Rajasthan Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) In-charge Radha Mohan Das Agarwal on Thursday, 26 June launched a sharp attack on the Congress in Ajmer, alleging that political events organised by the party during the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) examination period disrupted student commutes and jeopardised their futures. Agarwal demanded a public apology from Congress and ₹5 crore in compensation for students who were adversely affected.

The NEET Disruption Allegations

Agarwal alleged that students in Kota faced inconvenience during Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's visit ahead of the NEET examination, with traffic congestion reportedly preventing some aspirants from reaching their exam centres on time. He further alleged that traffic disruptions linked to the nomination-filing event of Rajasthan Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra similarly blocked candidates from appearing for the exam.

'Political programmes should not come at the cost of students' futures. Congress should apologise to the people and pay ₹5 crore compensation to the students who suffered because of these events,' Agarwal said while addressing reporters.

Samvidhan Hatya Diwas and Emergency Remarks

Agarwal was in Ajmer to participate in programmes marking Samvidhan Hatya Diwas, observed annually to commemorate the anniversary of the Emergency imposed in 1975. He described the Emergency as one of the 'darkest chapters in India's democratic history,' accusing Congress of crushing democratic rights and alleging that the party's political mindset has remained unchanged over five decades.

'Fifty years have passed, but the Congress has not changed. Its DNA remains the same. Even today, its leaders talk about banning the RSS and display the same mindset that existed during the Emergency,' he said.

On the Rajasthan Government and Cabinet Expansion

When asked to assess the performance of the Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma-led Rajasthan government and address speculation around a possible Cabinet expansion, Agarwal deflected, stating that such decisions rest solely with the Chief Minister. 'Does any mother publicly call her child bad? Don't try to trap me in words,' he remarked, declining to comment further on the state government's internal affairs.

On the Cabinet expansion question specifically, he said any official information would come from Chief Minister Sharma, and that internal organisational discussions could not be disclosed publicly.

Local Body Elections and OBC Commission

Rajasthan Urban Development Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra, who also addressed the meeting, said the state government is ready to conduct local body elections but is awaiting the report of the OBC Commission. The meeting was attended by representatives from 116 urban local bodies across Rajasthan, including heads of municipal corporations, municipal councils, and municipalities.

'If Congress wants immediate elections, it should clearly state whether it wants the elections held without waiting for the report,' Kharra said.

BJP's Organisational Push

Agarwal also underscored the importance of a strong party organisation ahead of future political contests. 'We cannot leave the organisation solely dependent on the government. We are preparing our own army. An army is necessary to fight any battle,' he said after meeting heads of urban local bodies in Ajmer. He also noted he had not yet been briefed on allegations levelled by Rajasthan Minister Kirodi Lal Meena against Dotasra and would comment only after gathering details.

With local body elections on the horizon and the NEET controversy still reverberating nationally, the BJP's escalation in Rajasthan signals a concerted effort to keep Congress on the defensive in the state.