Protests erupt over annulment of nine Rajasthan districts

Protests erupted across Rajasthan on Sunday a day after the BJP-led government annulled nine districts and three divisions formed by the previous Congress government in the state.

Also Read: Rajasthan cabinet annuls 9 new districts and 3 divisions formed by Gehlot govt

Protest rallies were taken out in Neem-Ka-Thana, Gangapur City, Dudu and Sanchore –– four of the nine districts annulled by the Rajasthan cabinet on Saturday. While the market was shut down in Shahpura, effigies of chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma were burnt in Kekadi as part of the stir.

“The decision of annulment of Shahpura was unfair,” said Avinash Sharma, convener of the Jila Bachao Sangharsh Samiti in Shahpura. “We called for a market shutdown and the response showed that people are against the government’s move... We may also file a petition in the Rajasthan high court against the move.”

The state government on Saturday annulled the creation of nine of the 17 districts and three divisions formed by the Ashok Gehlot-led government last year. The nine annulled districts are Shahpura, Dudu, Jaipur Rural, Neem-Ka-Thana, Kekadi, Gangapur City, Jodhpur Rural, Anoopgrah, and Sanchore. Three new divisions in Pali, Banswara, and Sikar were dissolved as well. The state will now have 41 districts and seven divisions.

“Rajasthan came into existence in 1959 as a separate state with 26 districts. Till 2023, only seven new districts were formed considering the convenience of the people and the administration. Hence, it is clear that the sudden formation of as many as 17 districts and also three new divisions were not a need of the hour,” parliamentary affairs minister Jogaram Patel said while addressing reporters after the meeting.

During the rally in Neem-ka-thana, protesters set tires and effigies of the chief minister and BJP state chief Madan Rathore on fire. In Kekadi, the Jila Bachao Sangharsh Samiti called for protests outside administrative offices. “We have called for a massive protest at all the administrative offices in the region. We want our district back,” said Kekadi Jila Bachao Sangharash Samiti convener Ramavatar Sikhwal.

In Anoopgarh, local BJP leaders Mukesh Sharma and Vinay Chayaray offered their resignations from the party to protest against the government’s decision.

The Congress also staged stirs in the annulled districts on Saturday.