Govind Singh Dotasra interview: 'PM Modi is prachar mantri, not pradhan mantri'

Jaipur: CPM leader Amraram is the I.N.D.I.A. bloc candidate from Sikar in Rajasthan. Congress is supporting him in a big way. Senior leaders like state president Govind Singh Dotasra and Sachin Pilot are campaigning for him.

Dotasra recently shared the stage with Amraram. Hailing from Sikar and speaking in the local dialect, he connected with the motley crowd instantly. Meanwhile, Dotasra’s dance moves at election rallies have earned him brickbats from various quarters. He remains unfazed in the face of criticism.

Govind Singh Dotasra talks to DH’s Rakhee Roytalukdar and tells her that Prime Minister Modi’s guarantees are all jumlas, whereas Congress’ guarantees have seen the light of the day in whichever state the party rules.

Even with a comfortable win in the recent Assembly polls in Rajasthan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking no chances and has visited the state several times. What is your take on it? 

Modiji is a prachar mantri (publicity minister) more than a pradhan mantri (prime minister). From the day he became the PM, he is everywhere — in the states, at the Centre. He tells lies and his jumlas (fake promises) are relentless. He always targets the Congress. Apart from these, he never talks about his future vision or what he has done till now. In 2018, while campaigning in Ajmer and Jaipur ahead of the Assembly polls, he had promised national status to the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project, which is slated to provide water in 13 water-scarce districts, but hasn’t done. In Churu, he had promised to double the income of farmers. Instead, he brought in three black farm laws, which were taken back only after months of struggle by the farmers. There is no law on MSP till today. He talks about eradicating corruption and putting corrupt people in jail. Instead, he is threatening the corrupt with ED and CBI, and forcing them to join the BJP. This is Modiji’s model and nobody believes in his guarantees anymore. Rajasthan’s Congress government had given 10 guarantees, which they implemented, in Himachal, 5 guarantees have been implemented, even in Karnataka and Telangana, the guarantees have been fulfilled. 

What is your assessment for the 25 seats in Rajasthan? 

I believe we will win more seats than the BJP. Maybe there would be a difference of one seat between both the parties. But we would be on the higher side. 

What about the confusion and internal squabbles in your party about Banswara constituency? 

We had been talking with Bharat Adivasi Party (BAP) for quite some time although the deal could not be finalised. Lastly, we decided that the BJP —which plays polarisation politics, is inclined towards dictatorship and is anti-farmer — has to be defeated and that’s why we decided to support the BAP candidate in Banswara Lok Sabha constituency and in Bagidora Assembly constituency. 

But wasn’t the agreement with BAP too late? 

Yes, it was late.  But alliances are not easy. It is more a question of how, when, and which parties are we allying with in different states. All these matters are decided by the high command. It would definitely have been better if we could have arrived at an agreement earlier. But now, we know we have to support the BAP and defeat the BJP. 

What about your unique dance style while campaigning? Does it come naturally to you? 

I am neither a dancer nor do I know any kind of dancing or singing. My voice is also broken. But this is a festival of democracy and when our folk deities like Tejaji Maharaj, Ramdevji, Gossaiji Maharaj bhajans ring out, we dance and enjoy with our supporters. But some people feel envious and cannot stomach it as these folk deities often give us blessings and help us to win.