The state education department — and minister Madan Dilawar —can’t seem to stay away from controversy. The latest storm erupted over a circular directing schools to celebrate Shaurya Diwas on December 6, the day Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992. The order went viral within minutes. As Muslim organisations and opposition parties joined the uproar, department officials rushed to disown the circular, claiming it had never been authorised. From dictating uniforms for female teachers to tweaking history lessons, Dilawar has long faced accusations of “saffronising” education — and this unsigned, withdrawn order has only added more fuel to the fire.
Ex-dySP post on money collection stirs row
The state police have landed in controversy after ex-Dungarpur DySP Hanumant Singh Bhati’s social media post claiming senior officials collected up to Rs 5 lakh from police officers to impress the DGP before his district visit, went viral. A leaked chat allegedly showing ASP Ashok Meena asking for Rs 30,000 from each police station for the August 25 visit added fuel to the fire. By afternoon, Bhati said his account had been hacked. By evening, he called it a “misunderstanding” and claimed that the amount had budgetary approval. Despite his clarification, social media is buzzing that Bhati’s post has exposed the police department’s inner workings.
Emergence of Cong’s ‘third power centre’
Rajasthan Congress, already split into two factions, is now abuzz with talk of a third power centre—state president Govind Singh Dotasara. The latest list of 45 district presidents is dominated by his loyalists, further boosting his clout. Dotasara’s stature has grown since Congress won 11 Lok Sabha seats in 2024, a sharp turnaround from its defeats in 2014 and 2019. But his rise has reportedly made senior leaders uneasy, with whispers of tension between Ashok Gehlot and Dotasara adding to the intrigue. As Congress heads toward the next Assembly polls, many wonder how the party will manage this power struggle.
Rajesh Asnani
Our correspondent in Jaipur
rajesh.asnani@newindianexpress.com