New Delhi/Bhopal: Amid an ongoing war of words over the Sino-India standoff in eastern Ladakh, the BJP on Thursday accused the Congress of receiving a huge donation from the Chinese Embassy in 2005-06, a charge the opposition party dismissed as an attempt to divert the attention of the country from issues of national security.
Addressing the BJP’s Jan Samvad rally in Bhopal through a video link, Nadda alleged that Congress chief Sonia Gandhi was the chairman of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) when the money was given. “I saw television and I was shocked and surprised to know that the People’s Republic of China and Chinese Embassy gave three hundred thousand US dollars to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF) in 2005-06,” he claimed.
However, a BJP statement later quoted Nadda as saying at the rally that the Chinese embassy gave Rs 90 lakh to the RGF. “This is the Congress party and China’s secret relationship. After this, Rajiv Gandhi Foundation carried out many studies which advocated free trade,” Nadda alleged.
Sonia Gandhi was the chairperson of RGF, while former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Rahul Gandhi and P Chidambaram were members of the board when donation was made, he said.
“The country wants to know why the funds were given to the Foundation? What studies were carried out for that nation?” Nadda said. Responding to the claims by the BJP, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, “Please stop living in 2005 and start answering questions in 2020.”
At a press conference, he said when the country wants to know answers on the issues concerning securing the borders and Chinese transgression, the BJP is trying to divert the attention of the nation.
Attempts are being made to divert the attention from issues of national security, territorial integrity and the Chinese transgression in Indian territory, he said. (PTI)
