The Congress on Friday demanded an explanation from the BJP for the alleged close links that its general secretary Ananth Kumar had with corporate lobbyist Niira Radia during the NDA’s tenure. The BJP has denied the charge and declared that it will initiate legal action against the Congress.
The Congress charged that Mr Ananth Kumar was the architect of the whole nexus and sought a thorough inquiry into the links between the former civil aviation minister and Ms Radia.
Party spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi, during his briefing, sought to turn the tables on the BJP on the issue of corruption. Apart from posing a list of questions to the BJP, he also alleged that Ms Radia had “close relations with the Prime Minister’s Office during the NDA rule through a close relative of the Prime Minister.”
On Mr Kumar, Mr Singhvi said, “The BJP’s silence at yesterday’s revelation about the lobbyist’s role during the BJP government and the antics of its senior general secretary (Ananth Kumar) is eloquent. It has once again proved that the BJP is a corrupt party and it has no regard for national security.”
The BJP denying the allegation has called upon Mr Kumar to legally proceed against the Congress.
“The party has advised Ananth Kumar to take action against the maker of allegations and those responsible for the broadcast of those allegations,” senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley said. “Making a libellous statement or repeating it is equally libellous,” he added.
Mr Kumar too has said that he would initiate leagal action. “The imputations made against me are completely false and malicious. There is not an iota of truth in them. I shall be initiating legal action against the makers of these allegations,” he said.
Taking a dig at the BJP for having alloted land to Radia’s trust in the posh Vasant Kunj locality, Mr Singhvi also questioned the motive of senior BJP leader L.K. Advani in inaugurating the trust of Radia.
Mr Singhvi asked, “was Mr Advani an admirer of Ms Radia’s networking skills that he went for the inauguration of the Trust?” The BJP has flatly denied having alloted land to Radia’s trust.