EC seeks report on Vadra land deal

The Election Commission has sought a report from the Chief Electoral Officer in Haryana over the state government’s decision to clear a land deal between Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra and real-estate giant DLF.

The Election Commission has sought a report from the Chief Electoral Officer in Haryana over the state government’s decision to clear a land deal between Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra and real-estate giant DLF.

The report has been sought to ascertain the facts whether clearing the deal was in violation of the model code of conduct.

The move comes close on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking the EC to take a serious note of Haryana government’s decision saying that the deal was done during the election process.

The Congress, meanwhile, on Tuesday alleged that Modi had ‘misled’ the people of Haryana and the EC with his remarks that the state government violated the model code of conduct by ‘legitimising’ the land deals involving Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s son-in-law Robert Vadra.

“At times, politicians give wrong statements. But when the Prime Minister of a country behaves like a habitual liar, it should be condemned,” party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said.

“A newspaper report mentioned a letter sent on July 16 which says that mutation is valid. The model code of conduct came into force on September 12. The PM said what happened before July 16 is in violation of model code of conduct. Such lies are not befitting to a Prime Minister of a country,” he said.

However, the BJP trashed Congress’ defence and termed the Haryana government’s approval to the land deal between Robert Vadra and DLF as its “parting gift” to the Gandhi family. The party also questioned the Bhupinder Singh Hooda dispensation for displaying “haste” in clearing it.

“We see it as a parting gift to the Gandhi family before the Haryana government of Congress loses it out,” BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra told reporters.