Jaipur, Feb 2 (PTI) Upping the ante, the BJP held protests at all district headquarters in Rajasthan on Wednesday to press for a CBI inquiry in the REET paper leak case, including the alleged role of a state minister and other leaders.

The party's state president Satish Poonia led a dharna in Bharatpur district while the leader of the opposition, Gulab Chand Kataria, and his deputy Rajendra Rathore participated in a protest in Jaipur.

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The Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers-2021 (REET) paper leak case has turned into a major political issue ahead of the assembly session from February 9, with the BJP trying to corner the Congress government.

Congress leaders hit back at the BJP, alleging it was playing with the future of the youths with such"gimmicks".

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The Special Operations Group (SOG) has arrested two more accused - Bhajan Lal and Sohni Devi. So far, 38 persons have been arrested in connection to the paper leak case.

The police have seized Rs 71 lakh and other "evidence"' from the accused, officials said, adding their bank accounts having Rs 11 lakh have been frozen.

"Based on the interrogation of arrested accused Ramkripal Meena, two more accused have been arrested. Meena had transferred them money collected in paper leak," SOG ADG Ashok Rathore said in a statement.

Poonia said the BJP will pro-actively raise this issue in the assembly to ensure justice to lakhs of youth.

"The BJP is continuously agitating across the state and demanding CBI inquiry in the REET paper leak case. On February 8, all the MLAs of the party will protest at Mahatma Gandhi circle in Jaipur, a day before the assembly session begins,” he said in Bharatpur.

Reacting to the protests, Rajasthan Congress President Govind Singh Dotasra said that the BJP should stop such gimmicks and prepare for the assembly session.

"Whatever the opposition BJP has to say about the REET exam case, put it before the assembly. Even if they have to make personal allegations against anyone, then we have no objection.

"They can give notice and discuss according to the rules and procedure of the Assembly. But BJP leaders should stop gimmicks as they are playing with the future of the youth," Dotasra told reporters.

On Tuesday, BJP had staged a sit-in at Civil Lines crossing where police used batons and water cannons to disperse the protestors. Several workers, including BJP state president Satish Poonia, had courted arrest.

Food and civil supplies minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said that BJP leaders have failed to play the role of opposition and were hatching a conspiracy to defame the Congress government in the state.

He asserted that the people of the state are with the Ashok Gehlot government.

"BJP state leaders sit with Delhi leaders and conspire to defame the Rajasthan government in any way," he told reporters.

Meanwhile, the enforcement wing of the Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) demolished a college building constructed by one of the accused, Ramkripal Meena, after encroaching on government land in the Jagannathpuri area of the city.

The four-storey college building constructed in 1000 sq yard was demolised while encroachments on 1000 sq yard land adjoining the college were also removed today. Another 1500 sq yard land, on which a dairy was being run, and a 500-sq yard land near to the college were also freed.

“The encroachments were done by Meena. The JDA had recently served the notice to vacate the land. Partial action was taken yesterday and the building was demolished and other lands were freed from encroachment today,” a JDA official said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)