JAIPUR: The Rajasthan impasse continued with the Ashok Gehlot government on Tuesday sending a revised proposal to Governor Kalraj Mishra Cabinet for holding the assembly session. The state Cabinet rejected the condition put forth by the governor to give a 21-day notice to the MLAs and reiterated its demand for holding the session from July 31.
The revised proposal did not mention whether the trust vote is on the agenda. It also asserts that the government has a majority. Regarding the governor’s queries about safety in the light of Covid-19, the government claimed “it is the prerogative of the Assembly Speaker”.
The ball now in the governor’s court and all eyes are on his response. Mishra had on Monday agreed to hold the assembly session but with three conditions, which included sending a three-day advance notice to the MLAs and a plan for ensuring safety inside the House given the corona threat.
Speaking to the media after the Cabinet meeting, Revenue Minister Harish Chaudhary said, “It is our right to call the assembly. How the session will be held is the Speaker’s prerogative. We want the session on July 31 (Friday).” Pointing out that assembly sessions were being held in other states, Transport Minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said, “In BJP-led Goa, the Assembly session is currently on.
Similarly in Bihar where BJP is in power, they are holding a session from August 3 and even in UP they have recommended the start of the session from August 20. They have no excuse to deny Rajasthan an Assembly session on corona argument.”
ED summons Gehlot’s elder brother in PMLA case
The ED has summoned CM Ashok Gehlot’s elder brother for questioning in a money-laundering case linked to alleged financial irregularities in exporting fertiliser. Agrasain Gehlot has been asked to depose before the investigating officer on Wednesday in Delhi under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. On July 22, the ED raided Agrasain’s premises in Jodhpur and other locations and seized a number of documents.