A war of words erupted between the BJP and Congress on Sunday (March 8) with the BJP’s information and technology wing in-charge Amit Malviya claiming that every financial crime in India has “deep links” with the Gandhis.
Malviya tweeted, “Every financial crime in India has deep link with the Gandhis. Mallya used to send flight upgrade tickets to Sonia Gandhi. Had access to MMS (Manmohan Singh) and PC (P Chidambaram). Is absconding. Rahul inaugurated Nirav Modi’s bridal jewellery collection, he defaulted. Rana bought Priyanka Vadra’s paintings.”
The Congress hit back at the ruling party, saying that it seems that both the prime minister and finance minister were “complicit” as the loan book of Yes Bank grew manifold since 2014.
Responding to Malviya’s charge, the Congress said that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had sold a painting of M F Hussain to disgraced Yes Bank founder Kapoor for Rs 2 crore, and she had disclosed the entire amount in her income tax return of 2010.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi slammed the BJP, saying it was a “diversionary” tactic by the government. He said that the loan book of Yes Bank jumped from Rs 55,633 crore in March 2014 to Rs 2,41,499 crore in March 2019.
“Why did the loan book rise by 100 per cent in two years after demonetisation i.e from Rs 98,210 cr in March 2016 to Rs 2,03,534 ar in March 2018? Were PM and FM sleeping, ignorant or complicit?” he asked.
The 62-year-old Kapoor was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in Mumbai on Sunday on charges of money laundering and he was sent to ED custody by a court till March 11.