The Congress on Sunday accused the Centre of diverting the country’s attention from issues of corruption, demonetisation, hike in fuel prices and unemployment, and said the Modi Government is busy lodging FIRs against political opponents through false cases.
The party alleged that since Assembly elections are again round the corner, the BJP-led Government has unleashed its 'Fake News Factory' and 'Dirty Tricks Department' in the pursuit of its vicious propaganda. "While rupee is falling rapidly and the Government has failed on all fronts, a new set of manufactured lies is being served through false and fake FIRs against Robert Vadra, son-in -law of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi," AICC chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala said in a statement.
Defending Vadra, Congress said Skylight Hospitality Private limited of Robert Vadra purchased a small piece of land measuring 3.5 acres on 28.01.2008 in the notified commercial zone of Village Sikohpur, Gurgaon, through a registered sale-deed for Rs 7.95 crore including stamp duties as per the prevailing collector rate.
It further clarified that with the prevailing Government policy for grant of licence, a commercial licence for 2.5 acres was granted in December 15, 2008. "Commercial colony licence charges of Rs 7.43 acore and renewal charges of Rs 73 lakh were also paid. Thus, total amount paid for purchase of land and statutory charges comes to Rs 16.11 crore. After a lapse of nearly five years, this land was sold by Skylight to DlF for Rs 58 crore on 18.09.2012. Even on this amount, Skylight/ Vadra paid an additional tax of Rs 8 crore. Thus, a total amount of Rs 24.11 crore (16.11 Cr+8 Cr) was paid in statutory charges/taxes against the receipt of sale price of Rs 58 crore.
Surjewala pointed out the licence remained valid till date and has not been cancelled on account of violation of any rule or law or policy for grant of licence. The entire allegations are, thus, false and fabricated on the face of it, he said.
He further said the malice of Modi-BJP Government is apparent from the fact that various Governments in Haryana, including BJP and BJP-lok Dal Governments, have issued licences for 33,697.57 acres of land, including over 11,000 acres in Gurgaon alone.
"BJP and Khattar Government are spreading canards against former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Robert Vadra qua a small licence for merely 2.7 acres out of total licences running to over 11,000 acres in Gurgaon on account of sheer malafides. Khattar Government has itself given numerous licences of over a few thousand acres for change of land use to commercial-residential-institutional etc between 2014-18. If grant of a licence is wrong, as is being alleged in the FIR, should a similar FIR then be not lodged against Manohar lal Khattar and others for giving commercial and other licences under the same policy," Surjewala said.