The protest was against exam paper leaks, crimes against women, farmers' debts, and corruption.
The police used water cannons against protesting BJP workers to prevent them from surrounding the government secretariat in Jaipur today. The party workers were protesting against the Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan government on a host of issues - including exam paper leaks, crimes against women and corruption - months ahead of Assembly elections in the state.
Hundreds of BJP workers, who were marching towards the secretariat this afternoon, began dragging and removing barricades, leading to minor skirmishes with the police. A police official said water cannons had to be used against the protesters as they persisted in removing the barricades despite personnel trying to stop them.
The march, which was organised as part of the opposition party's "Nahi Sahega Rajasthan" campaign, saw workers participating from several districts of the state. The BJP had set a target of 1 lakh workers and planned to surround the secretariat, but there was adequate deployment of police personnel as well, which prevented them from reaching the seat of power. Several senior BJP leaders were detained and then let off.
The protest was against exam paper leaks, crimes against women, farmers' debts and distress, and corruption. One of the issues was also the red diary that had been waved by sacked minister Rajendra Singh Gudha in the Assembly last week. The former minister had claimed that the diary contains details of pay-offs made by the Gehlot camp to MLAs to save his government during the 2020 rebellion led by Sachin Pilot.
Before the march began, Leader of the Opposition Rajendra Rathore addressed the gathering and said, "Every worker of the party will work towards putting the final nail in the coffin of the Gehlot government. The people of Rajasthan will work towards opening the bandages on Mr Gehlot's legs."
BJP sources said the party will now embark on a 'Parivartan Yatra', in which senior party leaders will visit different parts of the state.
They added that, in keeping with the formula of collective leadership that the party has worked out for the Assembly polls, the campaign will be helmed by former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, state BJP President CP Joshi, former state president Satish Poonia, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore.