Jaipur, Dec 7 (PTI) The Rajasthan High Court on Monday dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) opposing the holding of a rally here by the Congress on December 12 in view of the COVID-19 situation. The bench of Chief Justice Akil Qureshi and Justice Umashankar Vyas junked the plea, filed by advocate Rajesh Mutha, after Attorney General MS Singhvi, appearing for the Rajasthan government, alleged that the petition was a "publicity stunt"" and politically motivated. The Congress has planned to hold the rally to raise the issue of inflation. Singhvi told the court that the petitioner did not challenge the BJP rally to be held on December 5. He also told the court that doctors have said that Omicron is not very deadly. Meanwhile, a meeting of the council of ministers chaired by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was held to discuss preparations for the rally. Reacting to questions on the rally being held despite an increase in COVID-19 cases, food state and civil supply minister Pratap Singh Khachariya said that all the guidelines will be followed. “The report we have and I personally believe, though I may be wrong, that the Omicron variant is not much powerful...like Delta variant, he told reporters after the meeting. He said that the party workers and people are excited about the rally, which is the first such major event in Jaipur since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Nine cases of the new variant Omicron were detected in Jaipur on Sunday, while a few more samples are being processed in the genome sequencing facility here. The number of active COVID-19 active cases in the state is 221. Khachariya said that the chief minister himself is monitoring the COVID-19 situation. Hitting out at the central government on the issue of inflation, the Congress leader alleged it increased the fuel prices and filled its coffers when people were dying due to COVID-19. “Now, the fuel prices are not being increased in view of the assembly elections in UP and other states. They (BJP leaders) fear that they may lose UP elections and therefore they are not increasing the fuel prices,” he said. PTI CORR ABS SDA CK RT RT