Cong takes to streets: ‘institutionalising graft’

Rajasthan Congress president Sachin Pilot and several party leaders were briefly detained by the police Monday soon after they formed a human chain outside the Assembly and took out a march against the state government tabling bill that protects judges, magistrates and public servants from being investigated without its prior sanction.

After the Assembly was adjourned for the day, Congress MLAs and workers assembled at Jyoti Nagar T-point, from where Pilot was to lead a march to the Raj Bhawan to hand over a representation against the Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill, 2017. Soon after the march began, the police detained Pilot and others and took them to the Bajaj Nagar police station.

They were later released.

“With this bill, the BJP government wants to institutionalize corruption. We will not let the government pass the bill. If the government passes the bill using its majority in the House, the Congress will repeal it when the party comes in power,” Pilot said.

He said the bill violates the fundamental right of freedom of expression. “The BJP government is playing with public sentiments by bringing such bills,” he said.

Pilot said the ordinance was promulgated as Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje feared that she might be in trouble due to corruption.

A party delegation later submitted a memorandum at Governor House in the name of President of India, urging to direct BJP government to stop the nonstatutory action to safeguard constitutional and fundamental rights. WITH PTI

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