Congress, BJP cross swords in Koda scam

The war of words between the BJP and the Congress over alleged corruption by former Jharkand chief minister Madhu Koda intensified on Monday after he attempted to implicate the main UPA constituent in the hawala scam.

The war of words between the BJP and the Congress over alleged corruption by former Jharkand chief minister Madhu Koda intensified on Monday after he attempted to implicate the main UPA constituent in the hawala scam.

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Just days before the multi-phased elections in Jharkand, the BJP upped the ante and targeted the Congress demanding that the list of the beneficiaries in the Rs 2,000 crore money laundering scam be disclosed.

The Congress hit back at BJP saying it has "no credentials" to speak on corruption. The Congress also rejected any assertion of "linkages" with Koda.

"The government should make public the list of people who have benefitted from profits of crime and corruption," senior BJP leader Arun Jaitely told reporters in New Delhi.

Jaitley said the BJP feared that since Jharkhand was under President's Rule, the Centre could influence the investigating agencies to protect people who are alliance partners of UPA.

"The diary of Madhu Koda is a list of beneficiaries. The case should reach a logical conclusion and not end up in the media as mere news reports," he said.

Facing attack from BJP and unperturbed by reports that the seized diaries of Koda contained names of Congress leaders, AICC spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters, "We reject the assertion on linkages."

"It(Koda scam) is a matter being investigated. It is not my job to second guess any investigation. The law of the land is for everybody to follow," he said.

To a query whether the muck on Koda would smear the face of Congress as it extended support to his government for almost two years,Tewari replied in the negative and maintained that the party supported the government from outside and was not a participant it.