JAIPUR: After the cabinet expansion of the Bhajan Lal Sharma government in Rajasthan, several ministers have assumed their roles in the new year. However, controversy surrounds cabinet Minister Avinash Gehlot, who reportedly removed pictures of Mahatma Gandhi and Baba Saheb Ambedkar from his office.
All BJP CMs and other ministers in Rajasthan adorn their chambers with portraits of these iconic figures. The opposition Congress has hit out at the minister Gehlot. “He became a minister after taking oath, but as soon as he sat in the chair, he removed the portrait of the architect of the Constitution and replaced it with that of the RSS founder.”
The controversy has forced Avinash Gehlot on the back foot. “Today was the first day in office, and the chamber is still being set up. Due to time constraints and the auspicious timing, pictures of all the great men are not yet displayed, but they will be added soon. We fully respect great personalities,” Gehlot said, emphasizing that he assumed charge on New Year after prayers and chanting of mantras in his room at the Mantralaya building of the Secretariat.
It was later revealed that there were no portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and Ambedkar among the ones placed behind Gehlot’s chair in the room. Instead, portraits of RSS founder and first Sarsanghchalak Dr Keshav Rao Baliram Hedgewar and second Sarsanghchalak Madhavrao Sadashivrao Golwalkar have been displayed. Seven photographs, including the picture of Bharat Mata, have been arranged behind Minister Gehlot’s chair in his chamber.
These images are accompanied by photographs of former PM Vajpayee, President Draupadi Murmu, PM Modi, and CM Bhajan Lal Sharma. The presence of portraits of Hedgewar and Golwalkar was a rare sight in government offices.