Fri Feb 21 03:31:45 UTC 2025: **Rajasthan Assembly Sees Walkout Over Phone Tapping Allegations**
JAIPUR, INDIA (February 21, 2025) – The Rajasthan Assembly witnessed a dramatic walkout by Congress MLAs on Thursday following a heated debate over allegations that Cabinet Minister Kirodi Lal Meena’s phone was tapped.
The walkout followed a statement by the Minister of State for Home, Jawahar Singh Bedham, who refuted the allegations. Bedham asserted that the government had not intercepted Meena’s phone calls and that Meena himself had publicly denied making the claim. However, the Opposition contested this, citing Meena’s previous statements hinting at surveillance.
The controversy stems from Meena’s remarks at a public event earlier this month, which caused an uproar within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Meena, a known maverick within the party, previously submitted his resignation from the cabinet in June 2024, a resignation that remains unaccepted. The BJP subsequently issued him a show-cause notice.
Leader of the Opposition, Tika Ram Jully, argued that Meena hadn’t completely denied the allegations, only that making them publicly was a mistake. Jully also highlighted a perceived lack of trust between Meena and the Chief Minister, citing past suspicions of Meena disrupting the Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit.
The Congress demanded action against Meena for making what they consider false allegations and questioned the delay in accepting his resignation. Following escalating tensions, Congress MLAs staged a walkout, prompting the Speaker to initiate debate on the State Budget. The incident highlights ongoing political tensions within the Rajasthan government.
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