A fierce political storm is brewing in Rajasthan's politics these days over the use of the word 'Pandit'. The entire matter heated up when former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot repeatedly addressed Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma as 'Pandit' during an event. This statement by Gehlot sparked sharp reactions on social media, and the BJP retaliated, calling it caste-based politics.
Gehlot's remarks came during an event held at the Congress headquarters in Jaipur, where he was attending a program on former Union Minister Girija Vyas. In a conversation with the media, he taunted CM Bhajanlal Sharma, saying, "Pandit Bhajanlal Sharma is only touring the state, while law and order has completely collapsed." Gehlot used the word 'Pandit' several times throughout his remarks, deepening the controversy.
Gehlot's Taunt on the Word Pandit
After Gehlot's comments, the BJP took the offensive. State President and Rajya Sabha MP Madan Rathore responded by saying that 'Pandit' is not a caste, but is determined by actions. He stated that Ashok Gehlot considers CM Bhajanlal Sharma to be a scholar, which is why he is calling him 'Pandit', but the Congress is using it in a taunting manner, which is unfortunate.
Rathore further said that the Congress intentionally wants to play politics by inciting caste sentiments. He alleged that Gehlot's statements were an attempt to create caste polarization in the state to benefit the Congress politically.
Political Storm Over Theft Incidents
The war of words between Gehlot and Rathore intensified not only over the word 'Pandit' but also over law and order. Ashok Gehlot targeted the state government, citing three theft incidents within a month involving Congress MLA Deendayal Bairwa from Dausa district. He said that when even an MLA is not safe, it is difficult to imagine the safety of the general public. He sharply stated that there is no law and order left in the state.
Responding to this, Madan Rathore said that law and order is much better under the BJP government. He stated that the police have taken swift action in recent criminal incidents and the accused have also been arrested. Rathore accused the Congress of spreading confusion among the public and said that the opposition is playing cheap politics.
Pandit Controversy Takes Political Turn
According to political analysts, Gehlot's statement was not limited to a taunt but has sparked a new controversy between the Congress and the BJP. After Gehlot's statement went viral on social media, it was also viewed by some sections as disrespect towards the Brahmin community, while the Congress claims that the statement had no caste connotations.
The BJP questioned Gehlot's intentions, stating that the Congress is now trying to do politics on the basis of caste and religion instead of issues. On the other hand, Congress leaders say that Gehlot made this comment only to highlight administrative failures, which the BJP intentionally exaggerated.
Statements Intensify in Election Season
As the election fever rises in Rajasthan's politics, the statements of leaders are also becoming more intense. This controversy, which started over the word 'Pandit', has now come under the purview of law and order and caste politics. While Ashok Gehlot is trying to portray the government as a failure, the BJP appears fully prepared to respond to each of his allegations.
For now, this controversy does not appear to be cooling down, and political activities related to it are likely to intensify in the coming days.
