Jaipur, March 30 (IANS) Veteran Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government of neglecting key universities meant for the differently-abled, alleging that political bias was behind the delay.

In the eighth chapter of his digital series ‘Intezaar Shastra’, he said, “Is political bias impacting institutions meant to empower the differently-abled? Are icons like Mahatma Gandhi and Baba Amte becoming points of contention?”

A video shared on his X profile highlights concerns over two major initiatives announced in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 state budgets -- Baba Amte Divyang University in Jaipur and Mahatma Gandhi Divyang University in Jodhpur.

Despite the appointment of experienced figures such as Dr Devswaroop and Kusum Lata Bhandari as Vice-Chancellors, both institutions are yet to become fully functional.

In Jaipur, Baba Amte Divyang University is reportedly operating out of just two rooms within Shiksha Sankul, with no admissions conducted so far, raising questions about its effectiveness. As per norms, a university requires around 30 acres of land, but only 10 acres have reportedly been allotted in Jamdoli, the video claims.

In Jodhpur, the situation remains uncertain, with the Mahatma Gandhi Divyang University project still in limbo and lacking a dedicated campus, it adds.

In a post on X, Gehlot wrote, “BJP government's assault on the rights of the disabled! Is there such hatred for the names of Gandhi and Baba Amte that the future of the disabled has been put at stake? Jaipur's Divyang University is confined to two rooms, and work has come to a halt in Jodhpur. What kind of fire of political revenge is this, in which the state's specially-abled people are burning? The government must answer!”

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, meanwhile, launched a sharp attack on the Congress while outlining his government’s achievements on Sunday. He recalled how a senior Congress leader, without naming Sachin Pilot, was once forced to undertake a foot march from Ajmer to Jaipur against his own government.

“His feet were blistered, and leaders within his own party humiliated him by calling him ‘incompetent and useless’. We respected that pain, acted against the mafia, and put an end to paper leaks,” Sharma said.

Taking a swipe at the Opposition, the Chief Minister said that those advocating a “philosophy of waiting” had, in reality, exposed the Congress’s “politics of lies, corruption, and scams like JJM”.

He added that time changes everything — those once dismissed as “incompetent” are now influential in Delhi, while their critics remain frustrated. Sharma also targeted the Congress leadership, alleging that its top leaders remain focused on promoting their sons in politics even as internal conflicts continue to weaken the party.

“People are well aware of their history of plunder and deceit,” he said.

--IANS

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