Not birthright of Cong members that probe agencies cannot summon them: BJP
New Delhi [India], June 2 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia on Thursday said that nobody is above the law and it will apply equally to everyone, adding that it was not the birthright of Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi that probe agencies cannot summon them in accordance with the law.
His statement comes a day after Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi for questioning in the National Herald case,
Bhatia said that the BJP government has a zero-tolerance policy toward corruption.
Addressing a press conference, Bhatia alleged that the corruption charges levelled against the Congress leaders are true.
"Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have been summoned by the ED in the National Herald case, after this information came, a press conference was held by the Congress party and how the forgery, corruption, deceit, and fraud have become the character of the Congress party, it was clearly visible in their press conference as well," he said.
"The BJP government has a clear policy of zero-tolerance toward corruption. There is no place for corruption in BJP and a big change has come in India under this policy," he said.
"Are not Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi facing a criminal case under section 420 for cheating and dishonesty? Then they go to Delhi High Court and demand that the matter should be quashed in their petition. The order of the Delhi High Court on February 7, 2015, very clearly states that the prima facie allegations of fraud and dishonesty appear to be true," he added.
"Delhi HC and SC have decided not to quash this matter. Why did they not state these facts in Congress PC? Congress is hiding the truth. People of the country want to know the truth from the Congress leaders," the BJP spokesperson said in the briefing on ED summons to Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.
Furthermore, the BJP spokesperson questioned the Congress leaders about the Young India Company involved in the case and said, "A company named The Associated Journals Limited (AJL) gives a loan of Rs 90 crore to Young Indian Company. When was this Young Indian Company incorporated? Isn't it true that in November 2010 when you had the government at the Centre, this company was incorporated, so that fraudulently the AJL company was transferred to Young Indian Company?"
He further said that the assets of AJL which have been valued by the court in its order as Rs 2,000 crore.
"38 per cent of the shareholding of Young Indian Company is owned by Rahul Gandhi and 38 per cent belongs to Sonia Gandhi and the rest are institutions controlled by these same people. His shareholding meant that Young Indian was created with the sole aim to capture the assets of AJL and the ownership which belongs to no one else belongs to the corrupt Gandhi family members," he said.
"Sonia Gandhi Ji, is it not true that in May 2019, ED had attached assets worth Rs 65 crore. You had time; you went to court. Did the court say that it was wrongly seized?" Bhatia asked.
"Now no one will be spared. This country is moving forward. Corruption is not acceptable and any person be it Sonia Gandhi ji and Rahul Gandhi you are not above the law. The law of this country applies equally to everyone and it is not your birthright that you will commit corruption and the investigating agency cannot summon you in accordance with law in a case of corruption," he said.
He further said that Sonia Gandhi should come forward and reveal the truth about the ongoing case.
Slamming the Congress for its attack on central probe agencies, he accused that investigation agency heads were summoned by the previous Congress government and their reports changed.
"The probe agencies are ow independent and act in an unbiased manner. Now it is the power of law that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi panic and tremble," he added.
The BJP leader said that the Congress should tell the country that both Sonia Gandhi and Rahul are on bail in a case of a corruption case and added that Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra had also received an anticipatory bail in a case of alleged graft against him involving land deals.
"Not only in India but in the whole world, if there is one most corrupt family, then it is the Gandhi family. Because three members of a family Sonia Gandhi are accused of corruption and out on bail. Rahul Gandhi is accused of corruption and is out on bail. Robert Vadra seeks anticipatory bail in land scam," he added.
Rahul and Sonia Gandhi were issued a summons by the ED on Wednesday in connection with the National Herald case, which was closed by the investigating agency in 2015.
The federal agency's move followed the questioning of senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Treasurer Pawan Bansal in April this year in New Delhi in connection with its money laundering probe into the National Herald case. (ANI)
Source: National