Oppn charges Gehlot with nepotism

Ruckus in Assembly over media report saying he tweaked norms

 Opposition leaders on Wednesday created a ruckus in the Assembly over alleged nepotism by chief minister Ashok Gehlot in awarding mining contracts to his close relatives in his home district of Jodhpur.

It was reported that Gehlot, who is in final year of his five-year term as the chief minister, even altered the mining contract norms in 2012 for the benefit of his relatives.

He faces allegations of allotting sandstone mines near Jodhpur’s Bada Kotecha village to his close relatives.

Reports alleged that 19 of 37 mines allotted there went to Gehlot’s relatives, including Manjula Gehlot, wife of the CM’s brother Agrasen; Shalini Gehlot, the CM’s brother’s daughter-in-law and Veena Kachhawa, wife of Ashok Gehlot’s nephew Jaswant Singh.

Gehlot is also accused of altering mining allotment norms in November 2012. According to a media report, 37 of the original 87 applicants, including 19 Gehlot relatives, benefitted after mining norms were altered.

Gehlot refuted the allegation and said he is ready for an investigation by a House committee headed by the opposition leader, following which the opposition toned down.

“There are the highest number of Gehlots in our community, so they are saying that everybody named is our brother or a relative. This is just political propaganda by the opposition,” said the chief minister.