigation into the alleged corruption in his own department. He also criticized the state government on various issues, including border security and the Yamuna water agreement.
Responding to allegations regarding OBC certificates and appointments, Dotasra clarified that all actions were in accordance with rules established by the central and Rajasthan governments since 1999. He noted that the circular from 2019, which is being referenced, was merely an erroneous document that was corrected in 2021 and clarified to the Rajasthan Public Service Commission.
Recently, Minister Kirori Lal Meena wrote to Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, alleging that Dotasra and his brother-in-law possess fake OBC certificates and demanded an FIR against them.
In response, Dotasra stated that this matter had already been resolved by courts and previous governments. He expressed willingness to cooperate with any investigation if the current BJP government still harbors doubts.
Dotasra accused Minister Meena of resurrecting a five-year-old issue to distract from alleged corruption in the agriculture department. He highlighted a recent raid in the department where a bribe amounting to 2.43 crore rupees was reportedly seized, noting that Minister Meena himself admitted to irregularities occurring without his knowledge.
He emphasized that if officials at the director level and members of the decoy team are caught engaging in illegal collections, both the departmental minister and the state government bear moral responsibility.
Dotasra urged Minister Meena, if he considers himself completely honest, to immediately request a Special Operations Group investigation from the Chief Minister. He claimed that this scam could amount to between 300 crore to 500 crore rupees.
He also questioned why, despite the alleged recovery of such a large sum, the Enforcement Directorate has not taken action yet, and called for an investigation into the 1,200 raids conducted by the department.
Dotasra advised that instead of warning the Chief Minister not to cross the ‘Lakshman Rekha,’ Minister Meena should ensure a thorough investigation into his department’s operations. He stated, “If, after a fair investigation, Minister Meena is found innocent, I will personally thank him.”
Criticizing the state’s healthcare system, Dotasra claimed that hospitals are lacking in treatment and medication, and where medicines are available, counterfeit drugs are being administered. He cited the deaths of five pregnant women in Kota, two in Bikaner, and one in Jodhpur, labeling the state government as insensitive.
He alleged that adulterated medicines and fake oxytocin injections are harming patients’ kidneys and also criticized Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar’s comments.
On national security, Dotasra affirmed Congress’s strong support for the government. However, he criticized the practice of providing only one or two hours’ notice before removing religious sites, stating that this could lead to communal tension and attempts to conceal governmental failures.
He insisted that any central government action plan should be discussed in a bipartisan meeting and shared with the media and the public.
Regarding the sealing of coaching institutes, Dotasra stated that the administration should not wait for an accident to occur. Regular inspections and safety measures should be implemented to ensure the safety and interests of students.
Leave a Comment