Cash distribution before elections is ‘murder of democracy’, says Gehlot

Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday voiced strong concerns over alleged cash distribution ahead of elections , calling it a threat to democracy . He also criticised the state government for neglecting the Marwar region in its budget while expressing confidence in the Congress’ prospects in upcoming local body polls.

Referring to the Supreme Court’s recent observations on pre-election freebies and cash transfers, Gehlot said the court’s intent was to curb the practice of distributing money to influence voters . He cited reports from Bihar , where cash was allegedly handed out to voters just days before polling in multiple phases, with little intervention from the Election Commission .

Recalling former Chief Election Commissioner T.N. Seshan’s decision to postpone polling in Tamil Nadu amid similar allegations, Gehlot warned, “If money continues to be distributed unchecked, how will democracy survive? This amounts to the murder of democracy .”

On communal tensions , Gehlot alleged that violence persists when governments pursue divisive agendas , pointing fingers at the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government for policies that, he claimed, foster social discord .

Highlighting development issues , the former chief minister questioned repeated delays in the inauguration of the Barmer Refinery , noting that earlier announcements had promised an August launch. He also criticised the recent Union Budget for overlooking Jodhpur and the larger Marwar region, where districts like Jaisalmer, Barmer, Phalodi, Jalore, Sirohi, and Pali are facing drought-like conditions .

Pointing to water scarcity , Gehlot said the state government had allocated about Rs 1,400 crore for the third phase of the Rajiv Gandhi Lift Canal scheme to supply drinking water to villages in Jodhpur and surrounding areas, but progress has slowed.

On local governance, he stressed that elections to panchayats and urban local bodies should be held on time, in line with repeated court directions. While alleging unnecessary delays, he expressed hope that the polls would now proceed and said, “The Congress will perform well once the local body elections are conducted.”