Jaipur, July 30 A huge controversy erupted in Rajasthan soon after a video of a conversation between Assembly Speaker C.P. Joshi and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav Gehlot went viral in which the Speaker was heard talking about how 30 MLAs could have toppled the state government as the situation was tough.
He is also seen discussing the fate of the Congress government while saying that had 30 MLAs left the Gehlot camp, the government would have been toppled.
The purported discussion between the two can be heard with Joshi saying, "Nothing could have been done had 30 MLAs left the camp. Then, you could have done nothing and they could have toppled the government."
Sources said that it was Joshi's birthday on Wednesday and the video was shot at his official residence when Vaibhav Gehlot went to wish him.
Meanwhile, the BJP has insisted that the Speaker should resign on moral grounds as he appears to be biased in the video when as a Speaker he should be impartial.
State BJP president Satish Poonia said, "The Speaker is not talking to any ordinary person but to the son of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. In such a situation, it seems clear that he is supporting the Congress, while according to the Constitution, the Speaker of the Assembly should be impartial."
Poonia further said that on one hand, the Speaker of the Assembly has gone to the Supreme Court against the High Court order, seeking "justice" on the Speaker's right to serve notice to MLAs while on the other hand, he himself is seen breaking all dignity in the video and is talking about 30 MLAs leaving the Gehlot camp and methods of saving the government. Poonia termed it as unconstitutional and demanded his resignation.
( With inputs from IANS )