Jaipur, June 24 (AHN) Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) President Govind Singh Dotasra on Wednesday refuted allegations made by the state Agriculture Minister Kirori Lal Meena.

He accused Minister Meena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government of attempting to divert attention from the alleged fertiliser and seed scam in the Agriculture Department.

Addressing a press conference at the state Congress headquarters, Dotasra said that before levelling allegations against others, Minister Meena should ensure an impartial investigation into corruption within his own department.

He also criticised the state government on several issues, including border security and the Yamuna Water Agreement.

Responding to Kirori Lal Meena's allegations regarding the OBC certificates and appointments, Dotasra added that all actions were taken in accordance with rules framed by the Union and Rajasthan governments since 1999.

He said that the 2019 circular being cited was merely an erroneous communication, which was corrected in 2021 and clarified to the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC).

Recently, Kirori Lal Meena wrote to the Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, alleging that Dotasra and his brother-in-law had fake OBC certificates and demanded the registration of an FIR.

Dotasra said the issue had already been settled by courts and previous governments.

He added that if the current BJP-led state government still has doubts, it is free to conduct an investigation at any level, and he is fully prepared to cooperate.

According to Dotasra, Minister Meena is reviving a five-year-old issue to divert attention from alleged corruption in the Rajasthan Agriculture Department.

Raising concerns over raids conducted under the Agriculture Department and the alleged recovery of Rs 2.43 crore in bribe money, the State Congress President said Minister Kirodi Lal Meena himself had admitted that irregularities were taking place without his knowledge.

He added that when a department director-level officer and members of a decoy team are allegedly caught red-handed in illegal extortion, both the Departmental Minister and the state government bear moral responsibility.

If Minister Meena considers himself completely honest, Dotasra said, he should immediately request the Chief Minister Sharma to order a Special Operations Group (SOG) investigation into the matter.

He alleged that the case could involve a scam worth between Rs 300 crore and Rs 500 crore.

He asked why the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had not taken action despite the large amount allegedly recovered and demanded a probe into all 1,200 raids conducted by the department.

He said that instead of warning the Chief Minister not to cross the "Lakshman Rekha", Minister Kirodi Lal Meena should focus on ensuring a thorough investigation into the department's functioning.

"If he (Kirodi Lal Meena) is found innocent after a fair inquiry, I will personally thank him," Dotasara said, adding that blaming others while shielding the real culprits amounts to "dirty politics".

Describing Rajasthan's healthcare system as being in a state of collapse, the State Congress President alleged that hospitals are facing shortages of treatment facilities and medicines, while counterfeit medicines are being supplied where medicines are available.

He cited the deaths of five pregnant women in Kota, two in Bikaner, and one in Jodhpur as examples of what he called the Rajasthan government's insensitivity.

He also alleged that patients' kidneys were being affected by contaminated drugs and fake oxytocin injections and criticised the Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar for making insensitive remarks regarding pregnant women.

On the issue of national security, Dotasra said the Congress stands firmly with the state government.

However, he criticised what he described as giving religious sites only one to two hours' notice before demolition, alleging that such actions risk creating communal tensions and are being used to conceal governance failures.

He said that any action plan formulated by the Central government should be discussed transparently through an all-party meeting and shared openly with both the media and the public.

Commenting on the sealing of coaching centres, Dotasra said that authorities should not wait for accidents to occur before taking action.

He stressed that inspections and safety measures must be carried out regularly to ensure the safety and welfare of students.