Khachariyawas slams Cong leader over remark against Sachin Pilot

JAIPUR: Rajasthan minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas on Friday spoke out against the remarks by fellow Congress leader Shanti Kumar Dhariwal on dissident leader Sachin Pilot, saying one should "refrain" from making such comments.

In an apparent attack on former deputy chief minister Pilot on Thursday, Dhariwal said, "Ashok Gehlot ne acche accho ko paani pilaaya hai (He has dealt with several big leaders)."

Reacting to this statement, Khachariyawas urged all fellow Congress leaders to refrain from airing such views as they reflect poorly on the party and weaken it.

"This 'dialogue baazi' (war of words) must stop. The whole party should unite to make Congress victorious under Rahul Gandhi. CM Gehlot asked everyone to move on from the attempt to topple his government. However, such comments are only weakening the party. I urge all Congress members to refrain from airing such comments," he said.

The state minister added, "Pilot has taken out a yatra against corruption. No one should have any problem with that. If he can come up with suggestions on the (alleged) paper leak issue, I will place them before the cabinet."

On the outcome of the Karnataka Assembly polls, amid exit poll projections hinting at a Congress return, Khachariyawas said, "Lord Hanuman will hoist the victory flag of the Congress in Karnataka."

Congress's Rajasthan chief Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa sought to dissociate the Congress from Dhariwal's remarks, claiming that it was "his personal opinion".

"This is his personal opinion. But one shouldn't make such statements against fellow party members. Politics teaches us to respect fellow leaders. No one should be considered as inferior or superior," he said.

On Pilot's 'Jan Sangharsh Yatra', he called it a "personal yatra" saying it had nothing to do with the party.

"This is his (Pilot's) personal yatra. We are keeping track of it and everything will be discussed once (Congress national president Mallikarjun) Kharge-ji comes from Karnataka," he said.

On whether the party was mulling action against Pilot in light of his recent remarks, Randhawa said, "I will present my views to the Congress president."

Pilot is currently in the middle of his five-day 'Jan Sangharsh Yatra' from Ajmer to Jaipur. He embarked on the march on Thursday in protest against the alleged inaction of the Rajasthan government in "corruption cases" during the previous Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government in the state.

Pilot, on Friday, on the second day of the Jan Sangharsh Yatra, said people were coming out on the streets in his support, braving the sweltering heat, adding that he was hopeful that the Gehlot government would take cognisance of the issues that he was raising through the march.

Speaking to ANI, on the sidelines of the march, he said, "It is the middle of May and people are coming out on the streets (in his support) braving the heat. This shows that the issues that I have raised are relevant and resonate with the people. Corruption and issues related to the future of our youths affect us all." "We hope the state government takes cognisance of the issues I have raised," he added.