New Delhi: The Congress has sought a clarification from Rajya MP Dhiraj Sahu after the income tax department recovered over ₹300 crore stashed at premises allegedly linked to him. Jharkhand Congress chief Avinash Pandey said the party had no links with the issue as it is his personal matter. The BJP, however, called Sahu Rahul Gandhi's "friend" and demanded answers from the party.
"Since he is Congress MP, he should make an official statement about how such a big amount of money came to him," Pandey said while speaking to media persons at Ranchi's Birsa Munda airport.
"The party has a clear-cut stand that it is a private matter of Dhiraj Sahu, which has nothing to do with the Congress party," he added.
He further said the country liquor baron's family has been running the business for over 100 years and the Congress MP was just a part of the business. "But Sahu should clarify how such a big amount came to him," he added.
BJP MLA CP Singh said the Congress wanted to protect Sahu's bosses.
"Is Sahu Congress MP or Independent? If he is an Independent candidate, then he can say that the party has nothing to do," he said.
Also read: ‘Whose money…’: BJP questions Rahul Gandhi over ₹300 crore Dhiraj Sahu recovery
{{/usCountry}}Also read: ‘Whose money…’: BJP questions Rahul Gandhi over ₹300 crore Dhiraj Sahu recovery
{{/usCountry}}Union minister G Kishan Reddy said Sahu was Rahul Gandhi's close friend.
"From Rahul Gandhi's close friend and Rajya Sabha MP Dheeraj Sahu's offices, around ₹200 crore was seized by I-T...I want to ask Rahul Gandhi, why haven't you posted anything about this on social media? Why haven't you spoken anything about this? Because Congress always supports corruption," he added.
BJP MP K Laxman questioned Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi's silence over the issue. "Where there is a Congress Government, only corruption is there....PM Modi has a vision of zero tolerance against corruption... PM Modi will not leave the corruption and soon the Congress will be exposed," he said.
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said the BJP has been targeting the Congress.
"They are targeting Congress. Let them raid the residence of BJP leaders. It's wrong if unaccounted money is recovered from anyone's house according to the IT act. Let them take action against him (Dhiraj Sahu), we don't have any objection but why do they only target Congress leaders and not the BJP?" he added.
With inputs from PTI, ANI