JAIPUR: Political tensions escalated in Rajasthan's capital on Wednesday as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Opposition Congress prepared for competing protests, prompting heavy police deployment across Jaipur.
The BJP organised a march to the Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) headquarters, alleging that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had violated constitutional decorum during the Opposition's protest outside the Prime Minister's residence in New Delhi.
Led by BJP state president Madan Rathore, the march drew state office-bearers, senior leaders including Shankar Agora and Rakhi Rathore and thousands of party workers.
As the procession moved from C-Scheme toward the Congress office, police blocked its advance with barricades. When protesters attempted to move forward, Jaipur Police used water cannons to disperse the crowd, leading to tense scenes.
The Congress, meanwhile, dismissed the BJP's protest as a "sham" and announced a counter-march to lay siege to the BJP's state headquarters, further heightening political tensions and raising concerns over law and order in the city.
The BJP mobilised party workers across Jaipur in protest over the developments in Delhi. Led by Madan Rathore, demonstrators marched while raising slogans against the Congress. Police resorted to high-pressure water cannons after protesters attempted to breach barricades and continue toward the PCC headquarters.
Addressing party workers, Rathore alleged that Rahul Gandhi and the Congress were repeatedly undermining democratic institutions and constitutional offices, adding that the people of Rajasthan would not accept such conduct.
Soon after the BJP demonstration, Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Govind Singh Dotasra addressed a press conference, criticizing both the BJP and the central government. Describing the BJP's protest as misplaced, Dotasra said it reflected the idiom "carrying coals to Newcastle", an exercise in futility.
He argued that while issues such as examination paper leaks, alleged links between members of the "cheating mafia" and BJP office-bearers, and action against protesting students persisted, the BJP had chosen to target Rahul Gandhi instead of addressing those concerns.
Dotasra also remarked that although Parliament's Rajya Sabha was in session, the BJP's state leadership had been directed to stage protests in Jaipur without addressing the substantive issues being raised. Announcing the party's next move, Dotasra said Congress workers would march to the BJP state headquarters in response to what he described as the ruling party's "audacity despite being in the wrong."
The announcement came a day after Congress workers, led by former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Dotasra, staged a protest in Jaipur and offered symbolic mass arrests.
With both parties announcing plans to march to each other's state headquarters, Jaipur Police intensified security arrangements across the city. Heavy barricading has been put in place around the BJP and Congress offices in C-Scheme, Chandpole and MI Road, while riot-control vehicles equipped with water cannons have been deployed at key locations.
Police said they were taking measures to prevent workers from the two parties from coming face-to-face, with drone surveillance being used to monitor sensitive areas and traffic diversions implemented in parts of the city.
