Illegal sand mining becomes flashpoint in political slugfest between BJP and Congress in Rajasthan

Illegal sand mining has emerged as a new flashpoint in the ongoing war of words between the ruling BJP and the Opposition Congress in Rajasthan, with both sides trading accusations of corruption during each other’s tenures.

The issue came to the fore during a programme in Dausa on Friday, where senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot launched a scathing attack on the Bhajan Lal Sharma-led BJP government.

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Speaking to the media during a brief stopover in Dausa en route to Hindon from Jaipur, Gehlot said, “Be it Dausa, Dholpur, or Tonk, the sand mafia has established its terrifying dominance over the state machinery. It seems this mafia has been bribing officials at all levels, from the bottom to the top. That is why the government is ineffective and unable to deter their illegal activities.”

He further added, “This has created a situation of fear and helplessness, where ordinary people are forced to buy sand at exorbitant prices. There is a dire need to launch a mass movement against the mafia’s terror and the government’s inaction.”

Gehlot’s remarks were swiftly countered by Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Avinash Gehlot, who accused the former Chief Minister of hypocrisy.

“Mr Gehlot is making baseless allegations while turning a blind eye to the situation during his own regime,” said Minister Gehlot. “In fact, MLAs from his own party used to refer to the then Mines Minister as ‘Khan Mafia’. The former CM himself once admitted during a video conference that he was unable to rein in the mining mafia.”

He cited the tragic self-immolation of monk Sant Vijay Das after a 551-day protest against illegal mining in the Kankanchal forest area as a reflection of the grim state of affairs under the previous Congress government.

“In contrast,” the Minister continued, “our current government has taken strong steps to curb illegal mining. We’ve recorded a 24 per cent growth in mineral royalty revenue so far in the fiscal year 2024–25 — amounting to ₹9,228 crore — compared to the previous financial year. Furthermore, to increase the availability of sand in the market, we’ve conducted public auctions for 255 mining plots, generating royalty revenues of ₹2,000 crore.”