JAIPUR: Rajasthan’s political temperature went up a notch on Friday with the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the state police filing two first information reports accusing Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and rebel Congress MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma of hatching a plot to topple the Ashok Gehlot government. Sanjiv Jain, an agent-cum-businessman, was also named in the FIR and has been arrested. The BJP denied any links with him.
The day began with Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala claiming a few audio tapes surfaced on Thursday revealing alleged conversations of rebel Congress MLA Bhanwar Lal Sharma with BJP leaders on a trade-off to pull down the government. The Congress claimed one of the voices was that of Shekhawat, a senior BJP leader from Rajasthan and Union minister for Jal Shakti. The New Indian Express cannot vouch for the veracity of the audio tapes.
“Congress has suspended Bhanwar Lal Sharma and Vishvendra Singh from the primary membership of the party,” Surjewala said and demanded a full probe by the SOG, after which the FIRs were filed. The SOG then sent a team to interrogate the accused MLAs, but were prevented by the Haryana Police from entering the hotel in Manesar where Sachin Pilot’s loyalists are lodged. The special team also intends to move court to seek voice samples of all the accused to verify the audio tapes.
However, Pilot got some relief as the Rajasthan High Court asked Assembly Speaker C P Joshi to put on hold any action against the rebels till Monday, when the hearing will be resume. The order came before the deadline set by Joshi’s office for responding to his disqualification notices to the 19 rebels, was set to expire.
During the arguments, senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing virtually from his London home for Pilot, told the court that violation of the whip’s directions with respect to acts outside the Assembly do not fall under the ambit of the Tenth Schedule. “Disagreements regarding dictatorial functioning of the CM is an internal matter and doesn’t amount to defection,” Salve argued, adding that disqualification notices are an attempt to stifle freedom of speech and internal discussions.
Ready for probe, says Union minister
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was quick to deny any role in the deal-making. “I am ready to face any investigation. The audio tape doesn’t have my voice. If I am called for questioning, I will definitely go,” Shekhawat said. Bhanwar Lal Sharma, too, said the tapes were fake.