Sanjivani Scam: BJP Minister Challenges Ashok Gehlot To Open Debate

Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has challenged Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to an open debate on the allegations levelled by the latter against him on the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society scam matter.

Mr Gehlot has repeatedly accused Mr Shekhawat, who is an MP from Jodhpur, of being involved in the scam in which numerous investors were duped of crores of rupees.

Mr Shekhawat has dismissed allegations linking him to the credit society and has also filed a defamation case in a Delhi court against Ashok Gehlot. "I challenge him and his lawyers to stand on any platform in India and argue in front of me," he told reporters in Jaisalmer on Thursday when asked about the allegations levelled by Mr Gehlot.

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the chief minister levelled the allegations against him because of the defeat of his son Vaibhav Gehlot in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The Union minister had defeated Vaibhav Gehlot in the Jodhpur Lok Sabha seat. Jodhpur is the hometown of Chief Minister Gehlot.

The BJP leader also said that he will prove the corruption allegations levelled by BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena against Mr Gehlot and his son.

"They do the work of converting black money worth crores of rupees into white," he charged.

No immediate reaction was available from Mr Gehlot to the charge.

Mr Shekhawat also said that the Centre has done remarkable work with the theme of service, good governance, and welfare of the poor.

As a result of the working of the PM Modi-led government, people today have faith in the system, he asserted.

"The poor realise that the government works for them. If the right party is chosen in democracy, then the right work is done," he said.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)