BJP MLAs in Rajasthan throw weight around, vent ire on govt officials

Jaipur: BJP is yet to complete a month in power in Rajasthan and yet its MLAs are throwing their weight around and seemingly acting high-handed with government officials, taking them to task for laxity in work. This over-policing instead of governance may not bode well for the new government, say political analysts.     

While Jaipur’s Hawa Mahal MLA Acharya Balmukund had taken on the police for letting vendors sell meat in the open and without licences, Sahada (Bhilwara district) MLA Ladu Lal Pitliya, 52, took on doctors, threatening and cursing them with Corona for not looking after patients properly. 

Only two days after the election result, Balmukund’s aggressive stance and provoking statements on meat sellers in the open like “Yeh Kashi hain , Karachi nahi banne doonga,” went viral. While he was hailed by some, he was equally trolled on the social media, making him apologise later for his cavalier approach towards police and people from the minority community.  

Meanwhile, during a sudden inspection of a government hospital in Gangapur, an angry Pitliya slammed the doctor present, accusing him of taking money from patients, getting them to do the tests from outside, and the general lack of cleanliness. The doctors' anger has been further provoked by his wish for them to contract Covid-19 and other deadly diseases, claiming that no one would come to their aid if they were to have an accident.

When this correspondent tried reaching Pitliya for comment, he was said to be busy with the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra.  

Not only Pitliya, but a number of BJP MLAs have censured government officials publicly, warning them of transfers and suspensions, especially when participating in the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra.  

In the Sankalp Yatra camp on December 23, Shahpura MLA Lalaram Bairwa, 51, lambasted Baneda SDM Neha Chhipa, warning her to stop arguing and bring about a change in her working style otherwise she would face problems and be transferred as people have voted BJP for getting their work done. 

Udailal Bhadana, 45, MLA from Mandal in Bhilwara district claimed that from now on hooligans, goondas would be encountered. Talking about the new laws passed, especially the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita law, he warned that police have been asked to put criminals in jail or have been asked to kill them in encounters. Incidentally both Bhadana and Pitliya are 10th pass as given in their affidavit.  

Another MLA Babu Singh Rathore from Shergarh in Jodhpur district, pilloried discom ( electricity ) officials, threatening them with immediate suspension when there was a sudden power cut in a camp of Sankalp yatra in Barwali.  

Kota (South) MLA Sandeep Sharma was angry when he saw ambulances being used for different purposes and also when he found doctors and staff absent in OPD of New Medical College hospital. He also ordered the closure of shops selling non-vegetarian items without licences.  

Tijara MLA Balaknath had also warned administrative and police officials on Dec 3 itself that they have to stand guard from now on. 

Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma also made a surprise visit to the state’s biggest government hospital, SMS on Monday and is said to have been angry with absenteeism and a general lack of cleanliness. 

Political analysts say although the aim of these newly elected legislators is to ensure good governance, their way of doing it is misguided. Their highhandedness and supercilious attitude towards the government officials may not go down well and bring on understandable fears about over-policing. Instead the government must make governance its primary concern and not take the intimidating route.