Gehlot camp MLAs' Lagaan screening & Yoga classes flouted Covid-norms, claims new plea

As the Rajasthan political mess gets murkier, on Sunday, a new case has been filed in the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate in Jaipur alleging that 104 MLAs of CM Ashok Gehlot's camp defied norms of COVID-19. As per news agency ANI, petitioner advocate Om Prakash stated in the plea that from July 13 onwards to date, a congregation of 300-500 people has been seen at Hotel Fairmont and the chief minister's residence. Highlighting that this is a massive violation of lockdown and COVID-19 norms, the petitioner has attached a list of 104 MLAs. Moreover, all the officials responsible for implementing COVID-19 guidelines have also been made a party to the case.

Citing reports wherein MLAs at Fairmont Hotel was seen watching Aamir Khan-starrer Lagaan, Mughal-e-Azam, were attending cooking classes, playing Ludo and other indoor games in a hall and performing Yoga in the lawn, the plea said that this was blatant disregard of social distancing rules.

Furthermore, it said that the same situation was observed on June 19 when Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had assembled the ruling coalition's MLAs at Hotel Shiv Vilas for the Rajya Sabha polls. The case has been filed under sections 188, 269, 270, 271 and 505 of CrPC read with section 51 of the Disaster Management Act 2005 along with Section 9 and 11 of Rajasthan Prohibition of Smoking Act and Section 120B of IPC. 

READ | Rajasthan MLAs from Gehlot camp watch 'Lagaan' at Fairmont Hotel; BJP takes jibe at Cong

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Police has formed special team for investigating the leaked audiotapes, and the Ministry of Home Affairs has demanded a report on alleged phone tapping in the state from the secretary.

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Rajasthan political crisis

A deadlock has reigned in the state with Sachin Pilot's silence on his further plans and after Congress sacked him from the Deputy CM's post. The Rajasthan High Court on Friday adjourned the plea filed by Pilot and his MLAs against the Speaker's disqualification notice to Monday at 10 AM. Moreover, the Rajasthan Speaker has assured the court that no action will be taken against the MLAs till 5:30 pm on Tuesday. 

On the other side, the Rajasthan SOG produced an audio clip which allegedly features businessman Sanjay Jain talking to MLAs about money transactions in a sessions court in Jaipur. Ashok Singh and Bharat Malani have also been arrested. The SOG team visited hotels in Haryana and issued a notice to the 19 rebel MLAs to collect evidence in the form of voice samples. Meanwhile, BJP has denied the allegations and demanded CBI inquiry into alleged phone tapping. Furthermore, the Ministry of Home Affairs, on Saturday, sought a report from Rajasthan’s Chief Secretary over the phone tapping issue in the state, as per ANI sources.

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Additionally, Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, on Saturday, called upon Governor Kalraj Mishra at Raj Bhavan. While Gehlot maintains that the 45-minutes meeting was a courtesy visit, sources report that Gehlot has submitted a list of MLAs supporting his government - including Congress, BTP and Independent, after formally receiving the support of 2 BTP MLAs.

The political crisis in Rajasthan began after the State's SOG issued notices to multiple MLAs including CM and Deputy CM in connection with the alleged involvement of BJP leaders for toppling the state government. Following the incident, CM Ashok Gehlot accused the BJP of attempting to topple his government amid the COVID-19 crisis. A day later, on July 11, Deputy CM Sachin Pilot went to Delhi with some of his supporting legislators.

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