‘It’s the first time Central ministers are scheming to topple state govts – Karnataka, MP…’: Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

What are the big-ticket schemes that you just suppose will lend a hand re-elect you in 2023?

Our govt has labored for each and every segment of society and uploaded main points of each and every beneficiary on-line. Our govt has waived just about Rs 15,000 crore price of farm loans; has given an extra subsidy of Rs 1,000 on electrical energy expenses of farmers, which has resulted in 0 expenses for approximately three lakh farmers; given unfastened remedy as much as Rs Five lakh throughout the Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana; and all through Covid, given the entirety unfastened from assessments to remedy. Govt clinical faculties are being opened in 30 districts, 123 new faculties had been opened, of which 32 are girls faculties, we now have given 1 lakh govt jobs whilst about 80,000 are within the pipeline, laws are being shaped for contractual staff, 88 lakh persons are being given social safety pension, roads are being laid in each and every Vidhan Sabha, complainants are being heard in police stations, and commercial spaces opened in each and every block.

That is only a snapshot. Other folks have authorized our paintings over and over. This is the reason we now have gained large in six out of 8 Meeting bypolls, and in city native our bodies and panchayati raj polls.

The BJP doesn’t have anything else to turn on the subject of its earlier governments or the Modi govt. Therefore, they do politics of hate around the nation, within the title of caste, faith, magnificence and language. We now have at all times sought votes on construction. Now the general public has sworn that they’re going to vote within the title of construction… Even after 3 years there’s no anti-incumbency… The BJP has now not been in a position to advertise enmity because of the strictness of our govt and as an alternative their leaders are preventing among themselves.

The type of Corona control we did, there was once no discontent, as noticed in different states… This time the general public will wreck a convention since 1993 and vote within the Congress once more.

What’s going to the federal government’s focal point be within the subsequent two years?

Well being and social safety have at all times been our govt’s precedence. Therefore, we didn’t let somebody be disadvantaged of remedy all through Covid and now not let somebody pass hungry. Our govt gave monetary help of Rs 5,500 to 33 lakh households. We additionally supplied dry rations and foods for Rs eight via Indira Rasoi. Our state has immense funding alternatives and we’re establishing an ‘Make investments Rajasthan’ summit in January. Farmer’s welfare, girls empowerment, making improvements to supply of public services and products, Proper to Well being Invoice, offering alternatives to adolescence, will probably be our precedence.

The ‘Proper to Well being’ Invoice has been within the works for lengthy. In a similar fashion, the responsibility legislation. The general draft is alleged to be in a position however for objections via some bureaucrats.

Proper to Well being is our precedence.

And to mend responsibility, our govt, within the earlier tenure, introduced the Assured Supply of Public Carrier Act and Proper to Listening to Act. We’re running against strengthening those two regulations and analyzing the desire for a recent legislation.

The NCRB file signifies crime has enormously risen in Rajasthan. In rape instances, Jaipur (409) is subsequent simplest to Delhi (967), whilst the state is 3rd total in crimes towards girls, after Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

The NCRB file says proper at first that crime is a results of quite a lot of cases. We will have to keep away from evaluating states only at the foundation of figures because of quite a lot of state-specific insurance policies and procedures. Some folks make the error of assuming that building up in crime and building up in registration of crime are the similar factor. Our govt applied obligatory registration of FIRs in 2019. Previous, police would write the file on a clean paper and hotel an FIR simplest once they discovered any proof. However girls and the marginalised communities used to stand bother because of this. Now everybody’s FIR is registered.

Now not simply this, in 2019, our govt arrange a different unit for investigation of crimes towards girls beneath an officer of Deputy SP rank in each and every district, now promoted to Further SP. Because of this, the investigation time in heinous instances akin to rape has diminished from 274 days in 2017-18 to 73. We now have additionally appointed prison officials in courts, in order that the offender isn’t let off. Because of this you stay studying that an accused was once punished in 10 days or a choice given inside of a month.

However this is a topic of outrage that persons are maligning this coverage. Of the FIRs lodged in crimes towards girls, 45.88% have been discovered to be pretend in 2019, 45.23% in 2020 and 47.56% in 2021, until June… The state is being maligned because of folks misusing the legislation on this method.

