The Congress Party on Monday strongly defended Gujarat governor Kamla Beniwal’s decision to seek details of expenses during chief minister Narendra Modi’s recent fast.
“This is quite justified. The money that Mr Modi spent on the fast is government money. The government’s money cannot be spent for fasts. If the Gujarat governor has sought details of the expenditure, she has done the right thing. People of Gujarat will also seek it,” Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi said.
Replying to questions, Mr Alvi said Mr Modi should make it clear whether the fast was “Sarkari Sadbhavana” as he spent huge government money on the fast and its advertisement.
Mr Modi also used his fast to project himself as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial candidate.
Ms Beniwal, who has been locked in a row with the state government over the appointment of Lokayukta, dashed off a letter based on a representation received from Maha Gujarat Janta Party chief Gordhan Zadafia.
Details of the expenses and procedures followed for its sanction were sought from the state government by Ms Beniwal, sources in the governor’s office said.
The Gujarat BJP has been seeking the recall of the governor accusing her of acting against the Modi government at the Centre’s behest.
The Congress attack on Mr Modi was significant as it came a day after Mr Modi upped the ante against the party accusing it of conspiring to dislodge his government through Raj Bhavan even as the state BJP passed a resolution seeking recall of Ms Beniwal.
Addressing a rally at Vastrol on the outskirts of Ahmedabad, Mr Modi said, “You (Congress), for the last three years, have used the Raj Bhavan to make a back-door entry to run a parallel government in the state.”
“This is a mega rally against the conspiracy hatched against my government”, Mr Modi said adding the governor has “lost the dignity of the post” and demanded her recall.
With Congress backing the Gujarat governor on her decision to seek details of expenses during chief minister Narendra Modi’s recent fast, its confrontation with the Bharatiya Janata Party is likely to intensify after demand for recall of Kamla Beniwal on the issue of Lokayukta appointment.