Cong accuses BJP of bribing voters in Rajasthan with 'free smartphone' scheme

The Congress today accused the BJP of bribing voters with state funds through its 'free smartphone' scheme in Rajasthan and insulting the legacy of Rajput king Maharana Pratap and his close aide Bhamashah by naming it after name.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi alleged that weeks before the Model Code of Conduct comes into force, the Vasundhara Raje government is spending people's money to lure voters in the state.

The BJP government in Rajasthan has announced providing free smartphones with Internet connectivity, under the Bhamashah Digital ParivarYojana' to families covered under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in the state.

As per government records, 1.64 crore families with 6.08 crore members are enrolled with 'Bhamashah' scheme and of these 1.03 crore families are entitled to receive benefits under the NFSA.

"The BJP is using public money to collectively bribe the people of Rajasthan. It is offering mobile phones as an 'electoral lollipop' with tax payers' money to garner votes," Singhvi alleged.

There is nothing wrong in making manifesto promises but spending people's money to offer an 'electoral bribe' is an offence, he told reporters.

The Congress leader claimed it is being done at a time when Chief Minister Raje and her BJP government are facing rejection from people of the state.

"The BJP-led Vasundhara Raje Government is using people's money from the state treasury for self-promotion.

"It was widely reported how BJP used people's money to further political goals by spending Rs 1 crore on Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's 'Gaurav Yatra' from August 4 to 10 just in the Udaipur division itself," he told reporters.

Singhvi said Representation of the People Act, 1951 clearly lays down the laws of the land in this aspect and explicitly defines the term 'bribery'. This offering of BJP by distributing mobile phones just before the elections is "collective bribery" of "monumental proportions", he said.

"On behalf of the people of Rajasthan, Congress party wants to ask why the Vasundhara Raje government woke up after 56 months of slumber, just before the elections to give away mobile phones?