'Vote-Chor' slogan echoes at Cong's farmer rally in Bundi

Bundi: Amid slogans of ‘Vote-Chor, Gaddi Chhod' and ‘Smart Metre Chor' at a farmers' rally in Bundi Thursday, state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra and Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully lambasted the BJP-led Union and state govts, labelling them not as "double-engine" but "double-dealing", and not a "sarkar" (govt) but a "circus".

Both leaders also condemned Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma for not touring flood-hit villages to see and listen to the grievances of people, and for not visiting Jhalawar to express condolences to the family of seven school children killed in a classroom ceiling collapse. They said the CM prefers to travel by helicopter on public money.

The two leaders were addressing farmers at ‘Kisan Lalkar Rally', organised by Bundi district Congress committee, to protest against installation of smart electricity metres and to demand compensation to farmers for damaged crops.

Bundi district Congress president C L Premi, Bundi MLA Harimohan Sharma, party's Lok Sabha candidate Prahlad Gunjal, and others accompanied the PCC chief and LOP, along with a large number of party workers.

Jully said he avoided the all-party meeting in the state assembly Thursday as he chose to hear and witness the suffering of people in Bundi, which was better than sipping tea with the CM and the Assembly Speaker.

He accused the BJP of not respecting the constitution for which Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their lives, adding that the state govt had not yet announced polls for civic bodies.

Referring to claims of "Vote-Chori" by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Jully said the BJP came to power through vote theft in Jaipur Rural, Alwar and Kota-Bundi constituencies.

Jully criticised the state govt for wasting Rs 3,200 crore on Rajasthan Mandapam in Jaipur, as this money should have been spent on constructing school buildings and infrastructure.

He also condemned the govt for not announcing compensation to flood-hit people in Bundi district, saying the BJP govts have money for Adani and Ambani but not for the poor.

Dotasra in his address said, "This is not a sarkar running here (in Rajasthan), it is a circus, as you all know."