Gehlot says his speech at Modi’s Rajasthan event cancelled, PMO says not true

Chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said his three-minute scheduled address listing demands such as scrapping the Agniveer scheme and loan waiver at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s programme in poll-bound Rajasthan’s Sikar was cancelled. The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) immediately denied the claim but Gehlot stuck to it.

The PMO maintained that Gehlot was invited and his speech was also slotted as per protocol at the inauguration and the foundation laying ceremony of 12 medical colleges but the chief minister’s office said he will unable to attend the event.

In a tweet, PMO said Gehlot has always been invited and he has also attended Modi’s programmes previously. “You are most welcome to join today’s programme. Your name is on the plaque of the development works as well. Unless you have any physical discomfort owing to your recent injury, your presence will be deeply valued.”

Gehlot responded saying the PMO was informed he will attend the event virtually due to the injury and that his minister will be at the venue. He attached the correspondence over it and the event schedule. “Respected Prime Minister, your office has taken cognisance of my tweet but probably it is not aware of the facts. My address was part of the proposed programme...,” he tweeted.

Gehlot added he was again informed that he would not be addressing the event on Wednesday night. Gehlot said he will join the programme in Rajasthan’s interest in non-interactive mode through video conferencing.

In his tweet earlier in Hindi, Gehlot said he will not be able to welcome Modi. “...so I heartily welcome you to Rajasthan through this tweet.” He said the inauguration and foundation of medical colleges were being laid in partnership between the Rajasthan and the Union government. “The project cost of these medical colleges is ₹3,689 crore, of which ₹2,213 crore is the Centre’s share and ₹1,476 crore of the state government.”

He said he was tweeting the demands he was to make in his speech while referring to Modi’s seventh visit to Rajasthan in six months. Gehlot cited the demand of the youth, especially of Rajasthan’s Shekhawati region, and said the permanent recruitment should be restored by withdrawing the Agniveer scheme.

The scheme, which sparked protests last year over reduced tenure and fewer post-service benefits, has been designed to lower the average age of India’s armed forces. Recruitments under it are being done on four-year contracts. Only 25% of the recruits will be retained at the end of their terms.

Gehlot said the state government has waived loans worth ₹15,000 crore of 2.1 million farmers from all the cooperative banks under it. “We have sent a one-time settlement proposal to the central government to waive the loans of nationalised banks...This demand should be fulfilled.”

He asked the central government to take a decision on a caste census without delay while referring to the Rajasthan assembly’s resolution over it.

Reservations and caste census are expected to be major issues in the run-up to the 2024 national elections. A caste census has not been conducted since 1931. Congress backed quotas based on a national caste census before it stormed to power in Karnataka in May.

Congress-ruled Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh are due to go to the polls along with Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Mizoram. The polls in the five states accounting for roughly 15% of India’s population are set expected to set the tone for the 2024 national elections.

In his first tweet, Gehlot said medical colleges in three districts built entirely with the state’s funding were not getting any financial assistance from the central government. “The central government should also give 60% funding to the medical colleges in these three tribal-dominated districts,” Gehlot said.

He demanded the status of a project of national importance for the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP). Congress has accused the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of stalling the ERCP, which seeks to provide irrigation and drinking water facilities across 13 districts of eastern Rajasthan.

Modi was also due to transfer money into the accounts of 90 million farmers under the Kisan Samman Nidhi cash transfer scheme for small and marginal cultivators before addressing a gathering of farmers in Sikar.

BJP leader Rajendra Rathore tweeted thanking Gehlot for at least accepting the central government’s ₹2,213 crore contribution to medical colleges in the state. “It would have been better if you had paid attention to the faculty and other resources in the previously operated medical colleges.”

Rathore questioned why did not Gehlot keep his poll promise to waive the loan of the farmers in 10 days. “Now the government’s tenure is in the last stage...so you are demanding loan waiver from the central government.”

Rathore said Gehlot was rejecting Agniveers even as the country has accepted them. “...lakhs of youth across the country are taking advantage of the Agnipath scheme to serve the nation. Why this narrowness?”