That is your 3rd time period as CM. What would you assert has modified?

The largest distinction is within the family members between the Centre and state. Previous, they labored in combination, however now the Centre treats Opposition-ruled states in a stepmotherly method. Rajasthan has been in the hunt for nationwide undertaking standing for the Japanese Rajasthan Canal Challenge (ERCP). It was once introduced via the Top Minister himself, however there was no motion in this.

After the implementation of the GST, rajyon ke paas koi khaas aarthik sansadhan nahin bache hain (the states aren’t left with any main resources of income). The Centre doesn’t give GST dues in time, because of which construction works of the state get caught. They take unilateral selections with out consulting states and states need to undergo its penalties. And it’s for the primary time that Central ministers are scheming to topple state governments – Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh…

A number of letters had been written via you to the Centre at the ERCP factor. What has been the reaction?

I’ve written 5 letters to the PM and 7 letters to the Union Jal Shakti minister. The Jal Shakti minister has answered 3 times. The Centre has given Rs 40,000 crore for the Ken-Betwa river linking undertaking, however now not taken any motion regarding the ERCP… We’re made up our minds to finish the ERCP so we now have began paintings the usage of the state funds itself, however it’s tough with out Central help, which is why we’re in the hunt for nationwide undertaking standing.

… Political one-upmanship has resulted in developmental works being caught. The folks of the state have realised that should you flip the roti briefly, it results in roti being undercooked, so the folks will bless us once more in 2023.

Costs of petrol, diesel and cylinders had been emerging. Do you suppose the BJP will lose some votes in this account?

The economically well-off supporters of the BJP would possibly nonetheless again it, however ask the typical guy, the mazdoor, if their source of revenue has larger in the similar percentage as inflation. Within the remaining 5 years, 22 crore folks have slipped beneath the poverty line. Can turning folks poorer be within the hobby of the country, because the BJP claims to be doing?… A Rs 20 lakh crore bundle was once introduced all through the (Covid) lockdown, however it was once made loan-based and the financial system didn’t get any receive advantages.

On the contemporary rally in Jaipur, Rahul Gandhi mentioned there was once a distinction between being Hindu and being Hindutva-vadi. Is the Congress going to undertake cushy Hindutva as a technique?

I’ve spoken earlier than in this factor and I’ll repeat it. A Hindu is one that believes if truth be told, nonviolence, love, brotherhood and tolerance. Hindus don’t hate somebody and recognize all religions. However chadm (pseudo) Hindutva-vadis imagine in spreading violence, intolerance and hatred. The adaptation between Hindu and chadm Hindutva-vadi is equal to that between Gandhiji and Godse…

It’s Rahulji’s trust that the BJP-RSS’s politics of hate and violence after distorting the fundamental nature of Hinduism will have to finish.

Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat’s title has arise within the Sanjeevani Society case, and his name recordings additionally cropped up all through the bid to topple your govt remaining 12 months. Has there been any motion at the two problems? Your OSD Lokesh Sharma has been summoned via Delhi Police 4 instances at the foundation of his criticism.

That is the adaptation between their govt and ours. We by no means use legislation companies for political functions. The police, SOG (Particular Operations Team), ACB (Anti-Corruption Bureau), are all running independently. We by no means give them directions referring to a particular particular person. Regulation will take its route and the courts will punish him… He (Shekhawat) has complained about a subject relating to Rajasthan with the Delhi Police whilst the legislation obviously states {that a} criticism is lodged the place the offence has taken position. Delhi Police is operating beneath the drive of the Central govt. However we imagine this pretend case (relating to OSD Sharma) is not going to hang in courtroom.

You will have introduced unfastened sanitary napkins for ladies via Udaan Yojana.

There’s such hesitation in discussing menstruation regardless that this is a herbal procedure. I used to be shocked to understand that about 62% of the ladies within the nation use method rather than sanitary pads. Docs say the usage of a material all through menstruation can result in a number of diseases, together with cervical most cancers. Therefore, we introduced Rs 200 crore on this funds to supply sanitary napkins to all girls within the state.

I imagine there will have to be a debate around the nation and governments should make schemes (for this).