Reacting to the BJP accusation that Congress took donations from liquor business fraternity, the State Congress spokesperson Surendra Kumar said on Monday that the saffron party itself too took donation from the liquor lobby which was proven in the report of the party’s internal inquiry into the reported theft of Rs 27 lakh from the cabin of then party State chief Puran Chand Sharma in 2002.
Addressing the media persons here, Kumar said that following the reported theft in the BJP party office in Dehradun in 2002, an inquiry report submitted by the BJP inquiry committee member and party office bearer Mukesh Mahendra had stated that then party general secretary Jyoti Prasad Gairola had said that Rs 30 lakh had been donated by the liquor lobby for the elections to the party.
This money had been brought in cartons of a whisky brand. The inquiry report further stated that Gairola himself was unaware of the amount of money received for the elections as there was no account of election expense. The report further cited interactions with police officers who investigated the case which appeared to be orchestrated to depict it as a burglary whereas it was a case of financial irregularity orchestrated by someone within the party office, Surendra said.The Congress spokesman lambasted the BJP for having taken money from the liquor lobby and then accusing the Government of taking donations from the liquor lobby.