New Delhi: BJP on Saturday described Congress`
allegation against its leaders of having links with corporate
lobbyist Niira Radia as "beneath levels of decency" and
"unacceptable" and the party`s senior leader Ananth Kumar
served a legal notice against those who had made the charges.
"Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi has made
statements which are beneath the levels of decency and are
unacceptable... Congress has found a credible source in Rao
Dheeraj Singh who was an associate of the lobbyist. He had
earlier been jailed for two years for abducting her son," BJP
spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.
BJP described Singh as a "person who is a persona
non-grata" who also happens to be the son of a Congress
leader.
"He is levelling charges against our leaders. These are
tell-tale signs of Congress today," Rudy said.
Party sources said Kumar has initiated legal action
against Singh, the news channel which had telecast his
comments, its associate news magazine and some senior
employees of the organisations.
BJP dismissed all the charges as "baseless".
"Singhvi has said cabinet papers were leaked during NDA
rule. What papers, pertaining to what issue, and to which
journalist were they leaked? Congress should give proof," Rudy
said.
The Rajya Sabha MP also denied the allegation that land
was alloted to a Trust controlled by Radia.
"The land was alloted to Pejavar Swami partially in 1996
when P V Narasimha Rao was Prime Minister. Full allotment was
done when I K Gujral was PM and the government was supported
by Congress," Rudy said.
Reacting to another allegation that Radia had benefitted
from a helicopter deal in 1998 involving Karnataka and
Maharashtra governments, BJP said both the states had Congress
governments led by J H Patel and Vilasrao Deshmukh at that
time.
"BJP wants proof. Congress should either give proof or
apologise," Rudy said.
BJP also asked Congress to furnish proof of the alleged
Swiss bank account held by Ananth Kumar in Zurich.
"The Prime Minister, who is Mr Clean, had said in
Parliament that he would bring back within 100 days Rs one
lakh crore of Indian black money stashed away abroad. We
request the Prime Minister to at least furnish the names of
people who have stashed away this money," Rudy said.
PTI
