Rajasthan / Isn't this beginning of wrong trend?: Raj Guv to CM on MLAs' protest

Jaipur: In a strongly-worded letter to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra asked the former to clarify his stance on the law and order situation in the state after the protest by Congress MLAs in Raj Bhawan, demanding urgent Assembly session. Referring to the statement made by CM where he had said that if Raj Bhawan is gheraoed by the people of the state, it is not his responsibility, the Governor said,”If you and your Home Ministry can’t protect the Governor, then what about  the law and order in the state? What agency should be contacted for Governor’s security? I’ve never heard such statement from any CM. Is this not the beginning of a wrong trend where MLAs protest at Raj Bhawan?”

“Before I could discuss the matter with experts regarding the Assembly session, you have publicly said that if Raj Bhawan is ‘gheraoed’, it is not your responsibility,” Mishra said, adding that in his long political career, he has not heard any Chief Minister say such a thing.

“I saw your statement on electronic media today in which you tried to give a political colour to the constitutional obligations and constitutional decisions, on account of which I am sad and hurt. Once I receive a letter from you, I will have to take to take a decision keeping all constitutional obligations in mind and this right has been given to me by the Constitution,” Mishra said in the  stern letter, which comes after around 100 Congress MLAs staged a sit-in protest at the Governor House in Jaipur.

They headed to MLAs house after the Rajasthan High Court ordered a status quo with regard to disqualification notices issued to former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot and 18 rebel Congress MLAs. The court also accepted a plea filed by MLA Prithviraj Meena, one of the petitioners, to make the Centre a party to the ongoing case. Team Pilot had approached the High Court following the disqualification notices to them by Rajasthan Assembly Speaker CP Joshi. The Speaker has now been barred, for now, to act on the July 14 notices.