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‘Insidious hate’: Congress cites motive behind probe in Gandhi family linked trusts
Congress has launched a counter attack on the BJP led central government following setting up of a probe against trusts linked to Nehru-Gandhi family.
The Congress has hit out at the Centre claiming the part and its leadership will “not be intimidated” by the “cowardly acts” and a blind “witch-hunt by a panicked” Modi government while responding to Centre’s decision to set up an inter-ministerial panel to probe funding of three entities linked to the Gandhi family, including the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation. The party statement was an echo of Rahul Gandhi’s tweet, posted around the same time.
“Mr Modi believes the world is like him. He thinks every one has a price or can be intimidated. He will never understand that those who fight for the truth have no price and cannot be intimidated,” the tweet read.
Though Gandhi didn’t mention it, the timing of his tweet, which came within hours of the announcement of the probe, indicated he might be referring to the same development.
The government had earlier in the day constituted a team to coordinate a probe into the alleged violation of various laws including the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) by three trusts associated with the Nehru-Gandhi family -- the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust.
Home Ministry sets up panel to coordinate probe into 3 Gandhi family trusts
The RGF had come in sharp focus in the past few days owing to allegations by the ruling party that the foundation had received funds from the Chinese embassy in what it claimed could possibly be a quid-pro-quo for the Congress taking care of Beijing’s interests including in trade with India.
The BJP had also claimed that the RGF, which is chaired by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, had received public funds from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) during the UPA-1’s regime, between 2004 and 2009, apart from several other state owned entities.
The Congress party reacted to the probe through a counter attack on the Central government alleging its decision was driven by an “insidious hate” of the Congress leadership and a need to distract from the alleged failures on the front of India’s security, territorial integrity, the handling of Covid 19 crisis and the economy.
“The wild and insidious hatred of the BJP of Congress leadership unfolds every day in an embarrassing and uglier fashion. Facing a barrage of questions on (i) blatant compromise of India’s security interests and territorial integrity, (ii) a shocking mishandling of the Covid-19 crisis which continues to devour lives and livelihood on a daily basis and (iii) unable to arrest the economic recession wreaking havoc on the life of every Indian citizen; a desperate Modi-Shah Government has fallen back on a devious hounding of those exposing its ineptitude by ordering a wholly vicious and vengeful investigation of the Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust, “ said an official statement signed by AICC spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala.
Earlier, senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi had accused the Centre of being biased against some institutions while protecting others associated with the BJP, like the RSS.
The statement released by Surjewala said that the entities to be probed had always stood out for their humanitarian work and distinguished services.
“The humanitarian work and distinguished service provided by these charitable organisations has always stood out and will withstand any vengeful and roving enquiry. Every day, a new conspiracy is crafted by the delusional BJP leadership so as to spread disinformation, distraction and diversion to bury the apparent incompetence and complete failure of the Modi Government,” the statement said.
The probe under the PMLA is likely to deal with aspects related to money laundering while the investigation under the FCRA will likely look at acceptance and utilisation of foreign contributions.
Congress also reiterated its allegations that the BJP leadership had deep-rooted connections with the Communist Party of China and that Chinese firms had made large donations to the PM CARES fund, set up recently to accept donations to fight unforeseen crises like the Coronavirus pandemic.
“Will the Modi Government hold an enquiry into the donations worth hundreds of crores received from Chinese entities into the PM-Cares fund?” the Congress asked.
The party also wanted to know if the Narendra Modi led government was willing to probe funding of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Vivekananda Foundation, The India Foundation and the Overseas Friends of BJP.
