Jaipur: Congress leader and former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot on Thursday struck a conciliatory note on his relationship with former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, saying Gehlot has “the same affection and attachment” for him as he has for his son, Vaibhav Gehlot.
Speaking to reporters after an all-faith prayer meeting held on the 26th death anniversary of former Union Minister and farmer leader Rajesh Pilot, Sachin Pilot said, “Ashok Gehlot ji has as much affection for me as he does for Vaibhav. We are all soldiers of the Congress party.”
The remarks came at the Rajesh Pilot Memorial in Bhandana village of Dausa district, where thousands gathered to pay homage to the late Congress leader.
Sachin Pilot offered floral tributes at the memorial, accompanied by his sons, Aran and Vihan Pilot. Several senior Congress leaders, MPs, MLAs and party workers also attended the event. The all-faith prayer meeting was organised to commemorate Rajesh Pilot, one of Rajasthan’s most influential Congress leaders, who died in a road accident near Bhandana on June 11, 2000. Even after 26 years, his memory continues to draw large crowds from across the state, reflecting his enduring connection with the people of Dausa.
After the prayer meeting, Sachin Pilot launched a sharp attack on the BJP governments at the Centre and in Rajasthan, accusing them of failing the youth, farmers and common people. “The future of 22 lakh children has been ruined. The NEET examination paper was leaked, and several other recruitment and competitive exams have also been marred by irregularities. Corruption is rampant, farmers’ incomes have declined, and the prices of fuel and cooking gas continue to rise,” he said.
Pilot asserted that opposition parties were coming together to challenge what he described as a flawed system and anti-people governance. He alleged that corruption cases continue to surface in Rajasthan, but the state government remains indifferent.
He claimed infighting within the ruling establishment has created confusion over who is actually running the government, while law and order has deteriorated.
Referring to local body elections, Pilot alleged that despite observations from the Supreme Court, the Bhajanlal Sharma government was looking for excuses to postpone polls due to fear of public anger. He criticised the government over rural employment and agricultural policies, alleging that welfare schemes were being rebranded rather than strengthened. He also questioned remarks suggesting farmers work only a limited number of days each year.
Pilot said the BJP has been in power at the Centre for over a decade and should be held accountable for its own performance rather than continuing to blame former Congress governments led by Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Manmohan Singh.
Emphasising party unity, Pilot said Congress workers and leaders across generations are united in taking forward Rahul Gandhi’s vision and that the Rajasthan Congress would continue to set an example of organisational strength.
Pilot termed the cancellation of Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan’s Rajya Sabha nomination from Madhya Pradesh a “conspiracy” and said the party would pursue legal remedies, including approaching the Supreme Court if necessary.
The event once again highlighted Rajesh Pilot’s enduring political legacy and provided a platform for Congress leaders to showcase unity ahead of key political battles in Rajasthan and beyond.
(IANS)
