Jaipur, November 29 (NationPress) Rajasthan's Food and Civil Supplies Minister Sumit Godara has vehemently addressed the claims and misleading statements made by former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot concerning the Special Intensive Review (SIR) program.

Minister Godara presented factual evidence indicating that the Congress party has lost the confidence of the populace nationwide, a sentiment evident in the outcomes of the Assembly elections in Haryana, Maharashtra, Delhi, and Bihar.

He remarked that historically, whenever the Congress faced electoral defeats, it has cast doubt on EVMs and questioned established constitutional institutions.

However, following the Supreme Court's definitive position, the Congress and its allies have pivoted to disseminating misinformation about the SIR.

According to Minister Godara, the Congress seems to prioritize concerns about infiltrators, such as Bangladeshis and Rohingyas, over the well-being of the citizens of this nation.

He urged Rahul Gandhi and the Congress to reflect on their substantial loss in the Bihar elections instead of engaging in misguided politics regarding the SIR.

The populace remains staunchly behind Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his development-focused governance, Godara emphasized.

He made it clear that the primary goal of the SIR is to guarantee fair and transparent elections.

This initiative seeks to cleanse the voter list by eliminating entries of deceased individuals, migrants, incorrect addresses, and duplicate voters, ensuring that only eligible voters participate, he explained.

Godara alleged that the Congress fears not the legitimate additions to the voter list, but rather the removal of inauthentic Congress voters.

He characterized the SIR as a robust mechanism to eradicate ineligible voters and thwart electoral irregularities.

He encouraged citizens to actively engage in fortifying democracy by supporting the SIR initiative.

Godara pointed out that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Rajasthan is experiencing rapid progress, achieving an impressive 12.2% GDP growth rate, significantly surpassing the national average of 9.7%.

He noted that during Gehlot's term as Chief Minister, the fiscal deficit escalated to 5.83% of GSDP in 2020–21, which the current BJP-led government has successfully reduced to 4.25% in 2024–25.

While the BJP government has delivered tangible results, the previous Congress administration primarily relied on rhetoric during its five years in power.

Godara remarked that Gehlot had not adequately evaluated his own five-year performance as Chief Minister before criticizing the current BJP administration.

"Had he (Ashok Gehlot) done so, he would have realized that the initial 22 months of the BJP government have already eclipsed the Congress' five-year record," he stated.

He highlighted that while only 57 Government College buildings were constructed under the Congress regime, the current BJP government has built 177 college buildings in just 22 months.

Additionally, 49 veterinary hospitals were upgraded to first class during the Congress tenure, whereas 1,010 were upgraded under the BJP's administration.

During the Congress government, 13,160 km of new roads were constructed, while the current BJP government has completed 15,684 km of road construction.

Minister Godara accused Gehlot of creating confusion surrounding social security pensions in the state.

"In the Congress era, pension payments were frequently delayed by three to four months, whereas the current BJP government guarantees that pensions due last month are disbursed within the current month," he stated.

He mentioned that the state government allocated ₹12,866 crore in social security pensions for 2024–25, a 34.10% increase from the previous year, and has already disbursed ₹16,591 crore for 2025–26.

Godara concluded by stating that the public-oriented government under Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has made several significant welfare decisions, such as reducing VAT on petrol and diesel, raising the gratuity limit for state employees, enhancing family pensions, implementing doorstep delivery for elderly beneficiaries through the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme, and offering stamp duty exemptions for jointly purchased properties with a spouse.