Congress holds march in Jaipur, demands Raje’s resignation

Jaipur, June 24 (IANS) The Congress party workers hit the streets in Jaipur on Wednesday to press for resignation of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje for allegedly helping former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi.

Hundreds of Congress workers gathered in Udyog Maidan near Statute Circle and senior party leaders joined them in the march to the Civil Lines area where the chief minister’s official residence is located.

Among the Congress leaders joining the march were Rajasthan state party chief Sachin Pilot, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, and Leader of Opposition in the assembly Rameshwar Dudi. They addressed a rally in the Civil Lines area later.

Heavy police deployment was made on the route of the march.

Sachin pilot told IANS that the Congress in the state is demanding Raje’s resignation on legal grounds.

"What the chief minister, when she was leader of opposition, did was a criminal act as she helped Lalit Modi, a fugitive, to procure travel documents. She is criminally culpable," he said.

"We will continue to protest across the state, raising our demand for the resignation of the chief minister," Pilot added.

"The resignation will clear the way for an impartial probe", he said.

Rajasthan’s Congress unit on June 17 passed a resolution at its executive meeting in Udaipur, demanding Raje’s ouster.