BJP rides high on 'bulldozer wave' in Rajasthan, Congress rants and raves about it

Jaipur, May 14 (IANS) Bulldozer Baba, Bulldozer Mama, Bulldozer Justice seem to have become the trending phrases in Rajasthan after the BJP's smashing victory in the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls.

Close on the heels of UP, the Rajasthan BJP is also seen riding high on the 'bulldozer wave' while the ruling Congress is raising a strong objection to the bulldozer politics, calling it unjustified.

In Rajasthan, the bulldozer caught everyone's attention when BJP state president Satish Poonia came riding on it to the party office with a huge convoy soon after the victory of the saffron party in the UP polls.

On this occasion, he declared the bulldozer as a symbol for law and order and said, "Bulldozer is a message to restore law and order, it is a sign of determination and dedication; a bulldozer is also a sign of strength of the organisation and it is a sign of Hindutva and nationalism."

It was clear from his statement that the BJP is banking on the bulldozer for the ensuing assembly polls in 2023. However, the Congress also made it clear that it is against the BJP's politics as Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was seen speaking against "bulldozer justice" and called it unjustified.

When the houses of the Ram Navami violence accused in MP were demolished by the BJP government, the Rajasthan CM condemned the "bulldozer justice" saying neither the chief minister nor the prime minister has the power to get houses demolished by bulldozers.

"The right of demolishing houses via bulldozers does not lie even with the CM and PM," he said, adding, "How can you raze a house without any investigation, without holding anyone accountable? What must be crossing an innocent's mind on seeing his house being brought down like a pack of cards," he questioned.

Commenting on the opposition without naming them, he said, "They (BJP) say that innocent people have been arrested for the Karauli violence. So can the Rajasthan government bulldoze their houses since they have been arrested?" he asked. He expressed sadness at TV footage showing helpless people crying while their houses were being brought down.

The bulldozer war of words did not stop here between political leaders but intensified when a 300-year-old temple was razed by deploying bulldozers. This temple demolition in Rajasthan sparked a major row, as the saffron outfits called it an attack on Hindu Astha.

However, there is no denying the fact that the Rajasthan government also used "bulldozer justice" on the lines of the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh and razed the four-storeyed building of REET-accused Ramkripal Meena's SS College and SS Public School in Jagannathpuri Colony, Gopalpura Bypass, Jaipur.

The government used bulldozers on the school and college building of Ramkripal Meena, accused in the Rajasthan Teacher Eligibility Test paper leak case.

So the bulldozer undoubtedly has become a mascot for the BJP in Rajasthan which the Congress leaders are also seen cashing in on. They use this word quite often in their speeches.

Will the BJP repeat the UP story here?time will tell as we will come with 170+ seats, said Poonia while Congress leader Pratap Singh Khariyawas reverted saying, "In Gehlot's rule, people have all the right to run bulldozers on the BJP if they stop growth."