Jaipur, March 30 (NationPress) Renowned Congress figure and former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Ashok Gehlot, has charged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government with overlooking essential universities for differently-abled individuals, claiming that political favoritism is causing the delays. In the latest installment of his digital series, ‘Intezaar Shastra’, he questioned, “Is political favoritism affecting institutions designed to uplift the differently-abled? Are revered figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Baba Amte becoming sources of discord?”

A video posted on his X account raises alarms regarding two significant projects introduced in the state budgets for 2022-23 and 2023-24 — the Baba Amte Divyang University in Jaipur and the Mahatma Gandhi Divyang University in Jodhpur.

Despite having seasoned leaders such as Dr. Devswaroop and Kusum Lata Bhandari appointed as Vice-Chancellors, both universities have not yet commenced full operations.

In Jaipur, the Baba Amte Divyang University reportedly functions out of merely two rooms within Shiksha Sankul, with no admissions having been processed thus far, raising doubts about its viability. According to regulations, a university typically requires approximately 30 acres of land, yet only 10 acres have been allocated in Jamdoli, as per the video.

The situation in Jodhpur appears equally precarious, with the Mahatma Gandhi Divyang University project still uncertain and lacking a designated campus.

In a post on X, Gehlot remarked, “The BJP government’s assault on the rights of the disabled is alarming! Is there such aversion towards the names of Gandhi and Baba Amte that the future of the differently-abled is jeopardized? Jaipur's Divyang University is limited to two rooms, and progress has stalled in Jodhpur. What type of political vendetta is this, where the specially-abled people of our state are suffering? The government owes us an explanation!”

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma countered, launching a fierce critique against the Congress as he touted his government's accomplishments on Sunday. He recalled a moment when a senior Congress leader, indirectly referencing Sachin Pilot, was compelled to march from Ajmer to Jaipur in protest against his own party.

“His feet were sore, and his own party members belittled him by labeling him ‘ineffective and worthless’. We acknowledged that pain, took action against corruption, and addressed the issue of examination paper leaks,” Sharma stated.

In a jab at the Opposition, the Chief Minister asserted that those who peddle a “philosophy of waiting” have laid bare the Congress’s “politics of deceit, corruption, and scandals like JJM.”

He further asserted that time alters perceptions — individuals once deemed “inept” are now powerful in Delhi, while their critics remain disillusioned. Sharma also criticized the Congress leadership, claiming that its top figures are fixated on promoting their offspring in politics even as internal strife continues to erode the party’s strength.

“People know well about their legacy of theft and treachery,” he concluded.