New Delhi, (Samajweekly) After BJP President J.P. Nadda asked 10 pointed questions to Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi in relation to the funding, association and working of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, the Congress responded, but only with 10 counter questions. However, the Congress clarified that it did not receive any donations from fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi, as was being alleged.
“No amount has been received as donation from Shri Mehul Choksi personally as has been falsely alleged. Nor has any loan ever been given by the RGF to him. The records of RGF reflect receipt of a modest donation of Rs 10 lakh from Naviraj Estates Pvt. Ltd. (in the year 2013) of which Choksi was one of the Directors,” the Congress said.
Congress’s Communication incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala hit back at the BJP chief, saying: “J.P. Nadda has lost his political balance in his flailing attempts at distraction and diversion from the issues of national security and territorial integrity.”
Alleging that the BJP is crafting “conspiracies”, the Congress leader alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has “deliberately misled the nation”.
The party claimed that China transgressed into India, despite Modi asserting that India has not ceded an inch of land.
A day after it came to the fore the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation has links to the China Association for International Friendly Contact, which was branded by US in 2018 as a front for intelligence gathering, the Congress counter alleged that it is the BJP which has links to the said body. However, the foundation’s website seems to suggest otherwise.
Without answering any questions posed by Nadda, be it about alleged quid pro quo, connections with CAIFC, absconder Mehul Choksi, Surjewala chose another route – counter asking separate 10 questions to Nadda.A
Surjewala asked about the BJP’s connection to Communist Party of China. He raked up Rajnath Singh’s 2007 alleged visit to make his point. He even dragged in the RSS into the controversy, by asking why did its leaders allegedly go to China in January 2009? Surjewala also brought in an alleged visit of former BJP President Nitin Gadkari on a five-day visit in January 2011 at the invitation of the Communist Party of China.
“Why did the then BJP President, Amit Shah send a delegation of MPs/MLAs in November 2014 to China for a week-long study in ‘The Party School’ of the Chinese Communist Party?,”he asked. The Congress even asked for the reason for Modi’s four visits to China as Gujarat Chief Minister and 5 visits as the Prime Minister.
Finally, coming back to Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, which seems to be at the eye of a political storm, the Congress asked: “Will the BJP, like the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation has done, ask the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh to make public the list of all its donors and the amounts received including from all foreign sources including individuals, entities, organisations and governments?”
It posed the same question to the Vivekananda Foundation and the India Foundation.
It even asked the BJP to disclose its name of donors for the donations received through electoral bonds. It also posed questions about the funding of “Overseas Friends of BJP”. Surjewala also asked to know, “Has the BJP/RSS received funding from international foundations, funds, entities and organisations? If yes, how much amount has been received by BJP-RSS over the last 6 years by international funding and donors?”
The BJP on Saturday fronted its President to lash out at Congress for the alleged fund gate involving the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, labelling it as “sin”. In a no holds barred attack on the Congress Chief, Nadda questioned: “What is the exact relationship between INC and the Communist Party of China? What is the tacit understanding? What is the signed and unsigned MoU? The country wants to know.”
