Rae Bareli/New Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday strongly backed her son-in-law Robert Vadra against allegations that he owns a house in London, funded by an arms dealer, and dared the government to probe the matter “unbiasedly”.
Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of behaving like a “Shehenshah”, the Congress chief also hit out at the NDA government for its bash held to celebrate its two years in power.
The BJP hit back at Sonia Gandhi, saying that Vadra “has the blessings of 10 Janpath” which was the reason behind his wealth.
Sonia Gandhi, who was visiting her Lok Sabha constituency Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh, lashed out at the allegations against her son-in-law: “This is also a political conspiracy. What do you mean by ‘Congress-mukt Bharat’? Everyday they give excuses and level wrong allegations.”
“If this (allegation) is true, then they should conduct an unbiased probe. Everything will become clear,” said an angry Sonia Gandhi.
Senior BJP leader Kirit Somaiya on Monday sought a detailed inquiry by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the alleged involvement of Vadra in the 2009 purchase of a ‘benami’ or proxy-owned mansion in London.
The Congress chief, training her guns on Prime Minister Modi, said he was prime minister and not an emperor.
“Woh pradhanmantri hain, koi shehenshaah nahin ki janta unki saari baatein maane,” she said.
“I have never seen anything like this, Modi ji is the PM, and not a Shehenshah (King). Our nation is facing drought, poverty, farmers are in pain. At these times, such a ‘show’ is not appropriate,” she said of the gala event held in New Delhi on Saturday night by the government.
The BJP said the Congress president’s defence of her son-in-law vindicates the party’s old charge that whatever Vadra does has the backing of the Gandhi family.
“Vadra has the blessings of 10 Janpath…That is why he has earned so much money. He can’t be dubbed as a private citizen. Whatever he has done has the backing of Sonia Gandhi and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi,” BJP National Secretary Srikant Sharma told IANS.
“You can’t separate Vadra from the Gandhi family. Sonia Gandhi coming out in support of Vadra has established our charges,” he added.
The BJP’s national media convenor said that the Congress president has been trying to “threaten” the BJP whenever there is a corruption charge against them.
“Congress has looted the nation and now they are coming out,” he said.
On Sonia Gandhi’s jibe at Prime Minister Modi that “he is the PM, and not a Shehenshah (emperor)”, Sharma said, “Modi ji is a ‘jan sewak’. Those who were Shehenshah are nowhere today. (IANS)
