‘Congress fears SIR, Rajasthan recorded 12.2 pc GDP growth under former CM Ashok Gehlot’: Minister

In Jaipur on November 29, Rajasthan’s Food and Civil Supplies Minister Sumit Godara addressed the press after former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot released a series of accusations about the Special Intensive Review (SIR) programme. Godara countered that the Congress party’s claims are misleading and that the party has already lost confidence across the country, as shown by the recent assembly elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, Delhi and Bihar.

He noted that whenever Congress has lost polls in the past, its leaders have cast doubts on electronic voting machines and questioned the integrity of constitutional bodies. With the Supreme Court’s firm stance on the electoral process now settled, the party’s message has shifted toward spreading falsehoods about the SIR.

According to Godara, Congress seems preoccupied with concerns about infiltrators from Bangladesh and the Rohingya crisis rather than focusing on the concerns of ordinary Indian citizens. He urged Rahul Gandhi and other senior Congress leaders to reflect on their massive loss in the Bihar elections instead of launching a campaign of misinformation.

The Minister stressed that the public stands firmly behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his development‑oriented governance. He described the SIR as a tool designed to make elections fair and transparent by cleaning up the voter rolls—removing entries for deceased voters, migrants, incorrect addresses and duplicates so that only eligible voters remain on the list.

Godara complained that Congress is more anxious about having fake “Congress voters” removed than about legitimate additions to the roll. He presented the SIR as a robust mechanism to wipe out ineligible voters and safeguard the integrity of future polls. The minister called on citizens to actively support the SIR process as a means of strengthening democracy.

Turning to state progress, Godara highlighted that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Rajasthan has seen rapid growth, with a 12.2 % GDP increase—well above the national average of 9.7 %. He also pointed out that the fiscal deficit fell from 5.83 % of GSDP in 2020–21 during Gehlot’s tenure to 4.25 % in 2024–25 under the BJP‑led government.

Godara criticised the previous Congress administration for delivering mostly rhetoric, whereas the current government has produced tangible results on the ground. He asserted that Gehlot had not taken stock of his own achievements before criticizing the present leadership. “If he had done so, he would have seen that the first 22 months of the BJP regime already outshine the Congress’s five‑year record,” he remarked.

In terms of infrastructure, Godara compared the two administrations: 57 government college buildings were constructed during the Congress period, whereas the BJP committee has built 177 in just 22 months. Veterinary hospitals saw upgrades from 49 to 1,010 under the new government. Road construction also jumped from 13,160 km in the past to 15,684 km this year.

On social security pensions, Godara said Gehlot was sowing confusion. He noted that during the Congress regime, pension payments lagged behind by three to four months, whereas the current administration delivers any pending amounts within the same month. The state has already disbursed Rs 12,866 crore in pensions in 2024–25—a 34.10 % increase over the prior year—and anticipates paying Rs 16,591 crore for 2025–26.

Finally, Godara outlined several welfare measures taken by the Bhajan Lal Sharma government: reduction of VAT on petrol and diesel, higher gratuity limits for state employees, improved family pensions, doorstep delivery services for elderly beneficiaries under the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme, and a stamp‑duty exemption for jointly purchased property when bought with one’s spouse.

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