Rajasthan freezes MLA fund accounts amid bribery allegations, launches parallel probes

Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Leader of the Opposition Tikaram Jully condemned the alleged corruption and demanded a thorough investigation and strict action against those found guilty.Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma reiterated that corruption by any public servant would not be tolerated under any circumstances. “No matter how influential the person is, if found guilty, they will not be spared. The government follows a zero-tolerance policy against corruption. Misuse of public funds at any level is unacceptable,” he said, adding that the freezing of MLA fund accounts was necessary to ensure accountability during the investigation.The Chief Minister had also recently flagged the seriousness of corruption in a social media post.After the sting operation related to the MLA fund issue came to light, Ashok Gehlot demanded a high-level inquiry.Calling the allegations extremely serious and alarming, he said the Chief Minister and Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani should immediately take cognisance of the matter and order a comprehensive probe.“Integrity and honesty in public life must be paramount for elected representatives,” Gehlot said.Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani has also ordered an inquiry and referred the matter to the Assembly’s Ethics Committee. He has asked the committee to complete the investigation at the earliest and submit its report to facilitate further action.The Speaker said such incidents erode public trust and asserted that corruption in public welfare funds like the MLA fund goes against democratic values.“This not only harms democracy but also tarnishes Rajasthan’s image,” he said, adding that corruption in any form would not be tolerated, irrespective of party affiliation. Strict action would be taken based on the findings of the sting operation and the inquiry reports.Nagaur MP Hanuman Beniwal also reacted strongly, terming the alleged bribery in MLA fund releases a serious blow to the federal and democratic system.He said that while the Prime Minister speaks of zero tolerance towards corruption, such cases raise serious questions. Beniwal demanded that an FIR be registered against Revantram Danga.It may be noted that Revantram Danga had earlier quit Hanuman Beniwal’s Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP) and joined the BJP.



Source link