Taking strong exception to a comment made by the ruling BJP legislator Gopal Sharma about the alleged encounter plan of cabinet Minister Dr Kirodi Lal Meena 35 years ago during Chief Minister Shiv Charan Mathur’s regime, the then CM’s daughter, Vandana, has demanded an apology from the MLA.
Ms Mathur convened a press conference here on Friday to refute Sharma’s claim, convey her strong feelings over the issue, and seek an apology from the scribe-turned-legislator.
Ms Mathur said, “My father symbolised the stream of the freedom movement in the public domain and was known for his clean, principle-based politics. He never deviated from Gandhian ethos or the party’s prescribed principles and ideology.
“Gopal Sharma has won as an MLA for the first time, he probably has no idea about the contemporary politics of my father’s era. Moreover, it is also not appropriate to make such remarks on something that took place more than three decades ago,” she said.
Mathur’s granddaughter Vibha was also present with her mother Vandana.
In fact, during the budget session of the Rajasthan Assembly, MLA Sharma commented that under Mathur’s regime in the early 90s, the then government had plans for an encounter of Dr Kirodi Lal Meena, presently the state Agriculture Minister, and another legislator Harish C Sharma.
Sharma had also claimed that former Vice President and the then leader of the opposition, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, had foiled that move.
The Opposition Congress has already rejected Sharma’s claims, stating that such baseless comments should not be made regarding senior politician and cabinet minister Dr Meena.