Congress president Sonia Gandhi described the BJP’s report on “Indian Black Money Abroad in Secret Banks and Tax Havens” as “reckless and baseless”.
The Congress president was surprised how a leader of the stature of Mr L.K. Advani presided over a function held to release the “so called” document. Mrs Gandhi, also
the UPA chairperson, viewed the report is nothing but based on lies, sources said. The report was prepared by the BJP’s Task Force comprising Mr S. Gurumurthy, Mr Ajit Doval, Mr R. Vadiyanathan and Mr Mahesh Jethmalani.
It was released here a few days back. It alleged that Mrs Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi were among Indians who held Swiss Bank accounts.
In a letter to Mr Advani on February 15, Mrs Gandhi said: “This so-called report contains reckless and baseless allegations against me and my family, including my late husband and my mother. These lies, energetically disseminated from time to time by sections of the media and interested parties, have so far been treated by me with the contempt they deserve.”
“But I must let you know that I am surprised and disappointed to find a leader of your stature occupying important positions in the NDA and the BJP endorsing such scurrilous and malicious fabrications through their release at a function presided over by you,” she said according to the sources.
Mr Advani, the other day, deeply regretted the distress caused to Mrs Sonia Gandhi.
The Congress insiders are keenly watching developments in the main Opposition BJP, especially when its senior leaders like the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and Mr Advani are wanting to keep the UPA chairperson in good humour. “This is nothing but a Vajpayee syndrome,” they viewed.
Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, had refused to join the BJP hardliners in making a personal attack on Mrs Gandhi when he was the Prime Minister.