Congress steers clear of controversy on Guv's charge against Soni

Congress steered clear of the controversy over Punjab Governor S F Rodrigues levelling allegations against Union Ministers Ambika Soni and P K Bansal, saying Soni has already denied the charges.

Congress on Wednesday steered clear of the controversy over Punjab Governor S F Rodrigues levelling allegations against Union Ministers Ambika Soni and P K Bansal, saying Soni has already denied the charges.

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"Soni has gone on record to say that allegations made against her are baseless and without foundation. Whatever charges have been made by the Governor has been responded to by the ministers concerned... Investigation will bring the truth of the matter," party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan told reporters in New Delhi.

Asked whether there was a breakdown in the Constitutional mechanism in the state as a Governor and two Union Ministers are making allegations and counter allegations, Natarajan said "not at all".

She said the matter was under investigation at the highest level and refused to answer further questions.

Rodrigues had pointed out "serious irregularities" in the land allotment to the Delhi Public School Society in Chandigarh. Soni's family is involved in the management of DPS school.

Soni accused Rodrigues of levelling baseless allegations linking her and her family in connection with land allotment. She said she had consciously restrained herself from making any comment on the Governor's statements since he occupied a Constitutional post.

"But I find that he has no compunction of what is correct or otherwise and has lost no opportunity in levelling baseless and false accusations," she said in a statement.