Protest against Raje govt's ordinance: Sachin Pilot, others detained

Jaipur, Oct 23: During a march to protest against Rajasthan government's ordinance seeking to protest government servants from probe, Congress leader Sachin Pilot and several party leaders were briefly detained by the police in Jaipur on Monday.

After the Rajasthan Assembly session was adjourned for the day, Congress MLAs and leaders assembled at Jyoti Nagar T-point in the city, from where Pilot was to lead a march to the Raj Bhawan to hand over a representation against the Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill, 2017.

Soon after the march began, the police detained Pilot and other Congress leaders and took them to the Bajaj Nagar police station. They were later released.

"We will not let the government pass the bill. We are strongly opposing it. If the government passes the bill using its majority in the House, the Congress will repeal it when the party comes in power," Pilot told reporters after being released.

The Congress has opposed the bill, tabled in the Assembly today, which seeks to replace the Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance, 2017, promulgated on September 7. The ordinance seeks to protect serving and former judges, magistrates and public servants in the state from being investigated for on-duty action, without its prior sanction.

It also bars the media from reporting on such accusations till the sanction to proceed with the probe is given by the government. Senior BJP MLA Ghanshyam Tiwari too has opposed the ordinance. Pilot said the ordinance was promulgated as Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje feared that she might be in trouble due to corruption.

The 200-member Rajasthan Assembly has 160 BJP MLAs. The Congress has 24 members, National People's Party (NPP) 4, Independents 7, BSP 2 and the National Unionist Zamindara Party 2. One seat is vacant.

PTI