Salient Points of Press Conference of Hon'ble Union Minister Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot attempted to hinder fair paper leak investigation

***************************************

Throughout the first to the 19th paper leak case, Congress leaders and officials consistently concealed the matter

***************************************

Despite 18 consecutive paper leaks, the Gehlot government gave clean chit to its leaders and officials without conducting any investigations

***************************************

Gehlot government's SOG and Anti-Corruption Bureau raised doubts, impacting the investigation due to lack of independence

***************************************

BJP's statewide movement in Rajasthan pressured the Gehlot government, prompting swift action.

***************************************

Under BJP's strong opposition, Congress government jailed an RPSC member and a minister in the paper leak case

***************************************

As a result of the ED's actions, the Rajasthan government appeared to be in panic

**************************************

 

From day one, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's government has been resolute in adopting a 'zero tolerance' policy towards corruption

**************************************

70 lakh young aspirants, along with their families, pin their hopes on justice through ED's actions in the paper leak case

***************************************

Out of 5906 cases registered by the ED in 9 years, only 3 percent are related to political individuals, debunking the notion that ED exclusively targets political figures

***************************************

 

A press conference was conducted at the BJP headquarters, where Hon'ble Union Minister, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat addressed the media on the paper leak case in Rajasthan and Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) investigation of the Rajasthan Congress State President Shri Govind Dotasra and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s son Vaibhav Gehlot.

 

Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat expressed that for the past 5 years, it had been discussed through various channels of the media in front of the people of Rajasthan and the nation that the current Ashok Gehlot government has set new benchmarks by surpassing all corruption instances. He emphasized that the way in which the future of lakhs of youth in Rajasthan has been obscured, a series of paper leaks, from one to as many as 19 instances, have shattered not only the future of 70 lakh youth who participated in various competitive exams but also the faith of the state's people, youth, and the parents of such aspiring youngsters in the government's system of appointments through competitive exams. He conveyed that of those 70 lakh youth, certainly, most of them were children of ordinary poor farmers,  tribal, and Dalit families who desired son or daughter's diligent efforts in obtaining a government job would have secured a stable future for them, ultimately bringing honor and prosperity back to their family and with this aspiration, parents sacrificed greatly, ensuring the best education for their children who toiled through sleepless nights in preparation. However, their aspirations were crushed as their diligent efforts went to waste due to a paper leak.

 

He conveyed that the crux of the matter here has been that from the first paper leak to the 19th paper leak, the government and the individuals sitting in the government appeared to be dismissive of the issue. At the onset of the paper leak, Ashok Gehlot, while commenting on the situation, quickly said that such incidents were common and happened in other states as well. Later, he changed his tone and in a different context, and stated that they would be investigated. However, without a halt, he again changed his approach, and in his third statement, he mentioned that no official was involved, and until the 18th paper leak, they consistently provided a clean chit to several officials and politicians. Further, he added that after the 18th paper leak incident, the BJP launched an extensive movement across every district of Rajasthan and the impact and scale of the movement, along with the recognition it received, were significantly influenced by the pivotal role played by journalists as their honest and forthright presentation of the issue to the nation ultimately pressured the Gehlot government to take immediate action. Few steps were taken, and the serving member of RPSC was jailed, and along with it, the person who was made a minister by the Congress government was also arrested after a thorough investigation.

 

Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat emphasized that following the involvement of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the mastermind behind the case was apprehended, causing the government to be taken aback. However, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's administration adhered to a strict zero-tolerance policy that does not condone corruption in any sector.

 

In this paper leak case, the Special Operations Group (SOG) and the Anti-corruption Bureau, which work under the Rajasthan government, were directly under the command of Ashok Gehlot, who served as both the Home Minister and Chief Minister of the state. When he himself came forward to give such clean chits to officials and politicians, any impartial action by these agencies seemed unlikely, and the possibility of justice in the minds of the people of Rajasthan remained doubtful. The youth of Rajasthan believed that with this approach, they would not receive justice in any way. He highlighted that Retired Director General of the Rajasthan Anti-corruption Bureau, Shri BL Soni, admitted in a video statement that the government did not allow them to take action against big names involved in the case and applied pressure to stop investigations. In the case related to these big politicians, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated actions. This certainly made those in power within the government appear uneasy as if their ground shifted beneath them, and they became agitated to divert attention.

