Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat addressed a live press conference organised by BJP Jodhpur City on Monday, 15 June 2026, presenting a review of twelve years of governance under the party's watch under the theme 'Pragati ke path par agrasit — 12 varsh ki yatra | Virasat bhi Vikas bhi' ('Advancing on the path of progress — a journey of 12 years | Heritage as well as Development').

Context

The press briefing was broadcast live on X (formerly Twitter) and framed as a stocktaking exercise marking twelve years since the BJP came to power at the Centre in 2014. Shekhawat, who represents Jodhpur in the Lok Sabha, used the occasion to spotlight what the party describes as a twin achievement: rapid development alongside active preservation of India's cultural and heritage legacy.

The dual slogan — 'Virasat bhi Vikas bhi' — mirrors the broader national messaging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has employed since 2014, positioning infrastructure growth and heritage conservation as complementary rather than competing priorities.

Policy Backdrop

The BJP's heritage-plus-development narrative has been institutionalised through flagship schemes. The PRASAD scheme, launched in 2014-15, channelled central funds into developing pilgrimage and heritage tourism destinations across the country. The Swadesh Darshan scheme, introduced in the same year, created theme-based tourist circuits that include heritage and cultural routes, with several nodes in Rajasthan.

Jodhpur — home to the iconic Mehrangarh Fort and Umaid Bhawan Palace — sits at the intersection of these policy priorities. As a senior Union minister and the city's sitting MP, Shekhawat has been a key advocate for directing central tourism and culture funds toward the desert city and the wider Marwar region.

The Rajasthan government has periodically aligned state-level tourism policy with central schemes, particularly in heritage-rich cities, making the joint narrative of progress and preservation politically resonant in the state.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of the policy arc reviewed at Monday's press conference include the Jodhpur tourism industry, heritage site managers, local hoteliers, and residents whose livelihoods are tied to visitor footfall. Rajasthan's desert and palace cities draw millions of domestic and international tourists annually, making any central policy shift in culture and tourism spending a matter of direct economic consequence.

Civil society groups and conservation bodies tracking the upkeep of Mehrangarh Fort and other listed monuments will also watch closely for any project announcements linked to the review. The BJP Jodhpur City unit's decision to host a formal press conference — rather than a rally or social media post — signals that the party intends the twelve-year review to feed into local political messaging ahead of future electoral cycles.

What's Next

Observers will track whether Monday's press conference is followed by concrete project announcements — particularly fresh allocations under PRASAD or Swadesh Darshan for Jodhpur and surrounding heritage sites. Any policy statements made during the briefing are expected to feed into the BJP's campaign narrative in Rajasthan ahead of the next state assembly session and beyond. Shekhawat's continued prominence as the face of both central culture policy and Jodhpur's local development agenda underscores the strategic importance the party places on the seat.