BJP, Congress in war of words over Rana Kapoor’s MF Husain painting statement

Rana Kapoor claimed to the ED that he was forced to buy an MF Husain painting from Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and that he was promised one of the country’s top civilian awards in return.

Published on: Apr 24, 2022, 23:11:17 IST

By HT News Desk | Written by Manjiri Sachin Chitre | Edited by Aniruddha Dhar

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Union minister and BJP leader Anurag Thakur on Sunday slammed the Congress over Yes Bank promoter Rana Kapoor's allegations against the grand old party, demanding "answers”. The Union minister, however, said “it is not the first time such an allegation was made against the Congress”. He alleged that the party's “only job was to sell the country."

Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor  (Pradeep Gaur/Mint)

“The Congress should answer to this (Rana Kapoor’s statement) that a banker used to buy Congress leaders paintings in crores of rupees. This is not the first time an allegation was put against the Congress. This shows that its only job was to sell the country,” news agency ANI quoted him as saying.

The Congress has rubbished Kapoor's allegations. Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi accused the BJP of “keeping the pot boiling without any basis.”

“This man makes allegations against dead people and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) just wants to keep the pot boiling,” he said at a press conference. “2010 transaction is related to a person who is behind bars for years. 20 to 30 bail applications have been rejected, this man makes allegations against dead people and BJP just wants to keep the pot boiling. Neither Deora Saab is alive nor Ahmed Patel is alive to deny,” Singhvi added.

Also read: Yes Bank founder Rana Kapoor hid ₹832 cr in wife’s company without her knowledge: ED

Stating that the Yes Bank promoter is making such allegations for bail, he said, “It is because this person wants to come out on bail and so, he is making such statements and naming political people.”

On Saturday, Kapoor claimed to the ED that he was forced to buy an MF Husain painting from Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and that he was promised one of the country’s top civilian awards in return. This statement - which was a part of a supplementary charge sheet filed by the ED to the special PMLA court - was recorded by the ED on March 9 and March 10 in 2020, saying that the sale was facilitated by late senior Congress leader Murli Deora.

It added that a few weeks later after the purchase, senior Congress leader - late Ahmed Patel - had appreciated his “good deed”. Patel had also told Kapoor that he would be “duly considered” for a major civilian honour, and “possibly some non-political banking and finance assignments", the statement added.

(With inputs from ANI)

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