Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan.
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: Veteran Congress leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Saturday asked the Centre to come clean on the Epstein files’ references about Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to a review of documents released by the US House Oversight Committee, Epstein offered to set up a meeting of Modi and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon in mid-2019, less than two months before his arrest of an American financier and sex-offender.
Chavan, who was the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office during the tenure of Dr Manmohan Singh-headed Congress-led UPA government, had on December 1, posted on X: “What will happen in Indian politics when the US Congress releases the details of the Epstein files?”
Speaking to reporters in his hometown Karad in the Satara district, Chavan said that after the disclosure, there needs to be a clarification from the government.
“There is 300 GB data…there would be lakhs of emails, photographs and videos…last week 65,000 photos were released,” he said.
“There is a former aide of (US President) Donald Trump, Steve Bannon, who tells Epstein to fix a meeting with the Indian Prime Minister, to which Epstein replies that he will try….here is a reply from him that "Modi on board”…If Trump’s advisor was part of Epstein’s inner circles, then what was his relationship with Modi? These are legitimate questions arising from the available records and public disclosures,” Chavan said, adding:"The question is…what is the connection of Prime Minister Modi in this whole affair? The government must clarify."
He said that the late Epstein, accused of running a wide-spread sex-trafficking and drug rackets, was believed to be close to many influential wealthy people, business and political leaders.