 

Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat emphasized that today, as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) strived to deliver justice to 70 lakh aspirants by adhering to established procedures, numerous properties, gold, and documents have been seized during the raids. He wished that the 70 lakh young individuals, along with their families, who were deeply affected by the paper leak scandal involving the Rajasthan government, may find a sense of justice as the ED has summoned various layers of officials associated with the scam. Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat wanted to ask whether there has been any connection between Rajasthan's CM, Ashok Gehlot, and Govind Singh Dotasra. If the ED investigation were to reveal the ties between the two of them and there is substantial evidence such as call recordings and tracking data, this could potentially lead to the 70 lakh individuals achieving the justice they are seeking through the mentioned suspension.

 

He further highlighted that following the scandal in Rajasthan, CM Ashok Gehlot made a clear statement that no one from the government was involved in the scam. However, in the initial investigation conducted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, it was found that several officials and politicians were linked to the scam. It is suggested that the CM, for political reasons, pushed to terminate the investigation promptly. CM Ashok Gehlot, on one hand, stressed the importance of the ED monitoring economic irregularities and functioning according to its mandate. However, when the ED initiated such investigations, he appeared surprised and made statements that seemed without substance. He wished to inquire from Ashok Gehlot whether the massive conspiracy against 70 lakh youth or aspirants through the paper leak, caused distress to lakhs of students and involved the exchange of lakhs and crores of rupees, shouldn't it be regarded as a significant economic irregularity?

 

Adding to this Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat stated that the CM advocated for investigations into economic irregularities, but when his own son was implicated in matters related to economic irregularities, he appeared surprised and issued statements that lacked substance. Today, he attempted to mislead the people of Rajasthan by implying that the ED raid was conducted on his orders, while making empty promises. Those who cheated the farmers and youth of Rajasthan, and played with their future, those who turned a blind eye to the degradation of the honor of mothers and sisters of Rajasthan — it's the current Ashok Gehlot government. He mentioned that their stunned behavior was a reflection of how nervous they were.

 

 

Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat informed the media about another matter, when the ED investigated Ashok Gehlot's son regarding certain economic irregularities, it was discovered that the links extended to Mauritius and then returned to India through a process of lending and borrowing, aimed at transforming black money into white and repatriating it. He pointed out that people were attempting to launder black money by circulating it through various channels to make it appear legitimate and repatriate it to the homeland. Under the leadership of Shri Narendra Modi, the government has endeavored to scrutinize such activities. He asked Ashok Gehlot to take a clear stance whether investigations should or should not be conducted regarding all these economic irregularities.

 

He then started discussing the ED and stated that the CM of Rajasthan has consistently claimed that the ED is deployed only to states with upcoming elections, and its investigations primarily target opposition parties by singling them out. He asked the media how many of the individuals investigated by the ED have been granted relief by the court thus far. If the government had interfered with the functioning of independent agencies, the court would have likely examined the matter and provided relief accordingly. If we examine the ED's history over the last 9 years, we can responsibly claim that in cases registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), there has been a conviction rate of over 93.54%. It is possible that there is no other agency in the world with such a high conviction rate. Accusing and politicizing the ED's activities is a clear conspiracy to undermine these individual and independent agencies and cast doubt on their work.

 

Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat emphasized that it's important to examine the ED's history over the past 9 years. Out of a total of 5906 cases, only 3% are related to political figures or individuals engaged in political activities in the country. Asserting that the ED has been favoring a politically powerful party and accusing it of being politicized is entirely groundless. Ashok Gehlot's reaction to the ED's work against corruption suggests that he may be taken aback by their actions, potentially due to allegations of corruption within his government. If the BJP were to make these statements from my position, it might be perceived as political revenge or a blame game. However, it's worth noting that members of his own party, including ministers, legislators in the Vidhan Sabha, the CM's advisors, and other party leaders, have made similar statements in front of a large audience, indicating that the Congress government is the most corrupt.

 

He asserted that Congress leaders are openly admitting and acknowledging the high level of corruption within the Gehlot government. The general public is deeply concerned about this issue of corruption and expects action to be taken to hold the corrupt accountable and recover ill-gotten gains. Therefore, when the ED or any other independent agency carries out its work to combat corruption, it is puzzling why Gehlot and other leaders in his party appear uncomfortable or pained by these actions. Another Congress leader, Sachin Pilot, is now extending a hand to form a government with the Gehlot administration. It's noteworthy that Sachin Pilot had previously commented on and held a fast related to the paper leak issue and even organized a rally from Ajmer to Jaipur on the same matter. I would like Sachin Pilot to provide his comments on the actions taken by the ED team today and the statements made by Ashok Gehlot.