Raje govt patronised liquor, land and sand mafia in Rajasthan: Gehlot
Udaipur, Nov 24 : Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Saturday attacked Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on the issue of corruption and claimed that the state government led by her patronised liquor, land and sand mafia.
The AICC general secretary, who is contesting December 7 elections from Jodhpur's Sardarpura seat, is conducting electioneering in Mewar region for the party.
"No government in Rajasthan had ever patronised any mafia but the Vasundhara Raje government did that. Land, liquor and sand mafia flourished in her rule in connivance with officers and I blame that money has reached up to the top level," Gehlot told reporters here.
Raje bowed before the party president but never met people in five years. Instead of bowing before Shah, she should have taken care of the people of Rajasthan who gave such a huge mandate in 2013 elections, but she betrayed people, the former Rajasthan chief minister said.
Gehlot alleged that the BJP government in five years only worked to weaken schemes launched by former Congress government and stalled various important projects in the state.
During the Congress government rule, there were 25 lakh people engaged in MGNREGA works, but now the number has reduced to just 2.5 lakh, he said.
Gehlot alleged that the government spent crores of rupees on Resurgent Rajasthan and now the government should disclose that how much investment was made in the state in five years.
The Resurgent Rajasthan summit was held in 2015 to attract investment in the state.
Gehlot said the Ram temple was just an election issue for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The BJP uses the name of Lord Rama during elections only. They have no genuine intention and they have been exposed before public now, he said.
Gehlot is scheduled to address public rally in Chittorgarh, Bagore in Bhilwara, Ramsar in Nasirabad (Ajmer) on Saturday.
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Trump says EU has until July 4 to approve last year's trade deal or it will face higher tariffs
Washington (AP): President Donald Trump has said in a social media post that goods from the European Union would face higher tariff rates if the 27-member bloc fails to approve last year's trade framework by July 4.
The announcement on Thursday appeared to be a deadline extension after the president said last Friday that EU autos would face a higher 25 per cent tariff starting this week. Trump made the updated announcement after what he described as a "great call" with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Still, the US president was displeased that the European Parliament had yet to finalize the trade arrangement reached last year, which was further complicated in February by the US Supreme Court ruling that Trump lacked the legal authority to declare an economic emergency to impose the initial tariffs used to pressure the EU into talks.
"A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO!" Trump posted. "I agreed to give her until our Country's 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs would immediately jump to much higher levels."
It was unclear from the post whether Trump was implying that the tariff rates would jump on all EU goods or the increase would only apply to autos.
His latest statement indicates he might be backing away from his earlier threat on EU autos by giving the European Parliament several more weeks to approve the agreement.
Under the original terms of the framework, the US would charge a 15 per cent tax on most goods imported from the EU.
But since the Supreme Court ruling, the administration has levied a 10 per cent tariff while investigating trade imbalances and national security issues, aiming to put in new tariffs to make up for lost revenues.
