The stalemate over holding a new session of the Rajasthan Assembly, where Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot could prove his majority, continued in Jaipur on Sunday after the State Cabinet sent a revised note to Governor Kalraj Mishra, urging him to convene the session from July 31. Mr. Mishra had raised objections to an earlier request made by the State government.
The fresh proposal sent to the Raj Bhawan stated that a special discussion on the COVID-19 pandemic would be held during the session in addition to the introduction of six bills. The Cabinet note did not make a mention of the floor test aimed at proving the Congress government’s majority amid the turmoil created after a rebellion by the now sacked Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot .
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Mr. Gehlot has held two Cabinet meetings and met his legislators multiple times since Friday to discuss the points raised by the Governor on the Cabinet’s previous advice to call the Assembly session.
The revised note has reportedly answered the Governor’s six queries on the need for convening the session at a short notice.
Raj Bhavan sources said the Governor was examining the new proposal sent by the State government through a senior officer of the Law Department.
Mr. Mishra had earlier asked about the need for calling the session when the government already had the majority as well as about free movement of MLAs and the disqualification matter pending in the Supreme Court .
The Congress MLAs, led by Mr. Gehlot, had staged a five-hour-long sit-in on the lawns of Raj Bhawan on Friday pressing for the new session. In his note to the State government, Mr. Mishra said no one was above the constitutional dignity and no “pressure politics” should be resorted to while making a recommendation.
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Earlier in the day, Mr. Mishra reviewed security arrangements in Raj Bhawan at a meeting with Chief Secretary Rajeeva Swarup and Director-General of Police Bhupendra Yadav in view of Congress’ announcement that it would be holding demonstrations outside the residences of Governors across the country on Monday. The Congress workers have planned to protest against the BJP’s alleged attempts to topple democratically elected governments.
However, newly appointed Pradesh Congress Committee president Govind Singh Dotasra, who has replaced Mr. Pilot, said no protest would be staged outside Raj Bhavan in Jaipur as part of the “Save democracy, save Constitution” campaign.
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“We do hope that the Governor will soon approve the Cabinet's advice for calling the [Assembly] session,” he said.
Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken, who is camping in Jaipur as a central observer, said at a press conference that the “disruptive forces” wanted to make democracy a “slave of Delhi Durbar” and a puppet in their hands. He also asked how a Governor could refuse to call an Assembly session, when advised by an elected government.
Meanwhile, more than 80 civil rights groups have written to the Governor urging him to respect the Cabinet's decision to convene the Assembly session in order to ensure political stability in the State. PUCL-Rajasthan president Kavita Srivastava said the State was being led into a constitutional crisis when the people were reeling under the impact of the pandemic.
Published - July 26, 2020 10:20 pm IST
