In breather for Congress, Pilot takes a dig at Gehlot, but fights shy of floating a new party

After paying homage to his father at Bhandana in Dausa, Pilot unveiled his father’s statue at the district’s Gurjar Chatrawas before addressing a rally here.

Last month, Pilot had held a rally in Jaipur making three demands – that the “corruption-ridden” Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) be dissolved and reconstituted; compensation be provided to “lakhs of students” who have suffered financial hardship due to paper leaks; and a high-level inquiry be conducted into alleged corruption cases that took place under the Raje government.

He had also said that if the three demands were not met by May-end, he would launch a state-wide agitation.

There was a buzz that Pilot may announce his next move at the Sunday rally, but it did not come. With CM Gehlot unyielding on his three demands so far, Pilot may have been asked by the Congress leadership to wait for Rahul Gandhi’s return from the United States.

Pilot briefly mentioned the issue of alleged corruption during the Raje government, charging “You (Raje) allotted mines, the theft was caught, and you cancelled (the mining leases). But you did allot, and that needs to be accounted for. Like someone said, har galti saza maangti hai (every mistake demands punishment). If not today, then justice will be delivered tomorrow. It cannot be stopped.”

In a bid to dispel the impression that he may be backtracking from his position, he said, “I have not backtracked on my promises earlier, nor will I in future.” He said that lots of people come and take on various positions in politics, “But I believe that whether we are on a post or not, the public always weighs us – on what we said and what we did. For me, my credibility is my biggest priority. People’s trust and commitment is the biggest capital in politics. And in the last 20-25 years, I have not done anything which might affect your trust in me. And I promise I will never let your trust in me be affected.”

Saying that he drew inspiration from his father, Pilot said that his father always kept his word in a strong and powerful way, “hence crores of people listened to him whether he held a post or not. That kind of politics is the need of the nation – speaking without hesitation, standing with truth and honesty, and not compromising even in adverse circumstances, this is what Pilot sahib had taught us.”

Pilot said, “In his 19-20 years in politics, he saw many ups and downs and there are many ups and downs in politics. But he never compromised with his swabhimaan (pride), adarsh (ideals) and his thoughts.”

In a subtle dig at Gehlot through the BJP, Pilot said, “The government at the Centre says that if people get financial support, then there will be bankruptcy. And when I say that the youth has been cheated and betrayed, they say there will be mental bankruptcy.”

Last month, Gehlot had said that demanding compensation for “26 lakh” students is a sign of “mental bankruptcy.” He too had taken aim at Pilot by targeting the BJP, saying that “The Opposition has no issue, hence they talk of paper leak and say that compensation be given to 26 lakh persons. It is demanded that since paper has been leaked, compensation should be given. Won’t this be called mental bankruptcy?”

Pilot told the rally that “We should have big hearts – and our coffers have enough money – that we are able to help the poor and the youth.”

Citing hundreds of deaths of infants at the government hospital in Kota in late 2020, Pilot said that he had raised this issue back then not to show anyone in poor light but because he simply wanted “that there shouldn’t be death of even a single new-born. Today, Kota has a wonderful children’s hospital and the deaths have stopped. Hence keeping your point is important in politics.”

The 45-year-old Congress leader suggested that this is also the reason why he has raised the demands for relief for youth and for investigation into alleged corruption during Raje’s tenure: “All of us in politics may think differently, have different aims and ideologies, but collectively the aim should be clear in politics. My political aim is very clear: we want that there is clean politics in the state and the country, that there is no space for the corrupt.”

He also said, “We want that no one is able to break the hopes of jawans and the farmers. If we look at the future with hope, it gives us energy. But if we see disappointment in the future, then you don’t wish to work hard. If the youth’s heart is disappointed, then it is not possible for the nation to progress. And you all know — I have also spent 20-22 years in politics — that I have always talked of youth, protecting their interests and improving their lives.”

Thanking the people of Dausa, Pilot said that “At the prarthana sabha (earlier in the day), the images (of Rajesh Pilot’s accident) from 23 years ago were playing in my head. I was 22 years old and after he left, the void left by him in the region, in all of us, the family, I don’t think it can ever be filled. But I have the satisfaction that the people of this region, all of you, never let me or my family feel that the late Pilot sahib is not among us.”