Kota Unquote: Row over Paper Leak, Student Suicides to Test Gehlot Aide Dhariwal in Polls – News18

Kota is Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot’s man Friday Shanti Dhariwal’s territory. He almost did not get the assembly election ticket this time. That is, Sachin Pilot almost had his way. Dhariwal was one of the three leaders who didn’t turn up for the Congress Legislative Party (CLP) meeting two years ago that may have made Pilot the CM. Since then, Pilot, who was stripped of his deputy chief ministership and as state unit president as “punishment for rebelling”, had been making the point that Dhariwal, who has yet to face disciplinary action, should not be given a ticket. That didn’t happen.

Dhariwal told News18, “All that is the past. Giving tickets is up to the high command. I have apologised for the names I called Pilot. We are now working together to win.”

Dhariwal is the face of Gehlot in many ways. They share old equations and he has shown unflinching support for the CM. In fact, Gehlot had to push for his ticket, making it clear that this was one compromise he was unwilling to make.

Dhariwal has been Gehlot’s strength, but in these elections, as the BJP makes “exam paper leak” and students’ suicides a poll issue, the Kota North MLA has emerged as a symbol of the CM’s weakness.

Kota is a coaching hub. Its trials and turmoil inspired the famous OTT series Kota Factory. Students come here from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, and even down south. Almost every third building is a coaching centre and hostel. It’s a thriving business. But in the last year, it’s got blood on its hands. Unlike previous years, in the past year, there have been around 30 cases of suicide of students, who were depressed and under pressure. Allegations are that those close to Gehlot own these coaching centres. Congress’s state unit chief Govind Singh Dotasra was recently investigated in connection with such tuition centres.

“I have taken many steps to ensure suicides don’t happen. But if there is pressure, there will be suicide. Aren’t there suicides or paper leaks in UP or Gujarat? The BJP is trying to build a needless narrative,” Dhariwal told News18.

But students do admit the pressure. We caught up with Divya from Mangaluru, as well as Nimisha and Samia, both from Bihar. “Kota has a good name and good institutes. We and our parents thought this was the best place to come to,” says Divya. Hostels are nearly empty for the Diwali break, but these three preferred to stay back. “Suicide is no solution but we hear our friends and we understand their depression. Parents put pressure and at times teachers do too. I too get depressed at times but then I decide to work hard,” Divya says.

Nitin Vijay runs the most prestigious and popular coaching centre in Kota called Motion Academy. He also inspired Jeetu Bhaiya’s character in Kota Factory. His easy banter and fun style of teaching take the pressure off the studies. But “NV sir”, as he is called, says, “I feel bad that Kota has been maligned. It’s not as bad as it’s made out to be. The fact is parents must also be trained not to put pressure on students which forces them to even consider suicide.” He also laments the fact that it’s become a poll issue.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union home minister Amit Shah have hit out at the Gehlot government for running a “coaching mafia”. The exam paper leak issue was raised by Pilot earlier and now the BJP. Pilot says, “I am glad I raised this issue. It’s unacceptable that our young children suffer.”

But will the issues of coaching centres, paper leak, and suicides hurt the Gehlot government? Or will Gehlot’s all-time and all-weather friend Shanti Dhariwal once again bail him out?

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