Regardless of preliminary guarantees to behave swiftly, the BJP authorities’s delayed response and blended alerts have given the Congress the ammunition to assault the BJP.

Senior BJP chief and Agriculture Minister Kirodi Lal Meena, who additionally led the agitation for the cancellation of the examination, hailed the courtroom’s resolution as a victory of fact and battle. He claimed he had prompt to the chief minister to cancel the examination, however his recommendation was ignored.

Regulation Minister Jogaram Patel, nevertheless, defended the federal government. “The courtroom didn’t cancel the examination; it solely made observations.” However, he later backtracked.

After a year-long authorized listening to, the Rajasthan Excessive Courtroom cancelled the 2021 SI examination on 28 August, indicting six members and the chairperson of the Rajasthan Public Service Fee (RPSC).

“It is extremely tough to determine those that took the examination with honesty and people who benefited from leaked papers. But when a single particular person turns into a constable by means of a leaked paper, this is not going to be proper,” the courtroom remarked in its judgment.

The courtroom famous {that a} committee shaped by the federal government confirmed that the fraud was systematic, with leaked papers broadly distributed and interviews additionally manipulated, making it virtually unimaginable to tell apart between real candidates and people who benefited from corruption. “Retaining the recruitment would imply legitimising giant scale corruption.”

Instantly after the decision, Agriculture Minister Meena hailed it as a “victory for the unemployed youth”.

Meena took a swipe on the chief minister for not appearing sooner, stating, “As quickly because the BJP shaped the federal government (in December 2023), I prompt to the chief minister to cancel the examination. Even in authorities conferences, I raised the problem, however no motion was taken. The federal government shaped an SOG (Particular Operations Group) and SIT, however the chief minister is the one one who can clarify this now. The BJP may have taken credit score for canceling the examination and received the hearts of the unemployed youth. Hanuman Beniwal (Rashtriya Loktantrik Social gathering) took credit score from us, suggesting it to Gehlot, however Gehlot didn’t cancel the examination.”

The BJP authorities is now in a state of dilemma on learn how to deal with the problem. On one hand, its personal minister Meena and opposition chief Hanuman Beniwal are celebrating the choice. On the opposite, Regulation and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel added to the confusion by asserting in a press convention that “the examination has not been canceled; it’s merely an statement.”

“In the event you research the courtroom’s resolution,” Patel went on to say, “it hasn’t cancelled the SI recruitment. The state authorities will assessment the decision in session with the Rajasthan Public Service Fee and the regulation division.”

Nevertheless, Patel later backtracked and stated, “The regulation division will study the judgment to find out whether or not the state authorities or the RPSC ought to concern the cancellation order. The federal government will search RPSC’s opinion after the courtroom’s cancellation order.”

The Rajasthan regulation minister even prompt affected candidates pursue appeals in opposition to the excessive courtroom’s resolution.

In the meantime, senior Bharatiya Janata Social gathering chief and Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat supported the state authorities’s stance.

“Though I haven’t learn the judgment, it primarily seems to be just like the courtroom has left the choice to the federal government. It’s not honest that some folks dedicated the sin, however others are struggling. The state authorities is contemplating the matter from this angle. I feel there’s a must assessment the choice intimately. The federal government’s intent has all the time been to punish these concerned within the paper leak. Many individuals left their jobs and ready for 3-4 years for this examination.”

Congress chief Sachin Pilot, who had led a yatra in opposition to the Gehlot authorities and demanded cancelling the examination, stated, “The Bhajan Lal authorities has been delaying this concern for 2 years. It’s a slap within the face of the federal government. It’s not nearly sincere candidates however about all the course of and the RPSC. The RPSC needs to be constituted on the traces of the UPSC. Nobody has the precise to play with the way forward for college students.”

---

Additionally Learn: As Bhajan Lal govt turns 1, BJP nonetheless not sure of Kirodi Lal Meena, the Rajasthan minister who’s & isn’t

---

The BJP flip-flop

The BJP authorities’s flip-flop started quickly after it got here to energy in 2023. The BJP was in opposition when the paper leak occurred underneath the Gehlot authorities. The celebration led a large-scale agitation for the cancellation of the examination, utilizing it as a political instrument to consolidate youth assist in its favour earlier than the elections.

