Pulwama Martyrs' widows' protest in Rajasthan, latest flashpoint in Ashok Gehlot vs Sachin Pilot?

Given the account of the long-standing feud between Gehlot and Pilot, the fresh political crisis that has erupted in Rajasthan is not surprising.

The simmering feud between Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his in-house challenger Sachin Pilot is deepening in an election year.

The latest flashpoint, Sachin Pilot has written a letter to Gehlot calling on him to give a sympathetic ear to the demands of the widows of soldiers who lost their lives in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack.

While Gehlot in a detailed statement explained why meeting the demand of the martyrs' family would set a bad precedent and take away the priority which should be reserved for the immediate family of martyrs.

The worry

However, the worry for the Congress is that the dharna has been taking place also outside the Jaipur residence of Pilot and neither the CM nor anyone from the CMO has met the family. Sachin Pilot met the martyr's family, but when he speaks for the widows, is he also speaking out against the Gehlot government?

In an apparent attack on the Ashok Gehlot-led government in Rajasthan over the protest by the widows of soldiers killed in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, Sachin Pilot Friday said the issue should be heard out keeping ego aside.

His strong response comes after Rajasthan police removed the widows from the protest site outside Congress leader Sachin Pilot's house here and shifted them to hospitals near their respective residential areas.

"Giving or not giving one, two or three jobs to someone would not make much of a difference. But if the issue is sensitive, it should be handled in the same manner," Pilot said.

"Even if we don't want to give what they are asking for, we should at least meet them and make them understand patiently and compassionately. I don't think the issue should be politicized because the country doesn't belong to any one party and our soldiers don't fight for any particular community. They are fighting to protect the entire country. The issue could have been dealt with better," he added.

The widows of the Pulwama heroes have been protesting since February 28 and are on an indefinite hunger strike for the last few days.

Given the account of the long-standing feud between Gehlot and Pilot, the fresh political crisis that has erupted in Rajasthan is not surprising.

Congress rout in 2013

The Gehlot vs Pilot war dates back to 2013 when the Congress was at its lowest ebb in Rajasthan winning just 21 of 200 seats in Assembly polls. Pilot, a young Congress leader was given the task of reviving the grand old party's fortunes in Rajasthan.

Pilot, who is said to be close to Rahul Gandhi, took the lead while Gehlot was inducted into a screening committee for Punjab polls in 2016 and was made a general secretary in Delhi in 2017.

2018 crisis

In 2018, Gehlot and Pilot were at loggerheads for the chief minister's post soon after the Congress won the Assembly elections as the high command then chose Gehlot as the chief minister overlooking Pilot's efforts. Sachin Pilot staged a rebellion with 18 Congress MLAs staying away from legislative party meetings, defying the chief minister and the party.

Pilot speaks against Gehlot

The feud between the top two leaders in Rajasthan became wide open in 2019 with Sachin Pilot going into public to criticise the law and order situation in the state by saying the government needs to work "more seriously" on law and order in the state.

Pilot alleged that the situation in his state had "deteriorated" and that the government needed to do more. This was seen as a direct attack on his Gehlot, who held the home portfolio and caused quite a bit of embarrassment for the government.

Later in January 2020, criticising his own government over the deaths of 107 children in Kota's state-run JK Lon Hospital, Sachin Pilot said their response to the infant deaths could have been more sensitive.
Pilot said it was not a small incident and also stressed that accountability for the entire episode should be fixed.

2020 crisis

Ashok Gehlot alleged that Pilot has been planning a political coup with BJP since the formation of the government in 2019. Rajasthan police issued notices to Pilot to record his statement in connection with the alleged attempts to "topple" the Congress government.

This became another flash-point with where Pilot showed first signs of rebellion. Pilot, skipped two crucial meetings called by CM Gehlot and stayed put at a hotel in Manesar along with 18 MLAs in his camp amid reports that he is in talks with the BJP.

Later, the Congress sacked Sachin Pilot as the Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister and the state party chief, and two Rajasthan ministers, who had joined the Pilot camp, were dropped from the cabinet.

Ashok Gehlot's 'gaddar' (traitor) remark against fellow Congress leader Sachin Pilot sparked a row, last year.

Though Congress managed to find a solution to the 2020 rebellion, the infighting between the Sachin Pilot and Gehlot camp remains a problem for Ashok Gehlot time and again.