Deadlock between war widows and Rajasthan govt continues

Deadlock between the war widows of Pulwama warriors and the Rajasthan government continues as talks between them to resolve the issue failed.

On Tuesday, state ministers Shakuntala Rawat and Pratap Singh Khachriyawas reached the residence of Former deputy CM Sachin Pilot where the women had staged a protest insisting to meet Priyanka Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.

While the two leaders ensured that their demands will be looked into, however, later on Tuesday night, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot gave clarification on each of their demands and their status.

"It is our duty to show the highest respect to the martyrs and their families. Every citizen of the state does it but unfortunately, some BJP leaders are disrespecting them by using the war widows to bake their political bread. This has never been the tradition of Rajasthan. I condemn it," he said.

Martyr Hemraj Meena's wife wants his third statue to be installed at a crossroad while two statues of the martyr have already been installed in the premises of Government College, Sangod and in the park located in his native village Vinod Kalan earlier. Such a demand is not appropriate keeping in view the other martyr families.

Another martyr, Rohitash Lamba's wife, is seeking a compassionate appointment for her brother-in-law. If the job is given today, then in future, the family members or relatives of others may start putting undue social and family pressure for the same, CM Gehlot said.

"Should we create such a difficult situation in front of the war widows because the rules made at present have been made on the basis of past experiences only. How can it be justified to kill the rights of the children of martyrs and give jobs to other relatives? What will happen to the children of martyrs when they become adults? Is it right to kill their rights? he wondered.

During my first tenure as Chief Minister in 1999, the state government released the Kargil package for the dependents of the martyrs and it has been made more effective by increasing it from time to time.

"As per the rules of our package, help has been given to the dependents of Pulwama martyrs. Probably no other state has such a package for martyr families."

Rajasthan is the land of heroes where thousands of soldiers have sacrificed their lives for the motherland. The people and the government here respect the martyrs the most. During the Kargil war, I myself went to the homes of 56 martyrs of Rajasthan and joined their families in grief," he clarified.

Gehlot further said that he shared the same feelings with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.

Meanwhile, one of the war widows' health deteriorated, in front of Sachin Pilot's residence, she was given treatment in an ambulance.

Police Commissioner Anand Srivastava and SP Yogesh Goyal were holding talks on dharna outside Sachin Pilot's residence.

However, nothing materialised. Dharna continues, said Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena.