Ashok Gehlot Did Not Praise PM, But...: Congress On Sachin Pilot's Remarks

The Congress on Wednesday said Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot did not praise Prime Minister Narendra Modi but showed him the mirror at an event in Mangarh.

The assertion by party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate came after she was asked about former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot's remarks that during Tuesday's event the prime minister had "praised" Mr Gehlot and it should not be taken lightly.

Asked at a press conference about the remarks by Pilot, who had led a rebellion in 2020 against the chief minister, Ms Shrinate said, "You asked me a question on what Ashok Gehlot ji was talking about... With my own little understanding, I think that he did not praise the PM, he showed a mirror to Modi ji in the gathering."

"If I tell the person sitting next to me that your respect is not from you, your respect is because you come from a country which is Gandhi ji's country, Nehru ji's country, Ambedkar ji's country, where democracy is strong, I think this would be a matter of insult. I don't know who sees respect in this," she said.

At the Union culture ministry-organised event at Mangarh Dham, a memorial to a tribal uprising against the British in 1913, in Rajasthan's Banswara district, Mr Gehlot shared the dais with Prime Minister Modi, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

Pressed further, Ms Shrinate said both Gehlot and Pilot have reiterated time and again that all have to work together so that Congress government is repeated in Rajasthan.

She said the media can draw inferences from comments made by leaders for a story, but she had nothing to add on it.

Mr Pilot raised eyebrows on Wednesday over Prime Minister Modi's praise for Mr Gehlot and also nudged his party to end the state of in decision on the chief minister's post.

His remarks on the praise for Mr Gehlot, which he called an interesting development that should not be taken lightly signalled the resumption of hostilities in the party's Rajasthan unit.

"The PM praised the chief minister and this is an interesting development because the prime minister had praised Ghulam Nabi Azad in the same manner in the House in Parliament. And we all have seen what circumstances were created after that," Pilot told reporters at his home in Jaipur.

Hours later, Mr  Gehlot urged party leaders to maintain discipline" and refrain from making  statements. Answering questions from a reporter, he said the focus should be on winning the next assembly polls.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)