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Updated July 9th, 2020 at 11:48 IST

Chidambaram swaps transactions for emotions; invokes Rajiv & Indira against 'witch-hunt'

A day after Centre ordered probe into the violations made by Congress-linked Trusts, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram has called it 'witch hunt by Centre'

Reported by: Navashree Nandini
RGF Trust
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A day after Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) ordered a probe into the violations made by Congress-linked Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram has called it a 'witch hunt', and chosen to invoke Rajiv and Indira Gandhi's deaths. The emotional defence comes in the stead of his earlier transaction-based rebuttals.

Taking to Twitter on Thursday, Chidambaram said that Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi lived their lives fearlessly and that is what Congress leaders have learnt from them. He added that they will face the 'witch hunt of the Modi government' with the same courage. This comes even as Chidambaram, who is out on bail in the INX media case, had admitted that funds from PMNRF were diverted to Rajiv Gandhi Trust, thus providing validity to the allegations made by BJP. Ahmed Patel is also being questioned in the Sterling Biotech case by the ED.

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MHA orders probe

In what came as a massive development on Wednesday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) formed an inter-ministerial committee to coordinate investigations into alleged violation of various legal provisions of PMLA, Income Tax Act, FCRA and others by the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, Rajiv Gandhi Charitable Trust and Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust. The MHA spokesperson on Tuesday said that Special Director of Enforcement Directorate (ED) will head the committee. 

Centre Forms Inter-ministerial Panel To Probe Cong-linked Rajiv Gandhi Trust, China Deals

BJP alleges scam in Rajiv Gandhi Fund Foundation

Revealing sensational details, BJP alleged that Congress-backed Rajiv Gandhi Foundation had received a donation of Rs.90 lakh from the Chinese Embassy in India in 2006-07. While Congress president Sonia Gandhi is the chairperson of the trust, senior party leaders such as Rahul Gandhi, Dr.Manmohan Singh, P Chidambaram and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra serve as trustees. Moreover, BJP president JP Nadda shared documents to show that the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund money had been donated to the RGF. 

However, Congress went on backfoot and admitted the transfer of funds as the BJP continued its attack providing documents revealing the donors of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, including fugitive Mehul Choksi. P Chidambaram while slamming the BJP in his tweet on June 27, admitted that Rs 20 lakh fund from PM National Relief Fund were diverted to RGF in 2005 and were utilised in tsunami relief work in Andaman & Nicobar.

This is apart from pictures that have surfaced of Rahul Gandhi signing a deal between the Congress and the Communist Party of China - which is tantamount to the government of China - over which an NIA probe has also been sought. 

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Published July 9th, 2020 at 11:48 IST

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