The controversy over the alleged dealings of absconding arms dealer Sanjay Bhandari with Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, prompted the BJP on Tuesday to question the “silence” of the Opposition party over the connect between the two.
At a presser here in the BJP headquarters, senior BJP leader Nirmala Sitaraman quoted a media report saying Vadra's london house was refurbished and his travel tickets other expenses were paid by Bhandari.
She said Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi who is “copying” Prime Minister Narandra Modi on the Twitter has maintained “silence” and not tweeted anything on the Bhandari controversy.
Facing allegations, Vadra himself posted a philosophical message on social media. “Good Morning, I am capable, I am strong. If I believe in myself, I can turn my dreams into a plan, and my plan into my reality,” said a quote on his Facebook post along with his photograph and a few horses running by a sea.
Asked why the dealings between the two private individuals should be bothering the BJP, Sitaraman said questions would be asked when the first family of Congress President is involved in the controversy. She alleged that 7.5 lakh Swiss Francs were put in the bank account of Bhandari and asked if there was a connection between this and the money spent on refurbishing the london house linked to Vadra.
The Minister, citing the media report, alleged that there were at least three transactions between them with “serious financial implications”.
“Why senior leadership of the Congress, including Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, is keeping a studied silence IJ,” she asked.
On the question as how Bhandari ran out of the country , Sitaraman said it is difficult to say but all action is being taken to bring him back home. On what the CBI was doing as it was investigating Bhandari, she said this question should be put to the agency.
After the BJP's attack, Congress said Modi should get “any investigation” done into any allegations against Vadra to find out if there was any “wrong doing”. Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala said Vadra has been going through “witch-hunting” for the last 41 months.
“They have a Government in Haryana and Rajasthan, and by all means, conduct any investigation that you choose, and come to a conclusion through a free and fair process of law of any wrong doing,” Surjewala said at Bangalore.