Rajasthan MLA Sachin Pilot seems to be moving ahead with his plan to hold a day-long fast on Tuesday despite the Congress warning him that it would amount to "anti-party activity."
Pilot announced last Sunday that he would hold the protest to press for action against corruption during the previous BJP government in Rajasthan. His declaration is being viewed as an open challenge to the Ashok Gehlot government amid the factional feud marring the Rajasthan Congress.
The Congress, not amused by the infightings, had warned Pilot against holding the strike, stating that "such protest against its government clearly amounts to anti-party activity and goes against the party's interest."
According to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) in charge of the state Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Pilot can raise issues at party platforms instead of going public against its own government. "Pilot's day-long fast is against the party's interests. If there is any issue with his own government, it can be discussed in party forums instead of in the media and public," Randhawa said in a statement.
Randhawa added that he has been an AICC in-charge for the last five months and Pilot never discussed the issue with him. "This is clear anti-party activity. I am in touch with him and I still appeal for calm dialogue since he is an indisputable asset to the Congress," Randhawa said. The AICC in-charge said he has personally called Sachin Pilot in this regard.
However, sources close to Pilot told PTI sources that the leader will move ahead with his daylong fast as the fight is against graft under the Vasundhara Raje regime and not targeted at anyone else.
According to the unnamed sources, Pilot was taking up the issue to hold the previous Raje dispensation accountable just like how Rahul Gandhi was fighting Adani over alleged corruption.
"The Congress has been strongly raising its voice against corruption in the country, be it on the Adani matter or by the Karnataka government. If action is not taken against those responsible for graft under the Raje government, then why would people take us seriously," PTI quoted the source close to Pilot.
The source said Pilot's fast was not targeted at anyone in Congress but was a "fight against corruption".
Pilot has said he will observe a day-long fast at Shaheed Smarak in Jaipur on April 11, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule who was from the Saini community to which Gehlot belongs.
"No action was taken (by the Gehlot government) on the corruption of the previous Vasundhara Raje government. While in the Opposition, we promised an inquiry into the mines scam of Rs 45,000 crore," Pilot told reporters last Sunday.
The former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister claimed he had written to Gehlot last year on March 28 and November 2 on the issue but did not get any answer. "With six-seven months left for the elections, the opponents can spread an illusion that there is some collusion. Therefore, action will have to be taken soon so that the Congress workers feel that there is no difference between our words and actions," he said.