In his first cabinet meeting as the Rajasthan CM, Ashok Gehlot orders removal of Deendayal Upadhyay's photos from official documents, letter pads

Rajasthan cabinet on Wednesday directed the removal of Deendayal Upadhyay's photograph from state government documents and letter pads.

The cabinet also ordered the withdrawal of  December 11, 2017 circular, in which the previous government led by Vasundhara Raje had issued the directions to insert the picture of Upadhyay in letter pads.

The order was issued by Ravi Shankar Srivastava, Additional Chief Secretary of the administrative reforms department.  "The decision has been taken by the cabinet to remove the photo of Deendayal Upadhyay," Ravi Shankar Srivastava, Additional Chief Secretary of the department, said in the order.

READ: Kamal Nath-led Congress M.P Government Suspends Payment Of Pension To Emergency Detainees, BJP Hits Back

The decision to insert Upadhyay's picture was taken by the former state government led by Vasundhara Raje and was reversed by the incumbent Congress government in a cabinet meeting held on December 29. This was also the first meeting held by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot.

The state government also issued a notification on Wednesday for an increase in the monthly amount of old age pension from Rs.500 to Rs.750. Those getting Rs.750 will now get Rs.1,000, an order from the state government noted.

READ: "You Cannot Distort History" Says Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot Objecting To The Trailer Of The Accidental Prime Minister

On Wednesday, Kamal Nath-led Madhya Pradesh government put on hold the payment of pension to those who were detained under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the Emergency

Earlier, Kamal Nath put a ban on the recitation of the national song 'Vande Mataram' in the Secretariat on the first working day of every month.

READ: Kamal Nath refuses to budge on putting Vande Mataram's recitation in M.P Secretariat on hold, even as predecessor Shivraj Chouhan demands restoration of 14-year-old tradition