Protest over 'corruption', cops use water cannon to disperse BJP workers in Jaipur

Jaipur: Police used a water cannon near the state secretariat to disperse BJP workers protesting over "corruption" and exam paper leaks under the Congress government in the state.

Rajasthan BJP leaders and workers began the march from the party's state headquarters here towards the secretariat after a public meeting. They were stopped by police at the Statue Circle near the secretariat.

Before the march, the party's Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Meena addressed the meeting where he said the BJP will expose the corrupt practices of minister Shanti Dhariwal and "scams" related to mining and the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme in the state.

"Corruption is rampant under the Gehlot government. Sixteen competitive exams were held in one year in Rajasthan and all of them were leaked. Now, the Enforcement Directorate has come and started investigating, and therefore Gehlot is afraid," he said.

"The BJP will expose a mining scam in the days to come. Also, a scam in Jal Jeevan Mission and corruption cases of Urban Development and Housing Minister Shanti Dhariwal will be exposed," Meena added.

He claimed that for the first time in the country, Rs 2.31 crore cash and one kilogram of gold were recovered from an almirah at a government building. The MP was referring to the incident of a Department of Information and Technology (DoIT) joint director being arrested last month after the seizure at the Yojna Bhawan here.

Meena claimed there was a scam of Rs 5,000 crore in the DoIT but when the Anti-Corruption Bureau wanted permission to investigate, the chief minister refused.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot should "take off the cloak of honesty", he said.

As the BJP march was stopped at the Statue Circle by police, the party's state president C P Joshi, Leader of Opposition in the assembly Rajendra Rathore, Meena and other leaders held a symbolic dharna.

After the dharna, BJP workers burnt an effigy as a mark of protest. Moments later, police used a water cannon to disperse them.

Joshi and the other leaders then courted arrest, following which they were taken away by police in a bus.

"This protest is against the misrule of the Congress government. The Gehlot government has cheated youngsters and robbed them of their dreams. Women are not safe and corruption is rampant. Therefore, the demonstration is being held today," he said.

Meena said it was a symbolic demonstration in Jaipur and an agitation against the government would be held across the state in the days to come.

BJP workers from Jaipur City participated in the march and demonstration.