New Delhi: With Rahul Gandhi targeting the Prime Minister over ‘Sahara diaries’ bribery issue, a controversy erupted after Congress put out a list linked to the issue on Twitter. The list allegedly also had a reference to its leader Sheila Dikshit, prompting her to junk the documents.
Former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who is also Congress’ chief ministerial candidate in Uttar Pradesh, strongly denied the charges and trashed the documents, saying the Supreme Court has already made its observations on them.
“There is no iota of truth in the allegations. I totally reject these allegations,” she said.
Asked about Congress putting out the “list” publicly on its twitter handle, the Congress leader said it surprised her.
She added she has nothing to do with the issue and refused to speak further saying the matter is sub-judice. However, sources close to her said that she may take up the matter with the party.
“The list has so many names. Why are you focusing only on Sheila Dikshit? I don’t even remember anything like this. There are names of other chief ministers. Why don’t you talk
about them?,” she questioned.
Seizing the opportunity, BJP immediately criticised saying there cannot be double standards and that Rahul Gandhi was “whipping a dead horse” as the apex court has already cleared the matter.
The party’s national Secretary Siddharth Nath Singh said, “There cannot be double standards. Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and their spokespersons are making stupid mistakes time and again. The horse has died and his death has been certified by the Supreme Court.”
Taunting Rahul Gandhi, he said the Congress leader “should have gained wisdom by now, he is no more a child”.
However, other parties like JD(U), RJD and NCP demanded that everyone mentioned in the diaries should be probed.
JD(U) leader K C Tyagi said, “I want that the Sahara diaries should now be made public and all the people named in it should be questioned.”
He also alleged, “There are accusations against Sheila Dikshit, Raman Singh and Shivraj (Singh Chouhan) and some other leaders that they have received money from Sahara and that is why we demand that the entire list should be made public.”
RJD leader Manoj Kumar said irrespective of who has been named in the list, immediate action should be taken and a probe by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court ordered.
“Because we don’t want to target an individual, rather we don’t want the Prime Minister’s position losing its credibility in front of the entire world and this is our priority,” he said.
Majeed Memon of NCP said, “It does not matter if the person is from Congress or BJP or is a PM or a former CM.
“If someone has committed a crime and he/she is being accused, then he/she should be dealt with in accordance with the law,” he said.
Just days earlier, Rahul Gandhi had alleged that Narendra Modi as Gujarat Chief Minister had taken money from Sahara and Birla groups and demanded an independent inquiry into it, a charge that was rejected by BJP.
The ruling party had said that the “baseless, false, shameful and mala fide” allegations were an attempt to divert attention from the AgustaWestland probe as names of Congress leaders and the “family” are coming up.
PTI