Affirming the power tussle between the CM and Deputy CM in Rajasthan, Sachin Pilot, who is also the state Congress chief, has criticised CM Ashok Gehlot for his attitude and irresponsible approach towards the deaths of infants in Kota, Rajasthan. Days after Ashok Gehlot said that there was no tradition of visiting bereaved families, his deputy, Sachin Pilot has hit out at him and said that if there is no tradition, then it should be started.
Pilot said, “On one hand, we talk about discontinuing bad traditions such as keeping veils, but on the other, we hide behind traditions,” he said. “If there is no tradition of meeting bereaved families, then such a tradition should be started,” Pilot added without naming Gehlot. Exhibiting his irresponsible attitude, Gehlot had told reporters last week that condolence meetings are not held for infants. “I have not heard about people visiting families which lose infants,” he said, referring to Pilot’s visit.
Pilot on Tuesday said it was the government’s responsibility to share the pain and visit the families of the dead children. “There is no condolence meet for infants but it is our responsibility to wipe tears of their parents,” he added.
Pilot, who has met the parents of the infants who died at Kota’s JK Lon Hospital, had earlier criticised his government over the deaths saying its response was neither satisfactory nor sensitive or compassionate. He had called for accountability to be fixed after Gehlot had claimed there has been a decline in the infant deaths at the hospital during the Congress rule.
Criticising his own government over shifting the responsibility to previous governments, Sachin Pilot had said,“I think our response to this (Kota infants’ deaths) could have been more compassionate and sensitive. After being in power for 13 months I think it serves no purpose to blame the previous government’s misdeeds. Accountability should be fixed.” He added, “Itne sare bacchon ki maut hui hai. Jimmedari tay karni hogi. Vasundra ji ne kuch galat kiya to janta ne unhain hara diya. Magar ab toh hamari jimmedari banti hai (So many children have died. We have to fix responsibility. People voted out Vasundhra Raje for her wrongs. But now it’s our responsibility).”
The Congress and the Ashok Gehlot government have already been drawing a lot of fire over the Kota tragedy and the insensitive character of the Congress regime. The BJP had hit out at the Rajasthan CM, demanding his resignation. Even BSP supremo Mayawati had asked for the resignation of Ashok Gehlot. The incident of deaths of infants in Kota’s JK Lon Hospital is a major tragedy, denoting the absence of a sane government there.
The Ashok Gehlot-led state government is deeply ignorant and insensitive towards the pain of the families. This tussle between Pilot and his CM also marks the hunger for power in Congress party. The war of words between Pilot and Gehlot marks that the state Congress and the government is deeply divided while senior leadership remains aloof of these conflicts. The central leadership of the Congress is vulnerable before Gehlot who enjoys the confidence of the Gandhi family. However, Pilot would leave no stone unturned in order to limit the influence of Gehlot.