Sanjivani scam: Union minister Shekhawat challenges Gehlot to open debate on corruption charges
Jaisalmer (PTI): Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has challenged Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to an open debate on the allegations levelled by the latter against him on the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society scam matter.
Gehlot has repeatedly accused Shekhawat, who is an MP from Jodhpur, of being involved in the scam in which a large number of investors were duped of crores of rupees.
Shekhawat has dismissed allegations linking him to the credit society and has also filed a defamation case in a Delhi court against Gehlot
"I challenge him and his lawyers to stand on any platform in India and argue in front of me," he told reporters in Jaisalmer on Thursday when asked about the allegations levelled by Gehlot.
Shekhawat said the chief minister levelled the allegations against him because of the defeat of his son Vaibhav Gehlot in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The Union minister had defeated Vaibhav Gehlot in the Jodhpur Lok Sabha seat. Jodhpur is the hometown of CM Gehlot.
The BJP leader also said that he will prove the corruption allegations levelled by BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena against Gehlot and his son.
"They do the work of converting black money worth crores of rupees into white," he charged.
No immediate reaction was available from Gehlot to the charge.
Shekhawat also said that the Centre has done remarkable work with the theme of service, good governance, and welfare of the poor.
As a result of the working of the Modi government, people today have faith in the system, he asserted.
"The poor realise that the government works for them. If the right party is chosen in democracy, then the right work is done," he said.
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T'gana RTC strike: Talks between govt, employees successful
Hyderabad (PTI): Talks between employees of Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (RTC) who were on strike and the state government concluded successfully on Friday as the government agreed to the key demands of the workmen.
Following a day-long marathon of talks between the leaders of the employees' Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the cabinet sub-committee, the government announced after midnight that it acceded to the demands, including a merger of RTC with the government, 11 per cent pay revision and elections to the employees' unions.
A committee comprising officials and employee leaders would be appointed over the merger of RTC with the government, it said.
The RTC management has also agreed to address the remaining issues as well, an official release said.
The employees would call off their strike and the RTC buses would hit the roads shortly, it said.
The employees had been on an indefinite strike since April 22 over a series of demands, including the merger of RTC with the government.
Earlier in the day, a driver of the RTC, who attempted suicide on April 23 during the strike, died at a hospital here in the early hours of Friday.
Shankar Goud, a 55-year-old driver, set himself ablaze by pouring petrol at Narsampet in Warangal district when the employees were staging a protest on Thursday in support of their demands.
Goud suffered serious burns, was initially admitted to a state-run hospital in Warangal, and later shifted to a super-speciality hospital in Hyderabad for advanced treatment.
"He succumbed (to injuries) at about 1.30 am on Friday," a senior official said.
The driver’s body was taken to his relative’s village, Muttojipet in Warangal district, for funeral rites.
Tension prevailed in Muttojipet as his family members and RTC employees attempted to take the body to the Narsampet bus station, where he worked, to enable his colleagues to pay their last respects. However, police did not permit this, citing law-and-order concerns.
This led to a deadlock before the funeral could proceed.
Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar criticised the Telangana government for not allowing the body to be taken to the Narsampet bus station.
Kumar, Minister of State (Home), visited Muttojipet village in Warangal district, where the funeral was held, and paid homage to Goud.
“They (family members) want to take the body to the bus depot for five minutes. Is the RTC bus depot in Pakistan or Bangladesh? They are emotionally attached to taking the body there. The government is hurting sentiments and creating fear among RTC employees,” Kumar told reporters.
He also expressed anger at the police for not allowing the body to be taken to the bus station and staged a protest, according to a release from his office.
RTC employees and BJP workers attempted to take the mortal remains in an ambulance to Narsampet, but were stopped by the police.
Later, after discussions with the police, the family members and RTC employees agreed to conduct the funeral in the village.
Sanjay Kumar, stating he would abide by the family’s decision, left the village after the funeral was conducted there.
Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, a house, and a government job would be provided to the kin of Goud.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed shock over the employee’s death and conveyed deep condolences to the grieving family, according to the release.
The RTC employees’ JAC had earlier announced an agitation programme from April 24 to 29, including silent marches and submission of memorandums to MLAs and other leaders.
