The term “ED” was the most preferred in the rally. While some speakers called Dotasra a “tiger who won’t bow down”, others coined amusing slogans. Dotasra was the last to speak in front of a crowd of thousands, where he claimed that he had never taken a bribe in his life and, using sarcasm, said he was only “guilty of developing his constituency”.
From his perspective and his party’s, raids and summons by the ED should be used for their own advantage but is it an electoral issue at all for the public?
DOTASRA REMAINS POPULAR
Even after the ED summons to his sons, the fact that he was able to stall traffic for almost a kilometre shows the goodwill he enjoys among his supporters. “It is wrong to claim that the ED probe has decreased his support. It’s actually the opposite. All these probes are fake. We know who is ordering it,” said a supporter attending the rally.
Asked what “development” the Congress leader had brought in, another supporter said: “For example, he has sanctioned development work of Rs 1,500 crore in Laxmangarh itself. People love him for that.”
A woman, her face covered by a veil, was driving a car at the rally. She said: “Aisa koi kaam hi nahin hai jo inhone kiya nahin hai (There’s no such work that he hasn’t done).” Dismissing the ED probe, she said Dotasra was a son from an agrarian family.“Aisa kuch nahin hai unke paas.” Beside her sat an elderly woman with plastered hands, who expressed her solidarity with Dotasra.
The leader’s popularity extends beyond his area. When we stopped at a tea shop in the next assembly constituency, a man enjoying his afternoon tea said: “He is not our candidate. But he has done good work I have heard,” while another questioned the timing of the ED raids and summons.
A CULPRIT FOR MANY
An octogenarian sitting idle with his stick resting on his shoulders was visibly irritated about those praising Dotasra. “He has taken money… He has taken Rs 13 lakh each in exchange for a job… and has failed the rest,” alleged the old man animatedly.
Rakesh Kumar, who was preparing his tobacco at a distance, did not have as strong a view as the old man but supported him. “People believe these allegations,” he said, adding that the Congress government is responsible for the paper leak.
Tajpal Gujjar, a resident of the Shekhawati region where Laxmangarh is located, said: “The entire Shekhawati region is talking about it. People only talk when there is some fire,” he said, adding that after the election is over more will come out. He rubbished the charge by Dotasra’s supporters that these are politically motivated actions. “Absolutely not. He is facing the consequences of what he has done,” he added.
Devender Kumar was far more specific. “Dotasra ji has abused the education system and leaked papers; he has played with the future of our children. This is why I hold him responsible,” adding, “you may not know but an aspirant leaves his house, stays on rent at Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 a month, and spends on their education. Then they spend almost a day at the railway station before writing the exam. But when they reach there, they find out that the paper has been leaked.”
Before summoning his two sons, the ED raided properties linked to Dotasra as well as party candidate from Mahua assembly seat, Omprakash Hudla, as part of a money laundering investigation into the alleged exam paper leak case in the poll-bound state.
However, rather than going on the defensive, Dotasra’s poll strategy has been tweaked to bat the Centre’s bouncer in the front foot. More than the opposition, he is taking the ED issue to his home turf to gain sympathy from voters. But, outside Laxmangarh that sympathy is slowly evaporating.
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