Jaipur, Aug 1 (IANS) Former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Saturday launched a sharp attack on both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government and the Bhajanlal Sharma government in Rajasthan.
He raised several issues, including the postponement of local body elections, the NEET exam controversy, and the alleged misuse of constitutional institutions.
Pilot accused the state government of deliberately delaying panchayat, municipal and student union elections because it fears the public mood. His remarks come at a politically significant time, with the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly session set to begin soon.
Expressing strong objection to the delay in conducting local body and student union elections, Pilot said the BJP government is avoiding the electoral process because it is aware of widespread public dissatisfaction and a growing demand for change. He also questioned the government’s commitment to electoral reforms, saying that while the Centre and the state advocate the idea of “One Nation, One Election,” they are reluctant to conduct constitutionally mandated elections on time.
Pilot further alleged that despite repeated notices and directions from the High Court, the state government has continued to postpone panchayat and municipal elections by citing one excuse after another.
Slamming the Centre over the NEET examination controversy, Pilot said the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan reflects the government’s eventual response to sustained pressure from students and public outrage. However, he argued that a minister’s resignation or the introduction of stricter laws alone would not address students’ concerns.
According to Pilot, meaningful justice for candidates requires decisive action against the alleged “exam mafia” and “coaching mafia,” along with broader structural reforms in the examination system.
Speaking about the upcoming Rajasthan Assembly session, the former Deputy Chief Minister said the Congress would play the role of a responsible and vigilant opposition. He claimed that despite half of the BJP government’s tenure having passed, many of its promises remain unfulfilled.
Pilot said the Congress plans to hold the government accountable on issues including law and order, unemployment, inflation and corruption during the session. Criticising the central government, he alleged that constitutional and investigative agencies are increasingly being misused to suppress dissent and target political opponents. He asserted that the opposition would continue to raise public concerns and would not allow the people’s voice to be silenced.
