Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday, 4 July demanded strict action against those who, he alleged, furnished misleading information to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the progress of the Barmer Refinery project. Gehlot cited an official written reply tabled in the Lok Sabha to argue that the refinery was already 80.8 per cent complete well before the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government could claim credit for it.

What the Parliamentary Record Shows

At the heart of Gehlot's challenge is a Centre-submitted reply to an Unstarred Question in the Lok Sabha on 1 August 2024, which confirmed that the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Limited (HRRL) project had achieved 80.8 per cent overall physical progress as of 15 July 2024. The Congress government in Rajasthan demitted office in December 2023, meaning, according to Gehlot, the bulk of construction was completed under his administration.

'Those who misled Prime Minister Narendra Modi should face strict action,' Gehlot said in a statement issued following the Prime Minister's remarks at the refinery's inauguration.

Gehlot Questions BJP's Claimed Progress

The former Chief Minister pointedly questioned how the BJP government could claim credit for the project's advancement. 'In two and a half years, the BJP government in Rajasthan, which couldn't even repair roads damaged by rain, what magic did it perform to build 80 per cent of the refinery in just six months?' he said.

Gehlot also noted that the Centre had informed Parliament that mechanical completion of the refinery was scheduled for March 2025, but the inauguration took place over a year later. 'The Central Government had promised in Parliament to complete the work by March 2025, but today, a year and a quarter later, the work has been completed, meaning even in the double-engine government, the pace remained slow,' he said.

Congress Claims Credit Through COVID Years

Defending his government's record, Gehlot argued that construction on the refinery continued without interruption despite the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic. 'Despite a devastating pandemic like COVID, lockdowns, and a severe shortage of labour, our government didn't let the work stop for even a single day,' he said.

He further contended that remarks suggesting the project had stalled under the Congress amounted to an affront to workers on the ground. 'By stating that the work had come to a halt, the Prime Minister has gravely insulted the hard work of thousands of labourers, engineers, and officials who sweated day and night,' Gehlot said.

Gehlot Accuses BJP of Politicising Government Platforms

Going beyond the refinery dispute, Gehlot accused the BJP of systematically using official government events to advance political narratives. 'Turning government platforms into dens of lies out of a hunger for political credit, and misleading the country's Prime Minister in this way to extract false statements from him, is extremely unfortunate and laughable,' he said.

He concluded with a public warning, saying 'The public is watching everything,' and tagged the PMO India in his remarks. This comes amid a broader pattern of opposition parties scrutinising inauguration events ahead of state and national electoral cycles, using parliamentary data to contest ruling-party credit claims on infrastructure projects.