The BJP promised that if it got here to energy, the examination could be cancelled and a Particular Investigation Group shaped to probe all the matter. And after coming to energy, the BJP authorities did represent the SIT to probe the paper leak circumstances.

Its Particular Operations Group arrested trainee SI Daluram Meena, who was chosen within the 2021 examination, in February 2024. It was the primary arrest within the case, and it uncovered the statewide community, and since then the SOG arrested 120 accused together with 54 trainee SIs.

In September 2024, former RPSC member Ramu Ram Raika was arrested, and the SIT really useful the cancellation of the examination. Nevertheless, regardless of suggestions from the SIT (headed by ADG V. Okay. Singh), the SOG and police headquarters to cancel the examination, the Bhajan Lal authorities appeared hesitant.

In a Cupboard assembly too, Meena pushed for the cancellation of the examination after which the federal government shaped a sub-committee underneath Parliamentary Affairs Minister Patel.

The cupboard subcommittee, additionally together with Meena, prompt that “solely 6.3 % of the examinees had been discovered to be concerned (within the malpractices) within the SOG probe, and it might be untimely to cancel the examination because the SIT is within the strategy of segregating the contaminated from untainted candidates.”

“Bureaucrats misled  authorities into not cancelling examination. (They claimed if the examination is cancelled), others will undergo too. Possibly, the bureaucrats have their very own curiosity as it’s a large nexus,” stated a Rajasthan BJP vice chairman.

When the courtroom expressed displeasure over the gradual tempo of progress on the problem, the Bhajan Lal authorities stated in July 2025 that it might not cancel the examination. Advocate Common Rajendra Prasad, representing the federal government, stated “The choice to proceed with the recruitment course of relies on the cupboard sub-committee’s advice accredited by the chief minister.”

Whereas delivering the judgement, the courtroom acknowledged the state authorities’s efforts in forming the SIT and arresting the culprits, nevertheless it criticised the federal government for its inaction regardless of obtrusive proof.

‘Na maya mili na Ram’

A Rajasthan BJP vice chairman instructed ThePrint, “Our authorities’s intention was proper—to repair culprits and produce transparency within the examination course of. That’s the reason the federal government shaped the SIT, and the SOG arrested folks. However later bureaucrats misled the federal government into not cancelling the examination. (They claimed if the examination is cancelled), others will undergo too. Possibly, the bureaucrats have their very own curiosity as it’s a large nexus.”

“Now, after the courtroom cancelled the examination, even the Congress is elevating a query mark on our authorities for ‘not appearing’. Hanuman Beniwal took the credit score. Now we have been labelled culprits for obstructing the cancellation. Our scenario has develop into like na maya mili na Ram. (it’s a lose-lose scenario for us).”

Rajasthan Finance Fee Chairman Arun Chaturvedi, a former Rajasthan BJP president, defended the federal government’s place. “The BJP authorities laid the inspiration for the courtroom’s resolution. The federal government shaped the SIT, and the SOG arrested the culprits. For the reason that investigation wasn’t full, it was proper to not cancel the examination.

“The Congress did nothing however shield the corrupt and leak the paper to assist the corrupt. Now, they’re shedding crocodile tears. Kirodi Lal Meena, who raised the problem, is a part of the BJP. The federal government will resolve on this matter now.”

A BJP supply stated after this “lack of face”, the federal government could not file appeals however encourage others to method the division bench for a assessment.

Congress spokesperson Swarnim Chaturvedi stated, “The federal government has misplaced its face. It insisted the examination is not going to be cancelled. They constituted the SIT, now the courtroom has cancelled the examination, regardless of that, the minister stated they’ll assessment it. Is the federal government above courtroom?”

(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)

---

Additionally Learn: Rajasthan BJP will not be prepared for a contest but. ‘1 state, 1 election’ push to delay native polls

---