Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot on Sunday paid tribute to his father Rajesh Pilot on his 23rd punyatithi. Though he refused to make any political statement on the occasion, Pilot reiterated his resolve to fight corruption taken during the regime of former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.
“Today is not the time to talk about politics. That is why I will not do any political talk from this platform. The people of the state will definitely get justice. Fight on issues of corruption and youth will continue,” Pilot said after offering floral tribute to his father’s portrait at Bhadaa village, and later unveiled his father’s statue at Gurjar Chhatrawas in Dausa district.
Recalling his three demands for which he had served an ultimatum to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on May 15 after Jan Sangharsh Pad Yatra, Pilot said: “I opposed former Chief Minister Raje throughout 365 but never an abusive word came out of my mouth. She is older than me but even today I say that you (Gehlot) allotted the mine, caught stealing and then canceled it. But the allotment was done.”
“Every mistake demands punishment. No matter how we are related to each other. If not today, then tomorrow justice will definitely be done,” he said while addressing thousands of his followers and supporters.
Commenting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent statement on freebies being given in Rajasthan, Pilot said: “If we help the poor, the Central government says that they will become financially bankrupt”.
On Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s remark against compensating in cash to the students whose question papers were leaked, Pilot indirectly said: “If I help the youth who have been cheated, they (Gehlot) say that we (me) are mentally bankrupt. One should have a big heart to help the poor, youth with a sincere heart.”
Remembering his father who died in a road accident while travelling in an SUV on this very day, Pilot said: “I learned politics from my father who was earlier in the army. He (Rajesh) came into politics after a lot of hard work there. Here he decided his line in politics. He never compromised against injustice. For him, matters of public interest were paramount.”
Pilot, whose mother Rama Pilot was also a former Minister in Rajasthan, said that he considers his father as his ideal and like him, he too will never compromise on his self-respect and ideals.
Meanwhile, in a close byte to the media, Rajasthan Agriculture Marketing Minister Murarilal Meena, who is one of the main organizers, ruled out the possibility of any ‘break up or formation of a political party’ by Pilot.
“I assessed that it is all created by you media guys. Everything was being considered by the Congress party high command, and it is not in my purview. We are all in the Congress,” Meena replied to a volley of questions from the electronic media.
Seven Congress Ministers Parsadi Lal Meena, Mamta Bhupesh, Brijendra Ola, Pratap Singh Khachariawas, Hemaram Choudhary, Murarilal Meena, and Rajendra Gudha, nine sitting MLAs and former MLAs graced both the events including ‘shradhanjali Sabha.’