In a startling disclosure, details have emerged suggesting that during the tumultuous internal discord between Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot in 2020, the Rajasthan government, under Ashok Gehlot’s leadership, purportedly engaged in tracking the movements of Congress leader Sachin Pilot. The revelation comes from Ashok Gehlot’s officer on special duty (OSD), Lokesh Sharma.
According to Sharma, the surveillance unfolded when Sachin Pilot, along with 18 loyalist MLAs, rebelled against the party, sparking a political crisis. Specifically, the tracking extended to the period when Pilot and his group were stationed at Manesar. Sharma justified the actions, stating that it is customary for the government to employ surveillance measures in situations where a person of interest is involved in activities that could potentially lead to a collapse of the government.
“We were on the verge of a collapse,” Sharma informed news agency ANI, highlighting the gravity of the political turmoil. The OSD further revealed that the monitoring included not only Sachin Pilot’s movements but also tapped into his phone communications. This meticulous scrutiny aimed to keep abreast of Pilot’s interactions, ensuring the government could take corrective measures if the rebellion escalated.
Sharma clarified that the monitoring was conducted on the directives of Ashok Gehlot, emphasizing that the overarching objective was to safeguard the Congress government in the state. He detailed that the government needed to be prepared for any potential outcomes of Pilot’s rebellion and that the surveillance played a role in bringing back certain individuals aligned with Pilot.
Despite the Congress party’s efforts to overcome internal disputes and secure victory in the state assembly elections, the revelations shed light on the complexity and intensity of the power struggle within the party.
