JOIN USVadra made money via land deals: BJP
The battle between the Gandhis and the BJP got shriller on Sunday with the saffron party accusing Robert Vadra of building an empire with the patronage of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, while a combatant Priyanka likened the attack on her husband as one by “panic-stricken rats”.
With the Gandhis relentlessly targeting Modi over the past couple of days, the BJP hit back by releasing a video alleging that Vadra built an empire worth crores through land deals with the patronage of Sonia and Rahul.
The party termed it “Damaad Shree (Son-in-Law): The Vadra Get-Rich-Quick Model”, as Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka questioned the Gujarat model and singled out Modi for criticism in political addresses during Lok Sabha poll campaigning.
At a press conference, BJP leader Ravishankar Prasad said there was “gross violation” of laws relating to land and environment.
“The influence of the family helped Vadra make big earnings in the deals,” he said.Releasing a six-page booklet on the alleged deals of Vadra in Rajasthan and Haryana and an eight-minute documentary, Prasad said the BJP was not targeting an individual but addressing the issue of graft.
The fresh BJP attack came on the day when Priyanka took a dig at Modi during campaigning in Raebareli, saying that one does not need “56-inch chest” to govern India, but what is needed is a “big heart” and “moral strength”.
Latching on to this comment, Prasad said, “Someone talks about a big heart. Whose big heart helped Vadra establish his empire in such a short span with an initial investment of Rs 1 lakh?”
He said except Priyanka, the Congress has made no serious attempt to defend Vadra.Prasad alleged that the land deals involving Vadra were a “textbook case of corruption and crony capitalism under state patronage”.
Not to be cowed down by the BJP offensive, Priyanka used an election campaign in Raebareli to launch a counter-attack, saying the opposition party was behaving like panic-stricken rats, and that she would not be intimidated by such “lies” and would continue to speak against its “destructive” politics.
“They are running around like panic-stricken rats. I knew that they would repeat their bunch of lies. There is nothing new in it, but let them say whatever they want to. I am not afraid of anyone and will continue to speak against their negative, destructive and shameful politics. I will not remain quiet and I am waiting for them to say more,” Priyanka was quoted as saying when asked about the BJP’s allegations.
On Priyanka’s remarks, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said, “Calling the BJP rats is abusive politics. They have taken democratic discourse to such a low and have now distorted democracy and hurt democracy.”
On his part, Prasad also alleged that Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot extended favours to Vadra to “protect” their chairs, and those bureaucrats who helped Vadra in his deals were rewarded with plush postings.
Asked why the present BJP government in Rajasthan was not taking action against Vadra, Prasad said BJP MPs from the state have flagged the issue, and that various district administrations are gathering data.